This is the year 1430 of the Islamic calendar, and this weekend marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan for followers of that faith.
According to the Fiqh Council of North America, Ramadan will officially begin on Saturday, Aug. 22, and last until Sunday, Sept. 20.
To cultures familiar with the Julian calendar, it may seem that the month of Ramadan doesn’t have a set time frame. For example, in 2008 Ramadan ran concurrently with the month of September, while in 2007 it ran from Oct. 12 to Sept. 12.
This is because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. Each of its 12 months runs from New Moon to New Moon. Ramadan is the ninth month in that calendar (and actually predates Islam, being the ninth month of the Arabic lunar calendar before then), and is the month that the Qur-an, Islam’s holy text, was revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
Fasting is perhaps the most familiar component of Ramadan to western cultures. Between the hours of sunrise and sunset, observant Muslims will not eat, drink (water is allowable), engage in sexual activity, smoke, or partake in “ill-natured or excess” activities. Typically, they will rise before dawn to share a meal, and another after sunset. Exceptions to the fast are made for pregnant and nursing women, children, and others.
Another key element of Ramadan is prayer, with daily readings from the Qur’an. The end of the month is celebrated with the feast of Eid ul-Fitr.
The timing of the start and end of Ramadan are crucial, and traditionally were based upon lunar observations made by religious officials in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Today, some Muslim groups accept astronomical calculations of the arrival of the New Moon as sufficient.
Noteworthy this year is the fact that the New Moon actually arrived Thursday, Aug. 20. However, Shari’a law mandates that the Sun must set before the Moon in order for Ramadan to begin the next day; on Thursday, the Moon set one minute before the Sun. Therefore, Friday was the first New Moon to set after the Sun, making Saturday the start of Ramadan.
Thank you for posting this valuable and informative piece. Familiarity does not lead to contempt, ignorance does. The more we know about our few differences, the greater we will appreciate the many things we have in common. The more perspective we have on marking time, the more precious the time we have will become. Growth in erudition reduces the feeling of seperation and increases the feeling that we can indeed be one with, here now.
With Gratitude and Appreciation,
Len Wallick