Official dates to Ramadaning (after the hilal wars)
In the name of God, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ | Peace be with you السلام عليكم
So I found myself once again in the annual face-off of 'who saw the Ramadan new moon first?' At first, nobody did.The new moon, hilal in Arabic, assigns the beginning of the new Islamic month as the Muslim calendar is a lunar one. We Muslims are totally cool with checking the skies for the new moon at the end of each month with our gadgets and wonky eyes and telescopes throughout the world, but for some loco reason we become agitated just before Dhul Hijjah and Ramadan. Even though I was thoroughly cussed for asking about the Ramadan start date and who really saw the moon (I am a below-average Muslim, I ask because I do not know) - the hilal committees around the world whispered that some of the sightings of Tuesday were negative, therefore Wednesday was the 1st of Ramadan by default (and by moon sighting). There could have been 31 days of Shab'an but let's not go there.
So here in the UK, the majority began on Thursday 12th August as the 1st fast. We are all fasting together now so forgive me for any disputes I most likely have caused. May Unity be with you. ★ رمضان مبارك ★
| Date (2010) | Times of first sighting and setting of the crescent Moon* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | Manchester | Leeds | Glasgow | |
| 11 Aug | Crescent moon visible with binoculars around 20:36; sets 20:42 | Crescent moon visible only with binoculars, around 20:48; sets 20:51 | Crescent moon visible only with binoculars, around 20:46; sets 20:49 | Crescent moon not visible with telescope |
| 12 Aug | Crescent moon easily visible around 20:43; sets 21:01 | Crescent moon easily visible around 20:55; sets 21:08 | Crescent moon easily visible around 20:52; sets 21:05 | Crescent moon easily visible around 21:06; sets 21:14 |
| 9 Sept | Crescent moon not visible | Crescent moon not visible | Crescent moon not visible | Crescent moon not visible |
| 10 Sept | Crescent moon easily visible around 19:35; sets 19:45 | Crescent moon easily visible around 19:42; sets 19:48 | Crescent moon easily visible around 19:39; sets 19:44 | Crescent moon easily visible around 19:49; sets 19:49 |
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