Saudis start Ramadan on Saturday, Egyptians on Sunday

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, will start the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan on Saturday along with most fellow Gulf Arab states, state media reported on Friday.

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.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country, and Oman said they would mark the start of Ramadan on Sunday.

Libya earlier announced that Ramadan would begin on Saturday and the state news agency quoted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi late on Thursday as suggesting that Muslims should take their cue from "Libya's correct Islam."

"People in Arab and Muslim countries are turning to Libya to know when Ramadan begins and ends because Libya is the state that observes the correct Islam without sects," said Gaddafi, quoted by Jana.

In Egypt, the office of the mufti, the country's senior exponent of Islamic law, said eyewitnesses failed to detect the new moon on Friday night which would have identified Saturday as the first day of the month in the lunar Islamic calendar.

The timing of Ramadan, when the faithful fast from dawn until dusk, can vary in different Muslim countries depending on the sighting of the new moon.

Businesses and offices reduce opening hours during the day and often open in the evenings.