The holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin July 20. It begins with the sighting of the new moon, after which follows fasting for Muslims from dawn to sunset. During Ramadan, Muslims break their fast at sunset with a special meal (iftar), perform additional prayers (tarawih), and participate in festive and communal activities.
As we prepare to welcome Ramadan at KAUST, please be aware that:
- Working hours for Muslim employees during Ramadan are reduced from eight to six hours per day, starting at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 2:00 p.m. (Working hours for non-Muslim employees remain the same, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
- Non-Muslims are requested to respect the practices of their Muslim colleagues during Ramadan and refrain from eating, drinking, and smoking in public areas during the day time.
- Family visit visas for Muslims must be submitted to GASC before July 9. No family visit visas will be issued after this date, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Issuance of family visit visas for Muslims will resume on November 3, 2012. Non-Muslim family members can be issued visit visas during this time without restriction.
- Information sessions are being led by HR to help offer insight into the significance of Ramadan. If this is your first Ramadan in Saudi Arabia or if would like to find out more about Ramadan in general, sign up for one of the sessions by clicking here (login required).
Look out for more information regarding special events and activities during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr.