New York - According to the Fiqh Islamic Council of North America (FCNA), Thursday June 18th will mark the first day of Ramadan.
While most Muslim countries rely on the traditional sighting of the moon with naked eyes, the FCNA relies on astronomical calculations.
“The Astronomical New Moon is on June 16, 2015 (Tuesday) at 14:05 Universal Time (5:05 p.m. Makkah time). Sunset at Makkah on June 16 is at 7:04 p.m., while moonset is at 6:56 p.m. Moon is born before sunset in Makkah and moonset is before sunset. Therefore first day of Ramadan is not on June 17, but is on June 18, 2015 (Thursday),” the FCNA said in statement on its website.
According to the same source, the first day of Ramadan will be on Thursday, June 18, 2015, and the first day of Eid Al Fitr (Shawwal) will be on Friday, July 17, 2015.
Saudi Arabia said on Sunday it would look for new moon on Tuesday evening.
The Saudi Supreme Court called on those who sight Ramadan crescent by the naked eye or by the aid of binoculars to report to the nearest court or authority, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The announcement of the first day of Ramadan has often created confusion among the Muslim diaspora living in North America and put it before the dilemma of following Saudi Arabia or the FCNA.
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