Ramazan starts Thursday in Saudi Arabia

Bahrain, UAE and Qatar to also observe Ramazan from Thursday

RIYADH: The month of Ramazan is set to begin Thursday in Saudi Arabia, the Royal Court announced. 

The court said that because the crescent moon was not sighted Tuesday, Ramazan will start Thursday.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also announced a Thursday start for Ramazan.

The government of Yemen, exiled in Saudi Arabia because of war in their homeland, similarly said the holy month would begin Thursday in their country.

Read: Chances of sighting Ramazan moon tomorrow extremely high: Met Department

And in Amman, Jordanian religious authorities said Ramazan would begin there on Thursday.

More than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world will mark the month, during which believers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn until sunset.

Evil thoughts and deeds are also avoided during the holy month.