I posted that little snippet hoping to get the bigger point across which to me was: Don't be a target -- make yourself as small and as un-noticeable as possible.
Well, it's here.
Ramadan begins at sunset today in Saudi Arabia, with tomorrow being the first day of fasting.
We will know when the sun goes down today whether the US Muslims will follow the Saudis or will insist on their own lunar sighting to determine the beginning of Ramadan, although from moonsighting.com it looks like the first day of fasting in the US will be Wednesday, October 5.
Oct 3, 2005 — DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, will start the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan on Tuesday along with most other Gulf Arab states, regional state media said on Monday.
Senior religious councils in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates said the crescent moon was sighted after nightfall, signaling the start of Ramadan.
Oman will mark the start of Ramadan on Wednesday.
Muslims scan the sky at night after the end of their lunar calendar's eighth month in search of the new moon to proclaim the start of Ramadan, Islam's holiest month during which observant believers fast from dawn to dusk.
Businesses and offices reduce opening hours during the day and often open in the evenings.
From Moonsighting.com
Ramadan: The Astronomical New Moon is on Monday October 3, 2005 at 10:28 Universal Time. Looking at the visibilty curve one can understand that the moon is in the Southern Hemisphere. The moon is about 15 hours old and being too low on the horizon for North America will set in 14 min. after sunset on west coast. It cannot be seen in North America nor anywhere East of USA October 3. On October 4, it will be visible in most of the world except most of Asia and Europe, where it will be 24 to 31 hours old and less than 2 degrees above the horizon, still not visible. In Europe and most of Asia, it cannot be seen until October 5, when it will be 48 to 55 hours old. Accordingly, the first day of Ramadan will be on Wednesday, October 5, 2005 for North America and most of the world, except most of Asia and Europe, Insha-Allah.