Ramadan kicks off in much of Middle East amid soaring prices

Muslims follow a lunar calendar and a moon-sighting methodology can lead to different countries declaring the start of Ramadan a day or two apart

Muslim worshippers perform a night prayer called ‘tarawih’ during the eve of the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in Turkey at Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, April 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan — when the faithful fast from dawn to dusk — began at sunrise in much of the Middle East, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent energy and food prices soaring.

The conflict cast a pall over the holiday, when large gatherings over meals and family celebrations are a tradition.