Ifta, Egypt's official body for issuing religious edicts, announced Friday that Saturday, 1 March, will mark the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in the Hijri year 1446.

The crescent moon of the Islamic month of Ramadan for the year 1446 Hijri has been sighted in Saudi Arabia, and as a result, fasting will begin on Saturday. On Friday, the mosque-based Saudi Arabian website “Inside the Haramain” reported the sighting of the

Ifta, Egypt's official body for issuing religious edicts, announced Friday that Saturday, 1 March, will mark the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in the Hijri year 1446.

For Muslims in Saudi Arabia and most Sunni-ruled Middle Eastern states Ramadan will begin on Saturday, but in Shiite-majority Iran and Iraq it will start the following day, authorities announced.

For Muslims in Saudi Arabia and most Sunni-ruled Middle Eastern states Ramadan will begin on Saturday, but in Shiite-majority Iran and Iraq it will start the following day, authorities announced. In multi-confessional Lebanon,

Observing Muslims across the Greater St. Louis area will begin observing the holy month of Ramadan with Taraweeh worship on Friday night, followed by the first day of fasting on Saturday, according to an official announcement from the Islamic Foundation of Greater St.