The Supreme Court has called upon the public to sight the crescent moon signaling the start of the holy month of Ramadan next Thursday evening, Shaaban 29, corresponding with Aug. 20. Muslims in Saudi Arabia should sight the Ramadan crescent either with the naked eye or the use of telescopes and register sightings with the nearest court, the Supreme Court statement said, citing a Royal Order and Cabinet decision. The Court further called on Muslims to join up with regional committees formed to sight the crescent. Member of the Senior Board of Ulema Abdul Mohsen Al-Obeikan, meanwhile, has said that crescent sightings will only be accepted if “consistent with the official sighting committee and observatories, to avoid mistakes.” Al-Obeikan said that crescent sighting rules as laid down by the Council of Ministers and the Shoura Council should be followed, adding that it is not possible for the naked eye to sight the crescent if advanced observatories cannot. “The main problem is the acceptance of witness testimony that is not confirmed by observatory detection,” Al-Obeikan said Sunday, adding that some people might falsely or erroneously claim to have sighted the crescent. “Dependence on observatories is no longer an issue as it has been permitted by the Senior Ulema,” Al-Obeikan said. • Official working hours for government departments during this year's month of Ramadan will be from 10.00 A.M. until 3.00 P.M., the Ministry of Civil Service announced Monday.
