Middle East News
Iraq's Sunnis, Shiites, differ on start of Ramadan
Aug 9, 2010, 8:26 GMT
Baghdad - Iraq's two main sects of Islam have a dispute over when the holy month of Ramadan should begin, local media reported Monday.
Iraqi newspapers said the majority Shiites were expecting Ramadan to begin Wednesday evening, based on their lunar calculations. The Sunnis were however predicting, using different astronomic figures, that the holy month would start Tuesday night.
Egypt, the largest Arab country and a predominately Sunni nation, was expecting the lunar sighting to be made Tuesday night.
Sunnis make up the overwhelming majority of the world's Muslims.
During Ramadan, observant Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
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