Ramzan begins today
The Central Ruiyat-eHilal Committee confirmed the sighting of the crescent on Wednesday, indicating the start of the holy month of Ramzan on Thursday.
This is for the first time, perhaps, in recorded history that Muslims across the world would observe the first roza of the holy month on the same day.
Led by Maulana Qubool Pasha Shuttari, members of the committee scoured the Hyderabad sky from atop the Hussaini Building at Moazzam Jahi Market but to no avail.
After receiving confirmation that the moon had been sighted in Nellore and Chennai, they announced that the first taraveeh would be offered on Wednesday and the first roza will be on Thursday.
The Central Ruiyat-e-Hilal Committee confirmed the sighting of the crescent on Wednesday, indicating the start of the holy month of Ramzan on Thursday.
In Hyderabad, rozadaars, (people who observe the fast), will have to complete the first sehri by 4.15 am on Thursday.
The day-long fast will end at 6.47 pm, a total of 14 hours and 32 minutes. The fasts will get progressively longer over the month, the last roza starting at 4.09 am and ending at 6.57 pm, a total of 14 hours and 48 minutes.
Rozadaars are praying that the monsoon sets in by then and bring the temperatures down.
The duration of the fast around the world depends on the region they are in, with people in places like New Zealand and Papua New Guinea fasting for just over 11 hours while Muslims in Iceland have to observe roza for over 22 hours.
All Muslims are required to go without food and water from the end of sehri till iftar time, and also abstain from all forms of pleasure during the duration of the fast.
While fasting is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female, who is mentally and physically fit, meaning sane and able, has reached the age of puberty and who is not a traveller.
Menstruating women and new mothers are also exempt from fasting. However, they have to fast whenever they regain health, or feed the poor in case of the elderly.
“If you are a Muslim, you have to fast, unless you fall in the exempted category. There are no two ways about it. It’s a test of one’s faith. The Almighty doesn’t need our fast, we need to fast to strengthen our faith and our will power, gain self-control, increase our patience and purify our body and soul,” said Moulana Afzal Ali Shah, rector, Madarsa Barkatiya.