Muslim Americans To Observe Ramadan on Wednesday
By Dina Rashed, IOL Chicago correspondent
CHICAGO, November 4 (IslamOnline) - The majority of Muslim Americans will
begin their first day of fasting on Wednesday, November 6, following their
regional astronomical calculations.
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), one of the biggest Islamic
organizations in the U.S. and Canada, has announced that it will follow
scientific calculations to announce to Muslim Americans the first day of the
month.
“A confirmed crescent sighting report in North America will be accepted as
long as such a report does not contradict indisputable astronomical
information,” announced ISNA.
According to the scientific calculations and sightings, the crescent will
not be old enough to be seen on the Monday evening, rather it is expected
that on Tueday evening, November 5, the moon will be about 28-hours-old
which then mandates that the first day of fasting for North American Muslims
be Wednesday.
In Chicago, the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, a
federation of Islamic centers and schools, announced that it is adopting
ISNA’s position to follow scientific measures in observing the beginning of
the month. Most Islamic centers and Mosques in Chicago have announced that
they will follow suit.
In the West Coast, the Islamic Center of Southern California has announced
to the Muslim community that the first day of Ramadan will be Wednesday, as
well.
ISNA has declared that it is prepared to receive moon sighting reports on
the evening of December 4, to announce the beginning of Eid-Ul-Adha, yet
mentioned that according to the scientific astronomical sightings and
calculations of the position of the moon in North America, the first day of
Eid is expected to be observed on Friday, December 6, 2002.
Until recently, many Muslim ethnic minorities in the U.S. and Canada used to
follow the observation of the Ramadan crescent as decided by their countries
of origin, instead of following one unified American moon sighting.
ISNA’s decision is based on close consultation with the Fiqh Council of
North America in adopting the position of the Shura Council of North
America.
Their decision to follow scientific sightings came almost two years ago,
after much debate on the right of Muslims in North America to observe the
moon sighting other than simply follow other countries of the world, namely,
Saudi Arabia, which is not located geographically with North America in the
same region of the globe.
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