When does/did Ramadan start?

Question

When does/did Ramadan start?

Answer 1

assalamualaikum,

I'm guesing you live in North America.The majority of muslims in North america have started on September 1st as they are following the FCNA( Fiqh Council of North America) which had already fixed the date long before, not taking into consideration moonsighting, which is wrong. Knowledge of calculation is not new and existed at the time of the Prophet(saw) but he insisted on moonsighting:

“ We are illiterate nation; we neither write, nor know accounts. The month is like this and this, i.e. sometimes 29 days and sometimes 30” (Bukhari – Book of Saum 1799).

For me, you can either follow international or local moonsighting but seeing the moon is essential.

Ramadan according to moonsighting worldwide actually starts on september 1st.

The moon has not been sighted in North America. I'm still in doubt about following international sighting or local sighting. However, my local mosque is basing the start of Ramadan according to local sighting and I'd rather follow them than follow the FCNA whose announcement is based on calculation only.

So my advice is: start on the 2nd if you believe that the moon should have been sighted locally or start on the 1st if you believe internatioal sighting is fine. But don't make it your intention to start on the 1st of september because it has been calculated thus as the Prophet(saw) said:

"Fast when it is seen, and cease fasting when it is seen and perform the rites of Hajj based upon that and if it is hidden by clouds then complete thirty (days), and if two witnesses testify then fast and cease fasting."

I believe that there will always be controversy. It's ok to disagree and do as we feel right but we need to repect other Muslim's choice and not nake it an issue.

salam

Answer 2

its started today monday the 1st..some people are fasting tomorrow the 2nd...but many countries started on monday today..it mostly depends on the imaam!

Answer 3

Officially today  

Answer 4

in the UK it is officially on the 1st september 2008.

Answer 5

Tomorrow, September 2.

Answer 6

today 2nd Sep.

Answer 7

I hear it's tomorrow, not sure.

Answer 8

today :)

Answer 9

Today, Alhumdulilah.

Answer 10

the most correct view is that you start and end with your community.. ie , you listen to when your masjid says that it starts. ... which has caused me great frustration to say the least today. apparently someone in canada spotted it last night, so as of 930pm they said ok , fast tomorrow. sometime today, the put up a bulletin on their website saying oh sorry that wasnt accurate, fasting today is naafil, so dont break it, but ramadan is tomorrow. but their reasoning is that all the major muslim communities in the US (washington dc/virginia area, dearborn MI and texas) are saying that fasting starts tomorrow and not today.  

Answer 11

today

Answer 12

this morning

Answer 13

Today!

Answer 14

1st September... on english calendars its marked as 2nd september but mosque's say 1st.. i know this as my husband is muslim and is now doing ramadan and started at 4.30am on 1st september!

sorry if u missed it, but u'd best start it tomorrow instead and do an extra day at the end...  

Answer 15

On sep 1

Answer 16

Today...

Happy Ramadan to you!!