A crescent moon was sighted in Saudi Arabia; therefore Ramadan (also spelled Ramzan, Ramazan or Ramzaan) 1447 will begin tonight. The crescent moon of Ramadan is usually first seen in Saudi Arabia, as well as parts of India such as Kerala and Kashmir, and several western countries. It is generally observed a day later in the rest of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries.
Why is observing the crescent moon important?
The sighting of the moon before Ramadan is a traditional and fundamental aspect of the Islamic faith, as it marks the beginning of a month of dawn-to-sunset fasting along with charitable deeds and worship. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, during which they abstain from food, drink, smoking, evil thoughts and actions, and have marital relations from dawn to sunset. Fasting this month is one of the five pillars of Islam. Observers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and marital relations from sunrise to sunset, while also trying to avoid negative thoughts and actions.
How long is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and lasts about 29 to 30 days depending on the lunar cycle. Throughout the month, Muslims fast daily between dawn and dusk, seek spiritual growth, pray for peace and guidance, and give back to society through charity, known as zakat. Many also participate in humanitarian actions such as feeding the needy. Because the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, the start and end date of Ramadan shifts each year based on the sighting of the crescent moon.
How is the start date of Ramadan determined in India?
In India, the beginning of Ramadan is marked by the hilal (crescent) sighting method. The Moon Sighting Committees look at the sky on the 29th night of Sha’ban after the sunset prayer. Ramadan begins the following day if the crescent moon is sighted; otherwise Sha’ban completes 30 days. Islamic scholars prefer the actual sighting of the moon to determine the starting date, although this often corresponds to astronomical calculations.