Ramadan in the U.S. begins tomorrow (Wednesday,
August 10, 2010). See the text below from Fiqa Council announcement. Please
read carefully the calculations are based on Mecca time.
Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr
Announcement
Special Announcement
First day of Ramadan will be
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
and Eid ul-Fitr on Friday, September 10, 2010, insha’Allah.
“O you who believe, fasting is
prescribed to you as it was prescribed
to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.” Qur’an
2:183
The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA)
and the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) recognize astronomical
calculation as an acceptable Shar’ia method for determining the beginning
of lunar months including the months of Ramadan and Shawwal. The FCNA &
ECFR use Makkah al-Mukarramah as a conventional point, and take the position
that the conjunction must take place before sunset in Makkah and the moon must
set after sunset in Makkah.
On the basis of this method the dates of
Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr for the year 1431 AH are established as follows:
·
1st of Ramadan will be on Wednesday, August
11, 2010
·
1st of Shawwal, which marks the start of Eid
ul-Fitr, will be on Friday, September 10, 2010.
Ramadan 1431 AH:
The Astronomical New Moon is on August 10, 2010 (Tuesday) at 11:08 am Makkah
Time. Sunset in Makkah on August 10 is at 6:55 pm. On that day, the Topocentric
Altitude of the moon in Makkah at sunset is 1.6 degrees. Therefore, the first
day of Ramadan is on August 11, 2010 (Wednesday), making the first Tarawih
prayer to be on the night of Tuesday August 10, 2010.
Eid ul-Fitr 1431 AH:
The Astronomical New Moon is on September 8, 2010 (Wednesday) at 6:30 pm Makkah
Time. Sunset in Makkah on September 8 is at 6:31 pm. On that day, the moon in
Makkah at sunset is below the horizon. Therefore, the first day of Shawwal,
which marks the start of Eid ul-Fitr is on Friday, September 10, 2010,
insha'Allah.
May Allah (swt) keep us on the right path, and accept our fasting and prayers.
Ameen. For more detailed information, please visit: www.fiqhcouncil.org or www.moonsighting.com
Sincerely,
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi
Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America