Muslims in Palestine are gearing up to welcome Ramadan, which will start on Thursday as the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine announced yesterday.
Daily work hours in government institutions will be reduced to only five during the holy month of Ramadan, according to a recent government statement.
It said work will begin at 9:00 in the morning and end at 2:00 in the afternoon during Ramadan which is expected to start on Thursday.
Usually, work hours are seven, from 8 until 3.
Saudi Arabia’s supreme court also declared on Tuesday evening that Wednesday would be the last day of the Islamic calendar month of Shaban, which precedes Ramadan, meaning the Muslim holy month will begin the following day.
Ramadan is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar, which begins at the first sight of the moon.
Officials in Egypt also announced that Ramadan would begin on Thursday.
Meanwhile, authorities in Jordan, Algeria and Morocco said they will wait until Wednesday to decide whether Ramadan would start on Thursday or Friday.
Fasting from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan is one of Islam’s five pillars. Moreover, it is a time of self-examination and increased religious devotion.
