![A Muslim man uses a telescope to observe the moon before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at Al-Musyari'in mosque in Jakarta A Muslim man uses a telescope to observe the moon before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/rtsg3sm2.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
By Amanda Calvo
Millions of Muslims will begin Ramadan across the globe on Monday, dedicating themselves to long hours of fasting, prayer and charitable deeds.
Religious authorities across several Middle Eastern countries sighted the new moon on Sunday evening, ushering in the month-long observance, according to Al Jazeera.
Muslims in Indonesia — the world’s most populous Muslim nation — will begin fasting on Monday, along with their coreligionists in Singapore Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Afghanistan, among others.
Islamic teachings say Ramadan is the month in which the first verses of the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than 14 centuries ago.
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