Muslims Worldwide Mark Beginning of Ramadan 2022

A Lebanese woman shops for decorations in preparation for the upcoming Islamic holy month
AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari
Gabrielle Reyes

Muslims across the globe prepared for the start of Ramadan — a month-long holiday during which adherents of Islam participate in a fast from dawn to sunset — on Friday.

Islamic faithful observe Ramadan annually as it serves as one of the five pillars of Islam, or required tenets of the religion. Ramadan lasts this year from about April 2 to May 1, depending on the region.

Many countries base their Ramadan start date on that determined by Saudi Arabia, which is considered the birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest pilgrimage site, Mecca.

“The world’s Muslims will mark the first day of Ramadan on Saturday [April 2] after an official sighting of the new crescent moon,” the Saudi Supreme Court announced on April 1.

“This will be the first year since 2019 that Ramadan in Saudi Arabia will be observed without coronavirus restrictions,” Arab News observed on Friday.

Malaysian Muslims will begin observing Ramadan on April 3, Singapore’s CNA news outlet reported on April 1.

“The holy month begins with a sighting of the new moon based on the Islamic lunar calendar, after which religious authorities will declare the start of Ramadan,” CNA noted on Friday.

“In announcing the date, the Mufti of Singapore noted that according to astronomical calculations, the crescent for the month of Ramadan is unlikely to be seen above the horizon of Singapore at sunset on Friday evening,” the media outlet relayed.

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia and has a population of nearly 33 million. Muslims account for an estimated 61.4 percent of Malaysia’s population, according to the nation’s latest census data (taken in 2010).

Another Southeast Asian nation, Indonesia, will usher in Ramadan starting on April 3, the Indonesian news site Kompass reported on Friday.

“Approved by unanimity, the first day of Ramadan will fall on Sunday, April 3, 2022,” Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas told reporters on April 1.

Indonesia boasts the world’s largest Muslim population, according to Pew Research Center. The latest census data available for Indonesia (taken in 2010) shows that 87.2 percent of the country’s population of nearly 240 million follows Islam.

“Although many people, especially in the United States, may associate Islam with countries in the Middle East or North Africa, nearly two-thirds (62%) of Muslims live in the Asia-Pacific region,” Pew Research Center highlighted in January 2017.

“In fact, more Muslims live in India and Pakistan (344 million combined) than in the entire Middle East-North Africa region (317 million),” the Washington D.C.-based institute noted.

Indonesia’s government waived quarantine requirements “for all fully vaccinated foreign arrivals entering the country since March 22 as daily coronavirus cases have dropped more than 90 percent from a mid-February peak. This means members of the Indonesian diaspora can finally plan on spending Ramadan and Idul Fitri in Indonesia,” the Jakarta Post reported on April 1.

“Idul Fitri” is the Indonesian spelling of the Arabic term Eid al-Fitr. The term refers to a specific holiday marking the end of the month of Ramadan.

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