YALA, 27 June 2014 – Thai Muslims in the southernmost province of Yala have begun shopping for food and other supplies in preparation for the Ramadan holy month.
During the month, Muslims will stock cooked rice, meat and vegetables, date palms, and other canned fruits to break the fast with their families after sunset. The holy month of Ramadan is devoted to dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayers, and doing good deeds with the three-day holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
Muslims believe God revealed the first verses of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan, which starts with the sighting of the new moon. Ramadan’s starting period varies because Muslim countries and groups use different ways of calculating when the new moon is sighted.
The Sheikh Islam Office has tentatively set tomorrow as the first day of Ramadan. However, if the new moon is not spotted tonight, the first day of Ramadan will be pushed back to June 29. The fasting period will last for one month.
