By
Ghada Radi, IOL Staff
CAIRO,
November 5 (IslamOnline) - The International Islamic Committee (IIC)
for sighting the crescent in Germany, affiliated to the European
Higher Council for Iftaa, declared that Tuesday, November 5, is the
end of Shaaban, 1423 Hijri, and that the fasting month of Ramadan
starts Wednesday, November 6.
The
advent of Ramadan is decided upon the Fatwa (Islamic ruling) issued by
the IIC two years ago to regulate that important Islamic occasion. The
Fatwa stated that the start of Ramadan is decided only upon sighting
the Crescent in Mecca (Saudi Arabia). Mecca is chosen as it occupies a
central place on the universe.
In
Britain, meanwhile, the Islamic Center (IC) declared Wednesday would
be the first of Ramadan, 1423 Hijri, based on the decision reached by
the special committee, affiliated to the IC, established to sight the
Ramadan Crescent.
The
majority of British Muslims follow the decisions of the IC, however,
some follow their original homeland, especially the Pakistani
minority., and some Arabs. Others follow Saudi Arabia, regardless of
their origins.
In
Spain, all Islamic minorities follow Saudi Arabia on all Islamic
occasions, especially the advent of Ramadan. However, the Moroccan
minority follow the motherland, as most of them spend the lesser
Bairam holiday with their families back in Morocco.
Dutch
Muslims, on the other hand, were still undecided Tuesday, November 5,
about the advent of Ramadan, a typical behavior during the last few
years. The majority of Dutch Muslims, about one million people, tend
to observe Ramadan with Saudi Arabia, but others prefer to follow
their original homelands.
The
inability of Dutch Muslims to decide unanimously on the advent of
Ramadan negatively affects their rights to get days off from work,
during the first of the holy month or the Lesser Bairam. The Dutch
authorities use their indecisiveness to justify not granting them days
off
