The start of Ramadan
Last Friday prayer, at the Downtown Islamic Center in Chicago, the Khateeb talked about the different ways in which the start of the month of Ramadan is determined. He mentioned that there are three ways that Muslims use to determine the beginning of the lunar month. Thus, according to each of these methods, the start of Ramadan this year can be either Saturday 09/23, Sunday 09/24, or Monday 09/25.
It is the first time, as far as I can recall, that I hear that the start of Ramadan can be one of three days. This situation could have resulted, I guess, from the position taken by the Fiqh Council of North America this year.
Some elaboration might be needed. According to the Khateeb, the three ways to determine the start of Ramadan are:
It is the first time, as far as I can recall, that I hear that the start of Ramadan can be one of three days. This situation could have resulted, I guess, from the position taken by the Fiqh Council of North America this year.
Some elaboration might be needed. According to the Khateeb, the three ways to determine the start of Ramadan are:
- The new moon is seen anywhere in the Country you live in.
- The new moon is seen anywhere in the world.
- The new moon is known to be born.
posted by Tarek Abdelmaguid at 9/16/2006 10:29:00 PM
6 Comments:
Congratulations Tarek for starting your blog. I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts. My comment about your first article is that, if this is something that will unite the muslims worldwide, so it's a great step. Every year we see chaos and confusion. "Is Tomorrow Ramadan? No it isn't. But My friends in the other country started fasting today!!". Whatever unites muslims direction is of course nice and needed.
Congratulations Tarek for starting your blog. I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts. My comment about your first article is that, if this is something that will unite the muslims worldwide, so it's a great step. Every year we see chaos and confusion. "Is Tomorrow Ramadan? No it isn't. But My friends in the other country started fasting today!!". Whatever unites muslims direction is of course nice and needed.
AA Tarek,
Here is how they differ. The lunar month astronomically starts at conjunction---when the Earth, Moon and Sun are all in the same plane. At the beginning of the lunar month, the moonset happens around sunset time. Now, if the moon sets shortly after sunset, say within 5 minutes, it is unlikely that anyone can see it. In other words, conjunction does not mean that the moon can be seen. Since the earth is rotating, the span between moonset and sunset increases as one goes Westward. This means that the moon may set 5 minutes after sunset in Italy, but after 30 minutes in Kansas. Given some other factors, people of Kansas, and to the West of Kansas, may be able to see the moon.
If one resports to calculations, one have a number of choices. One can use conjugation without paying any attention to the age of the new moon at sunset and the time difference between sunset and moonset. Alternatively, one may choose some difference, say 10 minutes, to declare the beginning of the month. A third option is to actually set criteria tackling whether the moon could be really seen by human observers. This imposes some restrictions regarding moonset time, its age, the azimuthal angle between the moon and the sun, and so forth. These different choices of course result in different official beginnings of Ramadan or any lunar month.
If one insists on seeing the moon, then still there can be a number of choices. For instance, if the moon is seen in California, but is impossible to see in the East coast, should people of D.C. fast? The choice of "one country" is just a choice, and we know that the notion of a country is, in some sense, arbitrary and historically contingent!
Regarding calls for unity, let's be realistic. I do think that we should:
(1) Acknowledge the speculative nature of the issue.
(2) Tolerate each other's choices rather than writing treatises showing how one opinion is utterly misguided or is the absolute truth.
It is now a vicious Muslim problem to deal in absolutist ways with things that are, by nature, open to a number of plausible solutions. Lot's of time and effort are expended on the seemingly futile.
And Allah know best.
I think that you must fast all the year,,,, how could you know that today isn't the first Of Ramadan?...... may be tomorrow is El Fetr feast.... who knows?
It is a big problem that Muslims haven't a Leader to trust.... I don't know the solution of that problem,,, but God with you and with that Khateeb,,,, who gives ways and couldn't give results and solutions....
anyway,,,, Kol sana w enta tayeb, Omnia
I like to comment on comment number 3 , 2 if not count the repeated one.
The question in here in arab world is more severe. in Saudi Arabia where I am now they count ramadan to start from saturday and in Egypt they count it from sunday , so
1- Although both country are politically on the same side and considered to be allied , they could not conform to one stand
2- Astronomically ramada start on sunday so according to the comment, it should be impossible to see it before that. I don't know , so , we leave it to the commenter trust.
3- Egypt is west to Saudi arabia so (according to comment too) if in saudi arabia the new moon last for 5 min after sunset it should stay for more after sunset in egypt , knowing that in saudi arabia they depends only on naked eye witness , while in Egypt they approve using telescopes, I think that is ironic(according to information in the comment , hope the commenter add to us his opinion).
M. Hosni,
You may refer to the excellent web site http://www.moonsighting.com/. See the document http://www.moonsighting.com/an-islamic-calendar.pdf.
Also, follow the link for the month of Ramadan http://www.moonsighting.com/1427rmd.html.
Hope that sheds some light.
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