Beirut (AsiaNews) - The feast of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan - a month of fasting - begins today for the majority of the Arab countries. The announcement of the sighting of the new moon, which marks the beginning of a new month and the end of the month of Ramadan, was given yesterday by the Saudi authorities, then followed by other Islamic authorities in the region.
Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, UAE, Tunisia, Egypt also have their decreed that the feast of Eid begins today.
Instead in the Shiite world the festival of Eid begins tomorrow. This is the case in Iran, as among most of the Shiite community in Lebanon.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset. According to tradition, the month of Ramadan commemorates the month Muhammad received the revelation of the Koran.
The Ramadan fast is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.
