RAMADAN KAREEM

Religious authorities in most Middle Eastern countries declared that Friday will be the start of the holy month of Ramadan, a period devoted to dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayers and good deeds. Official statements issued on Thursday in the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar, Libya and Yemen said the holy month will start the following day.
INDONESIA
The first day of Ramadhan, the Muslim fasting month, will fall on Saturday, the Religious Affairs Ministry has announced. Minister Suryadharma Ali said during the itsbat (confirmation) meeting on Thursday night, that observations conducted by the ministry’s teams in several parts of the country had concluded that the hilal (crescent moon), which marks the beginning of the new month, was not yet visible. “Because the result of the rukyat (observation) found no hilal on Thursday, the Ramadhan month would begin on Saturday,” Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali said after the meeting.
SINGAPORE
நாளை நோன்பு தொடக்கம்
இம்மாதம் 21ம் தேதி அதாவது நாளை சனிக்கிழமை புனித ரமலான் மாதம் தொடங்குவதால், சிங்கப்பூர் முஸ்லிம்கள் தங்களின் நோன்பை நாளை அதிகாலை தொடங்குவார்கள் என்று முஃப்தி எனப்படும் சிங்கப்பூர் இஸ்லாமியச் சமயத் தலைவரான டாக்டர் முஹம்மது ஃபத்ரிஸ் பக்காராம் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.
KUALA LUMPUR -- Muslims in Malaysia will begin the Ramadan fast on Saturday. The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal, Datuk Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, announced tonight that the date for the beginning of the fast for states in Malaysia had been set for Saturday, July 21, as decreed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after getting the consent of the Rulers.