Holy Ramadan begins today

The Holy Ramadan, the lunar month of self-purification through fasting and abstinence, begins in the country from today as the new moon was sighted in Bangladesh sky on Friday evening.

Lailatul Qadr, the night of divine blessing and benediction, will be observed on the night of May 20.

The National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision at a meeting at Islamic Foundation’s Baitul Mukarram office with Secretary of Religious Affairs ministry Md Nurul Islam in the chair.

This year, maximum 12 people, including two imams, can attend Tarabi prayers in mosques each during the holy month of Ramadan.

The step was taken to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19.

Muslims are meant to fast from dawn to dusk during the lunar month, a time of restraint and austerity.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five obligatory pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayer, annual charity -- known as “zakat” -- and performing the Hajj pilgrimage.