Officials saw the crescent moon on Sunday night in Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam, marking the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan for many of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims.
The sacred month, which sees those observing abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset, marks a period of religious reflection, family get-togethers and giving across the Muslim world. Seeing the moon on Sunday night means Monday is the first day of the fast.
Saudi state television reported that authorities there saw the crescent moon. Soon after, multiple Gulf Arab nations, as well as Iraq
