The National Ramadan Conference has announced that this year’s annual Ramadan fasting exercise shall begin on April 13 or 14, depending on the day the moon shall be sighted.
“The moon sighting for Ramadan 2021 shall begin on Monday April 12 when the month of Shaban shall be 29 days. If the moon is sighted, then Tuesday April 13 becomes the first day of Ramadan. If not sighted on Monday, then Tuesday, April 13, becomes 30th day of Shaban. Therein Wednesday, April 14 shall be the first day of Ramadan 2021,” the conference has disclosed.
This was contained in a communique issued and signed by the chairman of the conference’s sub-committee on Ramadan, Alhaji Ghazali Yakub, at its 27th Annual Conference. The 27th Annual Conference was held in Sunyani, in the Bono Region, over the weekend.
The communique explained that the Muslim month of Shaban is expected to end on Monday April 12. It said the moon for the month of Ramadan is expected to be sighted the following day, April 13, for the exercise to begin.
However, it added that if both days are missed, the next day shall be applied to become the 30th day of Shaban thereby making April 14 the first day of Ramadan 2021.
LGBT and vaccines
Meanwhile, the Islamic Conference has called for condemnation of the activities of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgender (LGBT). It has also condemned the attempt by some people to impose them on the country. The conference described the act as an abomination in Islam and should therefore not be tolerated.
“We, Muslims in Ghana vehemently condemn the act and we seriously frown against it since this is against the norms of the natural course of mind and bodily sexual gratification,” the communique said.
The communique also called on the Ghana Health Service to intensify education to clear the misconceptions surrounding the Covid-19 vaccines, and encouraged Ghanaian Muslims to go for the jab.
It also asked Muslims to attach a great deal of importance to the 2021 population and housing census scheduled to commence on the night of Sunday June 27. It urged Muslims in the country to come out in their numbers to be counted during the exercise.
“This will help the central and local governments in planning various educational, health, housing and other social services,” it said.