MSOCOW/AMMAN,
October 10 (IslamOnline.net) – Russia has joined four Arab countries
in announcing that the start of the Muslims’ holy fasting month of
Ramadan will fall on Friday, October 15.
A
source at the Council of Muftis of Russia told IslamOnline.net that
Thursday, October 14, would be the last day of Sha'ban and that
Ramadan would start on Friday.
All
religious departments across Russia have been notified to make
preparations for the beginning of the dawn-to-dusk fasting month.
Russia
has a Muslim population of 20 million people concentrated in north of
the Caucasus and in the central parts of the country.
Jordan
Day Later
In
Jordan, the beginning of the holy month will fall on Saturday, October
16, said the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS).
According
to
,
Ramadan will start in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait on Friday,
October 15.
Egypt's
mufti Ali Gomaa had recently called on Arab and Muslim countries to
unite the beginning of the lunar months and abide by the relevant
resolutions of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
Moon
sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries,
and even scholars seem at odds over the issue.
While
one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries
are to follow this sighting as long as these countries share one part
of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by
the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.
A
third, however, disputes both views, arguing that Islam is against
division and disunity, since Muslims, for instance, are not allowed to
hold two congregational prayers in one mosque at the same time.
This
group believes that the authority in charge of ascertaining the
sighting of the moon in a given country (such as Egypt's Dar al-Iftaa
[House of Fatwa]) announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims
in the country should all abide by this.
