RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced that Ramazan will start on Friday (today), as Muslims worldwide face unprecedented restrictions to counter coronavirus.

“Based on the sighting of the new month’s moon ... it has been decided that Friday is the start of the month of Ramazan,” the royal court said on Thursday in a statement cited by the SPA news agency.

King Salman said he is saddened that Muslims cannot pray at mosques because of coronavirus restrictions.

“I am pained that the holy month arrives amid circumstances that make us unable to perform group prayers and Taraweeh at mosques due to precautionary measures to protect the peoples’ lives and health in combating the coronavirus pandemic,” the king said in a statement cited by SPA.

Observant Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk during Ramazan and gather with family to break the fast in the evening.

It is also a month of prayers during which Muslims traditionally converge in large numbers at mosques, especially at night.

But due to the coronavirus, almost all Muslim majority countries have closed mosques and asked people to pray at home in addition to imposing curfews to limit the spread of the deadly virus.

Yemen

In Yemen, the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Sanaa noted that Ramazan comes as the country struggles with war and affliction.

“People across Yemen will mark Islam’s holy month this year amid ongoing conflict, seasonal diseases, floods and rising prices, in a country where the economic situation doesn’t allow two thirds of the population to access or afford enough food,” the ICRC said in a statement.

The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen called for the cessation of hostilities in a war which has killed tens of thousands of civilians.

“To the parties to the conflict, I say: be guided by the spirit of the Holy month and put an end to the suffering of your people,” Martin Griffiths said.

“Put down the arms. Release all those who lost their liberty due to the conflict. Open humanitarian corridors. Focus on coordinating your efforts to help your country respond to the pandemic outbreak and other emergency needs,” he added.

Other Arab countries

Most Arab countries including Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan and Bahrain have announced Friday (today) as the first day of Ramazan.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2020