The Islamic Foundation of the Netherlands (ISN) has confirmed that the first day of fasting for Ramadan will be Thursday, 19 February. In Saudi Arabia, authorities determined on Tuesday that the fasting month would begin on Wednesday.
For Turkish Muslims, the start date had already been set for Thursday. They follow a different method for determining the beginning of Ramadan than Saudi Arabia does. The ISN, an umbrella organisation for 150 Turkish mosques, says that many other Muslims also attend its mosques.
The Dutch Imams Association announced on Tuesday that Ramadan would not begin on Wednesday, as concluded in Saudi Arabia, but on Thursday. The announcement led to confusion among Dutch Muslims who usually follow the Saudi calculations. Dozens of people shared their frustration on the association’s Facebook page.
In Saudi Arabia, religious authorities said the new crescent moon marking the start of Ramadan had been sighted. However, under Turkish criteria, this observation is not valid, meaning Ramadan begins one day later.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
