Leave it to Burger King to have a cheeseburger as a symbol of a month of fasting.You may be wondering why I don't know exactly when Ramadan starts. This is actually true for all Muslims....they don't know either.
Let's review....over here we are on the lunar Islamic calendar. Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar. It comes 10-11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian (western) calendar and it's duration changes depending on which season the holy month falls in. Easter Sunday is the only time I can think of when we go "lunar" with our holidays. The start of Ramadan is based on the sighting of the new moon, the hilal, which is why the crescent is often used as a symbol of Islam. The moon sighting is also the reason that the start of Ramadan differs from one country to another. Many opt to follow Saudi Arabian sightings because that is where Mecca is and it is the "buckle" of the "Koran belt".
Let's review....over here we are on the lunar Islamic calendar. Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar. It comes 10-11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian (western) calendar and it's duration changes depending on which season the holy month falls in. Easter Sunday is the only time I can think of when we go "lunar" with our holidays. The start of Ramadan is based on the sighting of the new moon, the hilal, which is why the crescent is often used as a symbol of Islam. The moon sighting is also the reason that the start of Ramadan differs from one country to another. Many opt to follow Saudi Arabian sightings because that is where Mecca is and it is the "buckle" of the "Koran belt".
Basing all your holy days on the sighting of the new moon keeps you guessing until the last minute. This is true for all holidays. How do you plan a vacation then? You pack your bags and then wait for the decree from the sheik or mullah or pope or whatever. When they print up calendars, they just have to make an educated guess. The calendar that I'm looking at now has Ramadan on the 12th...but now everyone is saying it is 13th or 14th. Doesn't this create chaos? .....ah ha, now you are getting the picture of life in the Middle East.
1 comment:
May I be the first to comment on the Lunar Lunacy. I always thought that the full moon caused unusual behavior now I know it is the new moon! Keep watching for the crescent and if we see it here I will let you know that from Houston Ramadan has begun. It is raining and very cloudy so I may never see the "Crescent" POPS
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