- For many Muslims around the world, the fasting month of Ramadan began with the sunrise on Saturday.
- In addition to fasting from sunrise to sunset, Ramadan also includes breaking bread and having dinner in the community.
- This month will be overshadowed, especially in poorer countries, by the sharp rise in food prices due to the war in Ukraine.
The Reuters news agency writes that in Egypt a liter of sunflower oil already costs the equivalent of more than 10 euros. That corresponds to around 10 percent of the monthly minimum wage. In addition, more than a million Syrian refugees in Lebanon would have to go without dinner. Every evening in the fasting month of Ramadan, people meet to break the fast together.
Now this is accompanied by concerns about increased food prices. The reason for this is the increased prices for grain and cooking oil due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Both countries are responsible for a large part of global exports. The traditional donations after the month of fasting should also be affected.
Start of Ramadan may vary
Today’s Saturday is the first day of the month of fasting, reported the Saudi state news agency SPA. The start depends on the appearance of the new crescent moon and can therefore vary slightly from country to country. Several Islamic associations in Germany and Turkey had also proclaimed Saturday as the first day of fasting.
Legend:
People break their fast in front of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
Reuters/Archive
Believers in Islam abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk for a month during Ramadan. n the third Ramadan during the Corona pandemic, there are significantly fewer restrictions on celebrations worldwide. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Around 1.9 billion Muslims live worldwide.