Ramadan underway for most, but not all, in parching summer

By dpa correspondents Aug 12, 2010, 14:22 GMT

Cairo - Most observant and healthy Muslims marked the first day of Ramadan on Wednesday, in what will become a month-long period of abstention from some pleasures, but also a time for families and friends to come together.

The start of the Muslim holy month depends on lunar sightings, which means no one can be certain of the exact start until the new moon has appeared.

Adding to the confusion, some schools of religious thought use astronomical calculations, which can lead to differences as well.

During Ramadan, observant Muslims abstain from food, drinks, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset. It is considered a time for introspection, charity and prayer.

The first meal after sunset, known as the iftar, becomes a time for friends and family to gather at each other's homes, eating and socializing. Many stay up late, as body clocks get switched around.

Some also rise early, before the sun, to have breakfast. In certain countries, youngsters walk around in the pre-dawn hour with drums, to wake up the observant and give them a chance to eat.

People have come to expect the month to be a bit slower, with employees sometimes leaving work early to rush home, take a nap and then prepare the iftar.

Traffic in the period just before sundown can be brutal and fast, and authorities have warned of traffic accidents.

This year, with intense heat permeating many parts of the northern hemisphere during a particularly scorching summer, abstaining from water during the day will be a tough requirement.

Some religious scholars in Persian Gulf countries issued verdicts saying that people working on oil rigs, where temperatures can rise to over 50 degrees Celsius on a cool day, would be among those exempt from the strictest rules. They were ordered to try to abstain for as long as possible, but to drink when needed.

Footballers playing in league games were also given special rules to allow them to carry on with their jobs, as stopping for a month could have severe ramifications for their teams and careers, particularly in non-Muslim nations.

When it comes to the official start of Ramadan, the exceptions this year were fewer than normal.

In the Philippines, Moro Islamic Liberation Front chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said the moon was not seen on Tuesday night, which delayed the first day of fasting in that country until the sun comes up on Thursday.

But most key centres of Sunni Islam - the overwhelming majority sect of the Muslim religion - said in unison that the new moon came out on Tuesday night.

Saudi Arabia, home to the holy sites of Mecca and Medina; Cairo, where the ancient and esteemed Al-Azhar University is located; and Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, all agreed - a fairly infrequent occurrence.

For Indonesia, internal agreement is also somewhat unique. The country's two largest Islamic organizations, the Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, use different calculation methods, which often lead to various segments of society beginning Ramadan on different dates.

Even in countries with smaller Muslim populations, local leaders must determine the start date, even if they tend to follow the major world players. In Belgium, Britain, France and other European countries, the national Islamic councils announced the commencement of the holy month for their own communities.

Shiite Islam, the minority group of Muslims, have however determined that their start of Ramadan will be on Thursday, based on astronomical calculations made by their scholars.

Iran, the largest Shiite nation, led the group in determining Ramadan's start. In Iraq, where Shiites are the majority but Sunnis make up a sizable minority, there was a noticeable split.

Ramadan will end in September, with the start of Eid al Fitr, a three-day celebration.

For Islam, the next and only other major holiday is 40 days later - Eid al-Adha, which celebrates the end of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.