No sighting in Kerala; Ramzan fasting to begin on Thursday

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ramzan fasting would begin from Thursday as the crescent moon could not be sighted anywhere in Kerala. Although it was Shaban 29, the moon could not be sighted anywhere in the state. The Qazis had decided that Shaban 30 would be completed on Wednesday, and Thursday would be the first day of Ramzan. Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and Palayam Imam Dr P. V. Shuhaib Maulavi announced that the fasting would begin on Thursday.

The announcement of Ramzan is usually made only when the moon is sighted with the naked eye, based on the Prophet's saying that fasting should be observed only after the sighting. Since it is a new moon today, the moon's brightness is only 0.1 per cent, and the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal caused cloudy weather on the western horizon.