Biden, other world leaders send across Ramadan wishes: ‘Blessed, peaceful month’

With the Ramadan (also known as Ramazan or Ramzan) festivities kicking off, world leaders sent across their wishes to the Muslim community as the holy month starts.

Fasting, prayers and reflection, and giving back to the community in the form of charity – this is how those soaked in the spirit of fesitivity mark the month-long celebrations. The date of Ramadan – a festival that involves month-long fasting – depends upon the sighting of the crescent Moon.

This year, in India, the holy month is likely to begin on Saturday evening after the moon sighting, with the first fast being observed on Sunday. The Moon is usually first sighted in Saudi Arabia, along with some Western countries and then usually a day later in the rest of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries.

Taking to Twitter, US president Joe Biden extended his wishes to the Muslim community across the world. “Jill and I extend our best wishes to Muslim communities here in the United States and around the world at the beginning of Ramadan. From the People’s House to your own homes, we wish you and your loved ones a blessed and prosperous month. Ramadan Kareem!,” he wrote.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged people to work towards the safety, dignity, and prosperity of all women and men in this holy month of Ramadan.

Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2019, said: “At sundown today, Muslim communities in the U.S. and around the world welcomed the Holy Month of #Ramadan and a season of self-reflection, renewal, and gratitude. Ramadan Mubarak to all who celebrate. May this month bring you peace and blessings.”

Canadian president Justin Trudeau also wished his fellow Canadians a “blessed and peaceful month”. “To Muslim Canadians across the country: As you mark the start of Ramadan, and as you fast, pray, and reflect with your loved ones, I want to wish you a blessed and peaceful month. Ramadan Mubarak!”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “wished for the blessings of Ramadan to be upon all humanity”.”I congratulate you on your Ramadan, where we will wake up for the first sahur tonight, we will fast for the first time tomorrow, whose head is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and whose end is salvation from eternal torment. I wish the blessings of Ramadan to be upon all humanity,” he wrote in a tweet in Turkish.