Ramadan on the Net - When Does Ramadan Begin?

When Does Ramadan Begin?

That's a good question! More than 1 billion Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan, but they do not share a consensus about when the holiday officially begins.

The debate over the start of Ramadan began back in the 7th century, when the prophet Muhammad instructed his followers to begin their fast the morning after visibly sighting the thin crescent moon that marks the beginning of a new month.

Wanting to follow the prophet's instructions literally, religious leaders decided not to rely on astronomical calculations to accurately predict the appearance of the new moon. Rather, they waited until they could see the new moon with their naked eye.

However, differences in geography and even weather conditions meant that not everyone saw the moon at the same time -- which, therefore, meant that Muslims in different parts of the world began the fast on different days.

There have been movements throughout Islamic history pushing for the use of astronomical calculations -- most recently in 2006 by a group of Muslim legal scholars known as the Fiqh Council of North America.

The Fiqh Council succeeded in setting a date for the start of Ramadan in North America, although traditionalists have rebuked that move. And in many parts of the world, Ramadan still does not begin until religious leaders declare that they have personally seen the new moon.

When is Ramadan? Check our Islamic Calendar for dates.

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Comments

Agatha Benson from Alabama, US

12:32 03/12/2010

When will Ramadan in Nigeria and Gambia begin. North America is August 11, 2010. Most of my friends are muslims. Reasons for asking I do not want to disturb their fasting.

Nazir from Germany

09:33 02/13/2010

Islam-u-alikum please send me ramdan time tabel God Bles you

Rana Shahid Ali from Pakistan

06:19 02/10/2010

HAPPY RAMAZAN 2010

ahmed from Netherlands

18:06 01/24/2010

assalama aleikum brother when is ramadan this year insha allah in 2010 please can you send me islamic calender my email brother thanks alot see you next time

Linna from Spain

16:39 12/19/2009

When in america does Ramadan start? (on the calendar? )

abuhaqnif from Cameroon

05:42 12/12/2009

Salamualaikum When did Ramadan 2010 begins in Cameroon or in Africa. Wasalam

ashley

10:50 12/09/2009

why do the Islam not tell you when their holiday starts??

Carlos Santiago Rivera from Puerto Rico

20:14 11/21/2009

When does Ramadan start in Puerto Rico. We are in the caribbean sea. We does not appeared in the muslim calendar.

Aliyu from Nigeria

05:46 09/20/2009

If this Fiqh Organisation are based in Saudi Arabia or any other Muslim country not in America, I believe they could have succeded in convincing at least 80% of muslim countries by adopting the Astronomical calculations.

naveed qasir from Spain

15:08 09/19/2009

salam

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