When is Eid Al Fitr 2023 in the UK?
the past years, a joint statement was issued by a large number of mosques and Islamic Centers to announce Eid Al Fitr in the United Kingdom, in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s announcement. Eid Al Fitr was confirmed based on the sighting of the new moon in Makkah al-Mukarramah, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The announcement is expected to be made on Thursday, April 20, corresponding to Ramadan 29, 1444, when the sunset.
However, many mosques ad Islamic Centers in the UK still announce Eid Al Fitr based on their own sighting of the new moon, regardless of the announcement made by Makkah al-Mukarramah or the Islamic institutions in Europe.
With that in mind, Muslims in the UK need to check with the mosque they pray in to know when Eid is. And of course, understand how the announcement was made.
The sighting of Shawwal’s new moon in 1444 AH
Eid Al Fitr announcement is made by the highest university jurisprudential institution in Europe, which is the European Council for Fatwa and Research, in accordance with the astronomical sighting of the new moon. The announcement is aligned as well with the Unified Hijri Calendar Committee that was held in Istanbul in the period between (26-29) Dhul-Hijjah 1389 AH Corresponding to (27-30) November 1978 AD.
And based on what was confirmed by the International Fiqh Council in its resolution No. (18) in its third conference of 1986 AD, and according to the conditions adopted by the European Council for Fatwa and Research in its decision that it took in its nineteenth regular session in the period 8-12 Rajab 1430 AH corresponding to 30 June – 4 July 2009 AD, as well as what was issued by the scientific symposium that was held in Paris in the period 12-13 Rabi` al-Awwal 1433 AH corresponding to 4 and 5 February 2012 AD.
Likewise, it aligns with what was issued by the International Conference for the Proof of the Lunar Months among Sharia Scholars and Astronomical Computation, which was held by the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League in Makkah Al-Mukarramah from 19 to 21 Rabi’ al-Awwal 1433 AH corresponding to 11-13 February 2012 AD, and a large number of jurists and astronomers participated in it.
It also aligns with what was recently issued by the Conference on the Unification of the International Hijri Calendar, which was held in Istanbul from 21-23 Shaaban 1437 AH corresponding to 28-30 May 2016 AD, and more than seventy countries represented by a number of ministries of endowments, houses of fatwas, scholars, jurists, and astronomers participated in it.
ِA set of principles was agreed upon and approved in the conference, of is:
The holy month of Ramadan starts with the sighting of the new moon which can be determined by definitive means through astronomical calculations. The astronomical calculations can determine the start and end of the month ahead of its time and it cannot be opposed t its realization; meaning there is no difference in sightings.
In other words, Prophet Mohammad PBUH said: “Whenever you sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadan) observe fast. and when you sight it (the new moon of Shawwal) break it”
With the above taken into consideration, the European Council for Fatwa and Research announced the new moon of Shawwal for the year 1444 AH (2023 CE) will be seen at 04:13 according to the standard universal time (GMT) on Thursday, April 20, 2023 AD corresponding to Ramadan 29 1444 AH, which corresponds to the time 07:13 according to the local time of Makkah Al-Mukarramah.
The moon can be seen in the sky if it was clear on Thursday, April 20, ending Ramadan with 29 days.
Eid Al Fitr in the United Kingdom for 2023
Based on the astronomical calculations, it is announced that Eid Al Fitr will fall on Thursday, April 20, 2023, inshallah.
However, the European Council for Fatwa also does not limit it to this announcement and still supports any mosque and Islamic Center in Europe or the Americas in their declaration. In the end, Muslims will pray Eid according to the mosque they follow.
The Secretary-General of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, Sheikh Hussein Halawa, called on Islamic Centres and mosques to reconsider its decision because it hinders Muslims in the West from arranging their affairs, holidays, and booking halls and public facilities to revive the rituals of Eid, and that science in our contemporary time has advanced in a way that helps to see the new moon precisely in advance.
Translated from Adnan Hmidan’s article.
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