Our Ramadan 2011 Timetable For North England

My father ji designs the annual Ramadan timetable for our local masjid. He likes to make timings flexible but at the same time giving fasting Muslims an early warning by following the scientific calculator called the sky. This year, while the global Ramadan start date of August 1st brought an unusual unity in the community, certain mosque committees created a little discord.
A masjid just over a mile away is closing their fast - the suhoor time in the morning - at 1:50am. That's almost 2 hours from the standard time and obviously too early for a fajr morning prayer, however, this particular masjid and another did the same last year by shortening the timings abruptly.

The issue is not so much over varying times, as granted, a few minutes here and there adds to the magic of continuous prayers. The problem is for local Muslims who then have to travel to a masjid further away in order to catch the prayer and eating times of the majority. It's difficult to break the fast (iftar) at maghrib, which is around 9pm, only to start fasting again in 5 hrs, creating a strenuous 19+hr fast. The summer day is pretty easy to follow without a timetable, even in cloudy Britain.

Khair. Ranting has become a common habit of mine and it's very easy to criticise. Alhamdulillah for the moon, the timings, the unity and the perseverance.

Should you want a copy of our timetable, right click and download. Note that for Britons in north England (Yorkshire), the suhoor timings can be pushed to 2-3 minutes ahead of the their time. Or, do what I do and wait for the sky to turn a purply, velvety blue to stop eating.

Ramadan Mubarak and please do make du`a for me and my community. The people of Syria, Yemen, Haiti, Pakistan and the poorer streets of England are also in need of your prayers.

Shukran, jazakallah,

Zaufishan.