WORLD CAPITALS, October 3, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Most Muslim countries and Muslim minorities were to observe the advent of the holy month of Ramadan Tuesday, October 4, with some to fast a day later and a third party to wait till Tuesday night to sight the moon.

Egypt's Mufti Ali Gomaa said on state television Monday, October 3, that Monday was the last day of Sha`ban and Ramadan will start Tuesday, October 4.

In the Gulf region, five of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council members officially announced that the dusk-to-dawn fasting will begin Tuesday.

Religious authorities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates said that the first day of Ramadan will start Tuesday while the Sultanate of Oman declared that Ramadan falls Wednesday.

Palestine, Syria Yemen and Somalia also announced Tuesday as the first day of fasting.

Algeria, Libya and Sudan also announced Tuesday to be the first day of Ramadan.

The Committee of Moon Sighting in Algeria has declared Monday that Tuesday will be the first day of Ramadan.

In Europe, the Muslim minorities in France, Germany, Austria and Britain were also to observe Ramadan Tuesday.

But Ramadan will fall Wednesday in Turkey, Oman, Tunisia, Albania, Kosovo, Ukraine and Malaysia.

Aussie Muslims will also fast Wednesday, according to Canberra Islamic Center (CIC)

Differences

While the Sunnis in Lebanon declared they will start fasting Tuesday, their fellow Shiites will start fasting Wednesday, October 5.

In occupied Iraq, for the third consecutive year, Iraq's Sunnis and Shiites remained divided on sighting the moon of the Muslim holy month, though they agreed not to go by astronomical calculations.

The state-run Sunni Endowment Authority announced that Ramadan will start Tuesday, while the country’s Shiites will start fasting Wednesday.

South Africa along with Pakistan are still to sight the moon Tuesday night.

Moon sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem at odds over the issue.

While one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow this sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.

A third, however, disputes both views, arguing that Islam is against division and disunity, since Muslims, for instance, are not allowed to hold two congregational prayers in one mosque at the same time.