Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, UAE, Burkina Faso, 28 other countries where Ramadan fasting commenced Saturday March 1
By BASHIR ADEFAKA with Agencies’ reports
Many of the more than 1.8 billion Muslims across the world began fasting for the holy month of Ramadan following the positive sighting of the new crescent of Ramadan after sunset on Friday February 28, 2025.
The DEFENDER reports that Saudi Arabia, which is two hours ahead of Nigeria, was first to sight the moon before it was sighted in Nigeria where the Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, is Leader of the over 100 million Muslims in the country.
The new month of Ramadan was hugely welcomed late Friday for the start of all-important fasting after the crescent moon was sighted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is home to world Islam’s two holiest sites.
“The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Saturday, is the first day of the month of [Ramadan],” the official Saudi Press Agency posted on X on Friday.
Many more countries around the world, including Oman, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Sudan and Tunisia announced that they too would begin the daytime fast on Saturday, as even the Palestinian territory of war-torn Gaza and the occupied West Bank as well as Sunni Muslims in Lebanon also began fasting same day.
In Nigeria, Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate and President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, while declaring the positive sighting of the new crescent of Ramadan, said his declaration was based verified and authenticated reports from various Muslim leaders across the country.
Although Iran and India announced to start on Sunday as they expected to sight the new moon on Saturday, Southeast Asia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, Indonesia, sighted it’s on Friday and began Ramadan fasting on Saturday while neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines will usher in the month on Sunday.
Observing the Ramadan fast is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring believers to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours. Observant Muslims are also encouraged to donate to the poor.
See the OFFICIAL First Day of Ramadan in Different Countries below:
Sat 01 March 2025
1 . Afghanistan
2 . Albania
3 . Algeria
4 . Bahrain
5 . Burkina Faso
6 . Chad
7 . Cote dIvoire
8 . Djibouti
9 . Egypt
10 . Gambia
11 . Indonesia
12 . Iraq
13 . Jordan
14 . Kuwait
15 . Lebanon
16 . Libya
17 . Mali
18 . Mauritania
19 . Niger
20 . Oman
21 . Palestine
22 . Qatar
23 . Saudi Arabia
24 . Senegal
25 . Somalia
26 . Sudan
27 . Syria
28 . Tunisia
29 . Turkey
30 . United Arab Emirates
31 . Yemen
32. Nigeria
Sun 02 March 2025
1 . Brunei Darussalam
2 . Ghana
3 . India
4 . Iran
5 . Malaysia
6 . Morocco
7 . Pakistan
