The Tide is Turning - Are You In?
They say it is the moon which controls the tides. No man could change even the direction of a river current, but the moon itself could move an ocean.
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No longer against the current
When we set sail on this journey, everyone told us it was impossible. There was no way that we could expect UK Muslims to have Eid on the same day.
Now, our inbox is full of emails from mosques who want to know more, from community groups who want to start their own sightings. The notion of a unified Islamic calendar in the UK is becoming mainstream.
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| National Hilal Conference 2019, Royal Observatory Greenwich |
Before and after our historic National Hilal Conference, New Crescent Society has been working hard behind the scenes, meeting mosques, community leaders and imams individually to discuss possible ways forward with regards to the Islamic Calendar. We have met some of the largest and important key decision makers around the Islamic Calendar in the UK.
The question we ask is: is there any way Muslims in the UK can celebrate our festivals
and observe our holy days, together, as a community.
We have discussed many different positions, solutions, interim ideas etc with these mosques. The only position we have found that everyone seems to accept as a long term solution is: that UK Muslims should have a UK lunar visibility based calendar.
We have discussed many different positions, solutions, interim ideas etc with these mosques. The only position we have found that everyone seems to accept as a long term solution is: that UK Muslims should have a UK lunar visibility based calendar.
Some mosques are more open than others. Some mosques want to
start now, others want to be convinced that this is the will of the public. Yet,
no one disagrees with it in principle.
Questions have been raised about whether the public would be able to accept a new way of doing things, and not rely on other countries (i.e.Saudi Arabia), to follow their Eid declarations. Others have asked if the public will understand why we are doing Eid on a different day to other countries (i.e. Saudi Arabia).
Questions have been raised about whether the public would be able to accept a new way of doing things, and not rely on other countries (i.e.Saudi Arabia), to follow their Eid declarations. Others have asked if the public will understand why we are doing Eid on a different day to other countries (i.e. Saudi Arabia).
We believe that there is in fact, mass public support for us
to have our own calendar in the UK. The tide has turned. There is a waning public appetite
to follow sighting reports from abroad, especially when those reports have consistently proven to be scientifically inaccurate. No one wants to be disunited for Ramadan and Eid - just as we were for last Eid, and as we shall be for this coming Ramadan.
Every other place in the Muslim world
has their own calendar solution – so why can’t we?
Ripple effect: we all need to work together
To achieve this: we will need a sea change in approach to the way we run our calendar. And we need your help. No one of us can solve this issue alone. We all have to play our part.
To achieve this: we will need a sea change in approach to the way we run our calendar. And we need your help. No one of us can solve this issue alone. We all have to play our part.
In time, we will need people up and down the country ready
to set up sighting locations in their own area, and sight the moon every month.
Reviving this tradition (sunna) is not only fun and a great educational
experience for younger people, it is the necessary necessary step we all have
to make to cause a change culture shift in the UK, and to end the bickering.
Are you in?
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| 'Take your boat into the tidal waves and ride triumphantly' Kazi Nazrul Islam |
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Masha Allah.
ReplyDeleteI'm in!
ReplyDeleteBrother you are doing a wonderful job. Would love to arrange some training at a masjid in Walthamstow. Would you be kind enough to let me know best way to contact you?
ReplyDelete