Ramadan fasting to commence Thursday in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia's supreme court has declared that Ramadan will begin on Thursday, following the end of the Islamic calendar month of Shaban. The crescent moon was not visible on Tuesday evening, prompting the announcement. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, with observant Muslims fasting from dawn to dusk and gathering with family and friends to break their fast in the evening. It is also a time of prayers, with the faithful converging in large numbers at mosques, especially at night.