In 2024, the 1st day of Ramadan is the 11th of March.
As seen in the image, the first day of the new lunar month Ramadan will be the 11th of March.
Complying with the Calculations
Determining the beginning of Ramadan causes conflicts in the Muslim world very often. Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs implements correct regulations in the way that the Qur’an ordains. As the Qur’an orders making observations about the times of salat, It leaves the calculations about Lunar Calendar to groups of scientists. Allah the Almighty decrees:
“The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation” (The Quran 55:5)
“He is the One Who has made the sun a ‘dhiya’ and the moon a ‘noor’. He has proportioned it by stages, so that you may know the count of the years and the calculation. Allah created it as an independent being. Allah explains his signs in detail for a group of people who know.” (The Quran 10:5)
These verses prove that the movements of the Moon are according to a calculation and the phases of the Moon were created for us to know the calculation. Therefore, the new moon and the crescent of Ramadan must be calculated as long as we have that knowledge.
Hadith – Observing the Crescent In the Absence of Calendars
Since there were no scientists to do the calculations during the lifetime of our Prophet (p.b.u.h.), he enjoined observing the crescent, being the only way out because they did not know the calculation:
“We are an illiterate nation. We do not use writing or computation [in our fasting]. A month is so and so and so (and he pointed with his hands three times, folding the thumb on the third time, meaning twenty-nine days) or so and so and so (and he pointed with his hands three times, meaning thirty days).” (Bukhari, Fast, 11, 13; Muslim, Fast, 4, 10, 12, 13, 15; Abu Dawood, Fast, 4; Ibn Majah, Fast, 8; Nasai, Fast 17; Ahmad b. Hanbal, 1/184; 2/ 43, 52, 122, 129.)
“Begin fasting when you see the Crescent (of Ramadan), begin the Eid when you see the Crescent (of Shawwal). If it is cloudy, complete the current month to thirty.” (Bukhari, Sawm, 11)
Beginning of the Ramadan In This Age
In this age, there are enough scientists to compute the motion and reckoning of the Moon and the Sun. We can learn about the rise of the crescent even years before it rises. Therefore, observing the crescent is not the criterion to start fasting anymore.
The accurate principles were put forth at the International Crescent Conference held in 1978 led by the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs. Since then, lunar calendars have been prepared by the cooperative studies of astronomers and Islamic scholars. We must follow the calculations regardless of the observation results at our location of residence.
Add comment