Morocco World News
New York, August 7, 2013
According to the Fiqh Council of North America, Wednesday is the last day or Ramadan and Eid El Fitr will be Thursday 8 August.
Unlike Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, which count on naked eye sighting of the moon, the FCNA bases its decision on astronomical calculations.
“The FCNA takes scientifically guaranteed astronomical calculations as the valid method for lunar month’s affirmation. The calculations ascertain that the new moon of 29 hours old will be in Southern California horizon on August 7, 2013. Therefore, we accept that certain knowledge as Sharia’s reason to declare that Thursday 8 August, 2013, will be the first day of Shawwal,” said the FCNA in a press release
The Fiqh Council of North America recognizes astronomical calculation as an acceptable Shar’ia method for determining the beginning of Lunar months including the months of Ramadan and Shawwal. FCNA uses Makkah al-Mukarram (Mecca) as a conventional point and takes the position that the conjunction must take place before sunset in Makkah and moon must set after sunset in Mecca.
On the basis of this method the dates of Ramadan and Eidul Fitr will be on Thursday, August 8, 2013.
While the astronomical calculations are accepted by some countries, it is still a hotly debated issue, since many cling to the traditional sighting of the moon with naked eyes, as set out in the Holy Quran.
The calculations of the Islamic calendar are based on the lunar calendar, which causes the Islamic months to move in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year. The beginning of Islamic months may also vary from one country to another depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not.
At the time of writing no Arab country has yet declared whether Thursday will be the last day of Ramadan of the first day of Shawwal.