Ramadan 2022 is set to begin in Saudi Arabia upon the sighting of the crescent moon as soon as April 1, with authorities urging Saudis to keep a look out for the moon starting Friday night.
Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month in the Hijri calendar, and it is also believed to be the month the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. Ramadan unites Muslims the world over in fasting and worship.
While Ramadan is often associated with ritual fasting by followers of Islam, Ramadan means more in the lives of Muslims than refraining from eating and drinking during the daylight hours. The ritual fasting during the holy month is among the five pillars of Islam: Shahadah, the declaration of faith; Salat, five daily prayers; Zakat, charitable giving; Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca; and Sawm of Ramadan, the ritual fasting during this holy month.
Over the last two years, Ramadan was experienced differently in Saudi Arabia as Covid-19 restrictions curbed certain activities in the Kingdom. This year, Saudi Arabia has eased Covid-19 restrictions and is no longer limiting number of pilgrims or shortening prayer times at the two grand mosques. Saudi Arabia is now open to unvaccinated travelers, which includes pilgrims who are not infected with Covid-19, according to The National.
In Saudi Arabia, the working day for the private sector will be a total of six hours for Ramadan 2022, and the starting and end times will depend on the nature of the jobs, and private companies. For the public sector working hours, the day will be a total of five hours long and will begin at 10am and end at 3pm.
