Eid al Fitr Moon Sighting Ramadan & Eid in North America "O you who believe, fasting is a command for you, just as it was for t...
Eid al Fitr Moon Sighting Ramadan & Eid in North America
"O you who believe, fasting is a command for you, just as it was for those who came before you so that you can learn to control yourself." Qur'an 2: 183
The Fiqh Council of North America agrees that lunar calculations are a Shar'i-approved way to figure out when Lunar months, like Ramadan and Shawwal, start. Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) in Dublin, Ireland, says that the elongation should be at least 8 degrees somewhere on the world at sunset, and the moon should be at least 5 degrees above the horizon. If these things are true, then the moon is definitely above the horizon. So, the new lunar month will begin the next day. If it doesn't, it will begin the day after that.
Using this information, the times of Ramadan and Eidul Fitr are set.
May Allah (swt) keep us on the right path and hear our fasting and prayers. Ameen. Please visit www.fiqhcouncil.org for more details.
The Fiqh Council of North America ruled that the date of Eidul Adha will depend on when the day of 'Arafah is announced by Hajj officials in Makkah. If the day of 'Arafah is announced, Eidul Adha will be the day after 'Arafah.
Ramadan 1444 AH:
On March 21, 2023, at 5:23 p.m. Universal Time, there will be an astronomical new moon. On that day, there is no place on Earth where the moon is 5 degrees above the sun at sunset and the extension is 8 degrees. Insha'Allah, the first day of Ramadan 1444 will be on March 23, 2023. On Wednesday night, Tarawih prayer will begin.
Eidul-Fitr 1444 AH:
Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 4:12 p.m. Universal Time is the astronomical New Moon. On April 20, the moon is more than 5 degrees above the sun and its elongation is more than 8 degrees. So, insha'Allah, the first day of Shawwal will be on Friday, April 21, 2023.
Based on the Saudi Ummul-Qura Calendar, Eidul-Adha 1444 AH is likely to happen on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.
Ramadan 1445 AH: The astronomical New Moon will be on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 9:00 Universal Time. On that day, the moon is more than 5 degrees above the sun everywhere in North America, and its length is more than 8 degrees. Insha'Allah, the first day of Ramadan 1445 will be on Monday, March 11, 2024. Sunday night is when the Tarawih prayer will begin.
The astronomical New Moon is on Monday, April 8, 2024, at 18:21 Universal Time, which is Eid al-Fitr 1445 AH. On April 8, there is no place on Earth where the moon is 5 degrees above the sun at sunset and the extension is 8 degrees. So, insha'Allah, the first day of Shawwal will be on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
Based on the Saudi Ummul-Qura Calendar, Eidul-Adha 1445 AH is likely to happen on Sunday, June 16, 2024.