On Thursday (23 Mar), Muslims in Singapore mark the start of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month.
During this time, Muslims all over the world fast, and practise moderation and kindness as part of their religious beliefs.
The Mufti of Singapore, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, officially announced the beginning of Ramadan this year with a video and written statement via the official website of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS).
In his statement, Dr Nazirudin shared that Singapore uses astronomy to calculate the start of each Islamic month. The religious council determines the months based on the sighting of the crescent of a new moon.
The crescent was spotted on the evening of Wednesday (22 Mar) for 38 minutes shortly after sunset. It signalled the start of Ramadan for 2023, or the Islamic year of 1444H.
Dr Nazirudin thus declared that the first day of fasting will fall the following day — Thursday (23 Mar).
Source: MUIS
Speaking on the start of the fasting month, the Mufti wishes all Muslims “a blessed Ramadan, a month of great blessings, forgiveness, empathy, patience, and gratitude”.
“May God grant us peace and faith as we welcome this month, with protection and guidance, and for our deeds to be accepted,” he added.
Just last week, it was announced that certain mosques in Singapore would require bookings for the Ramadan Tarawih prayers.
67 local mosques are offering a total of 98,550 spaces during Ramadan for people to conduct the nightly prayers. However, 10 popular mosques will require congregants who wish to conduct the prayers onsite to pre-book their slots beforehand.
This will ensure the safety of congregants, and retain good hygiene and safety practices.
MS News wishes all Muslims a peaceful Ramadan filled with joy, compassion, and gratitude.
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Featured image adapted from MUIS and Google Maps.
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