Today has been confirmed as the first day of Ramadan by Saudi Arabia. But for Muslims in the UK, the start of the holiest month of the Islamic year can differ.
The official start of Ramadan traditionally depends on the sighting of the new crescent moon as it is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, during which, every single month is determined by the sighting of the new crescent.
Dr Wajid Akhter, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), told Sky News that Muslims in the UK have differences of opinion on when Ramadan should begin.
For some it is when the moon has been sighted over Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, which is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad. For others, it is when the moon is seen in closer Muslim countries like Turkey or Morocco or over the UK itself.
Whatever the date, Dr Akhter said it is time the country had a unified answer.
How is Ramadan confirmed in Saudi Arabia?
Sighting of the Ramadan crescent takes place at the Tabuk Observatory, a facility in Saudi Arabia that is used annually to spot the beginning and end of a lunar cycle.
On Tuesday, teams of moon-sighters began to look for the crescent after the sun set at roughly 6pm local time (3pm UK time).
The UK’s HM Nautical Almanac Office (HMNAO) – which provides data and information on astronomy and space – predicted that countries including Saudi Arabia and the UK would not have clear visibility of the crescent moon until tonight.
But the UAE Presidential Court did confirm a sighting, meaning that today, 18 February, will be the first official day, with fasting starting at dawn.
Other countries including Turkey, Oman, Australia, Malaysia, France and Singapore have declared that Ramadan will start a day later on Thursday 19 February.
Why do dates differ in the UK?
Dr Akhter said the reason there is a “schism is in the UK” is because “a significant proportion of people feel that we should be citing the moon here in the UK and not relying on a different country, even if it does contain the holy cities”.
He added: “Because of these differences of opinion you almost have half the country that starts it on one day and the other half that starts it on another day. It’s something that we feel strongly about at the Muslim Council of Britain, it’s about time that the community comes together and comes up with a unified answer to this.
“It’s increasingly untenable to have separate start dates, separate dates for Eid. It’s frustrating for a lot of families, and a lot of communities.”
He said compared to other countries in Europe like Germany and France, which have large Muslim communities, the UK has a more diverse community, making it more difficult to follow one rule, which, he said, the MCB is going to push for “more and more”.
Dr Akhter said he thinks people continue to look at countries outside the UK for Ramadan dates because previous generations have historically had to rely on countries they were born in for books and teachings of the faith. But, he said, this has now changed.
Imad Ahmed, director of the New Crescent Society, a group that encourages Muslims in the UK to observe and determine the start of each lunar month themselves, agreed that the UK has never had a “united” Islamic calendar.
He told Sky News that Muslims currently look towards Saudi Arabia or other Muslim countries like Morocco, which is likely to start Ramadan on a different date because it sees the moon at a different time.
“We’d expect Saudi to start their fasting Wednesday, maybe Europe, Asia and Africa to start it on Thursday, and other parts of Asia and Australia to start on Friday. The reason we have different dates is that the moon is not visible everywhere on Earth for the first time on the same date,” Mr Ahmed said.
“What the New Crescent Society is doing is training Muslims in the UK to bring the moon back home so we don’t have to outsource our moon sightings or our Islamic calendar decisions to other countries.”
Why is the crescent moon important?
Mr Ahmed said many aspects of astronomy are important in Muslim ritual life.
“A month in the Islamic calendar is either 29 days or 30 days,” Mr Ahmed said, who is also studying for a PhD in theology and religion at Cambridge University.
“That’s because every single month corresponds to how long it takes for the moon to complete its phases from one new crescent to the next new crescent.
“That’s 29 and a half days but a month can’t be 29 and a half days long, so the Muslim calendar averages it out. Half the year approximately has 29 days, and the other half the year will have 30 days.”
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He said if the moon is sighted in the sky on the 29th day, it means the month has begun and if the moon is not spotted, the month is rounded up to 30 days.
“For Ramadan, Muslims around the world are gathered wherever they are, in whatever location, gazing into the sky hoping to spot the crescent.
“If they see the crescent it means Ramadan has begun and fasting begins and at the end of the month, they’ll look for the next crescent, when Eid celebrations can begin.”
