Ramadan begins this evening, according to an announcement by Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court. (Al Arabiya). The dawn to dusk fast that begins tomorrow morning is particularly difficult in northern Europe and North America because the holy period based on the lunar calendar falls this year during the long days of summer.The International Business Times reports that Muslim clerics in Britain differ on whether Muslims in Europe can use the fasting hours for Mecca-- 12 to 13 hours per day-- instead of the longer 18 hours that are involved by using actual sunrise and sunset in northern Europe.
Meanwhile PolitiFact discusses the outrage on conservative social media over the decision of the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia to hold its annual 4th of July celebration-- an outreach event aimed at local influentials-- on June 4 since a daytime event during Ramadan would not have been well attended.
