Ramadan 2023 will begin on Thursday, according to Saudi official media.
The sighting committee said that observers were unable to see the new moon on Tuesday, implying that the holy month would not begin until Thursday.
The Supreme Court subsequently affirmed in a statement that Wednesday would be the final day of the month of Shabaan, which precedes Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic calendar, or Hijri. It is also said to be the month in which the Prophet Mohammed received the Quran.
More than 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide observe it.
Ramadan is one of Islam’s five sacred pillars and is required of all Muslims in good health.
While each nation has its own sighting committee, the Muslim world traditionally turns to Saudi Arabia to establish the start of Ramadan and other religious festivals.
The kingdom’s top court requested that citizens check for the crescent moon on Tuesday and report any sightings to the local court.
The UAE’s moon-sighting committee, which met in Abu Dhabi after Maghrib prayer, also surveyed the sky.
Ramadan will begin on Thursday, according to officials who met at the judicial department, where recorded sightings from throughout the nation are compiled.
It is the first Ramadan in three years in the UAE without any Covid-19 restrictions, after the repeal of an indoor mask rule in September.
This year, much of the area will fast for over 14 hours every day.
According to Saudi authorities, up to three million pilgrims are expected to visit the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah during Ramadan.
For the first time since the epidemic, communal iftars and extended prayers will be resumed.