NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 2 — Senior Principal Kadhi Sheikh Twalib Mohamed has said Muslims in Kenya will begin observing Ramadhan on Sunday.
He made the statement amid indications that a section of adherents may begin observing Ramadhan on Saturday after Sheikh Jamaluddin Osman, Imam at Jamia Mosque, said that he sighted the crescent of the new moon.
“On behalf of Chief Kadhi Sheikh Ahmed Muhdhar, I would like to inform all Kenyans that the crescent was not sighted in the country, therefore April 2, will be the 30th day of Shaban while April 3 will be the first day of Ramadan,” Sheikh Twalib said.
There had been confusion on the exact date to start Ramadhan as Saudi Arabia’s Umm al-Qura Calendar had already predicted Ramadan would start on April 2.
Word came in that the new moon had been seen in Sudair, Saudi Arabia, where telescopes were lined up at observatories to search the skies for the first trace of the crescent.
According to the Umm al-Qura, the month will end on May 1, with the three-day Eid al-Fitr celebrations kicking off in the new month (Shawwal) on May 2.
