The Islamic holy month of Ramzan started on Sunday with the beginning of special Tarabi prayers in all the mosques of the State capital and other parts of the State and the country. The first Roza (fast) would be on Monday ,June 30.

The moon was sighted in Bhopal and other parts of the country on Sundayto mark the beginning of the Muslim holy month. Sighting of new crescent moon is compulsory for commencement of any Islamic month in accordance to lunar calendar while many of the Islamic countries still prefer observing the new moon via naked eye, whereas, others allow astronomical calculations for observing the starting of new Islamic month.

Muslims all over the world refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk as a sign of piety during this month. During Ramzan, Muslims ask forgiveness for their past sins, pray for guidance, and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

The Sehri (an Islamic term referring to the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting) would start, the Sehri for the first fast would come to end and the fast would begin at 3.44 hours and the fast would end at 19.16 hours, during this period of 16.28 hours the devotees would stay away from eating and drinking anything including water and sins.

The Roza is considered as the exam of whole body including that of eyes, intents and mentality.The month-long fast during daylight hours starts on the first day of the ninth lunar month. In the Muslim calendar, months are either 29 or 30 days long.In sunlight hours during Ramzan, Muslims refrain from food, water, sex, smoking and oral medicine in order to bring desire under self-control and to focus on prayer and Allah. People exempt from fasting include pregnant women, children who haven’t reached puberty, menstruating women, breast-feeding women, the elderly, travellers and the chronically ill.

Ramzan culminates in the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr when the period of restraint ends in an extravagant explosion of joie de vivre, festivities and feasting.Islamic calendar is based on lunar system, and beginning of the new month is decided by sighting of the new moon on 29th of the ongoing month. If the new moon is sighted on 29th, the next day is counted as first day of the new month otherwise it is treated as 30th day of the ongoing month.

In almost every part of the world, Muslims make special arrangements for sighting of new moon. Moon sighting committees are also functional in Muslim and non-Muslim countries to verify moon sighting reports and decide the beginning of the new moon.