Maldives Islamic Ministry on Tuesday evening announced the island nation will be welcoming the Islamic month of Ramadan on Wednesday.
Speaking at the ceremony held to announce the crescent sighting - which is the Islamic ritual to confirm the first of Ramadan - Islamic Minister Dr. Ahmed Ziyad Baaqir had said the conclusion was arrived based on astronomical findings as well as based on the Islamic calendar which marks the first of Ramadan on Wednesday, May 16.
Islamic Minister had extended well wishes of the auspicious and sacred month for the Muslim brotherhood to the Maldivian citizens as well as all the Muslim communities across the globe advising the followers to 'make the most out of the sacred month.'
Following the announcement of first of Ramadan on Wednesday Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) had fired the celebratory rounds at the Jumhoory-Ground.
Though Maldives will be welcoming the first of Ramadan on Wednesday some of the Arab countries will be welcoming the month's beginning a day later on Thursday as their governments had respectively announced no sighting of crescent.
Among the countries that has large Muslim communities which will be celebrating Ramadan on Thursday include Indonesia, Malaysia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
While it is 2018 in Gregorian calendar the Islamic calendar is marking 1439th year.
