When is 15 Shaban 1440 in the UK?
Commonly known as Shab e Barat, Nisf Shaban, Ruwaa and Laylat al Baraa around the globe, this night is a significant night for many Muslims.
As is often the case in the UK, there are at least two opinions.
Short Answer
If you follow Local / Visibility Calendars: Saturday 20 April night, & Sunday 21 April daytime
If you follow Local / Visibility Calendars: Saturday 20 April night, & Sunday 21 April daytime
If you follow Saudi Arabia's Calendar : Friday 19 April night, and Saturday 20 April daytime
Longer Answer & Explanation of Differences
Longer Answer & Explanation of Differences
For those who follow a local / visibility based calendars, the explanation is quite simple.
On the evening of 29th of Rajab (evening of Friday 5th April) sighters from around the world attempted to sight the moon. The moon was not reported sighted anywhere locally in the UK, nor indeed anywhere in the world. Thus, the month of Rajab had 30 days, and Shaban commenced after sunset on Saturday 6 April with Sunday 7 April being its first day.
Saudi Arabia started Shaban a day earlier than communities who conducted moonsighting. Why was this the case, when the moon was nowhere visible?
The answer is – Saudi Arabia were not looking for the moon that evening, nor were they claiming to be.
Saudi Arabia follow a calendar, known as the Umm al Qura (UQ) Calendar, for their administrative and civic purposes. This calendar is calculated using a formula. Saudi Arabia does not conduct crescent sightings for the purposes of this calendar at all.
The answer is – Saudi Arabia were not looking for the moon that evening, nor were they claiming to be.
Saudi Arabia follow a calendar, known as the Umm al Qura (UQ) Calendar, for their administrative and civic purposes. This calendar is calculated using a formula. Saudi Arabia does not conduct crescent sightings for the purposes of this calendar at all.
The UQ Calendar is used by citizens of Saudi Arabia 8 months of the year. In the remaining 4 months, sighting reports are obtained for Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhul Hijjah and Muharram. Saudi Arabia’s unique calendrical system means they combine both a calculated Islamic Calendar (used most of the year) with some sighting reports (used some of the year). To clarify, no moonsighting was conducted for Shaban in Saudi Arabia for the purposes of the calendar.
The Waxing (New) Crescent is normally seen about a day after the New Moon |
The formula used by the UQ Calendar is based on the New Moon, or conjunction – in other words, when the sun, moon and earth are in one line. At this time, the moon is invisible. Traditionally, however, the Islamic Calendar moved between months on the sighting of the New Crescent, which normally occurs about a day after the New Moon (see diagram).
The distinction between the New Moon and New Crescent is an important one to make - as you can see from the diagram, the moon has to orbit the earth some distance before it turns from a invisible New Moon to a visible New Crescent.
Calendars which follow a calculation based on the New Moon, such as the UQ calendar for 8 months of the year will always find themselves starting their months a day earlier than other communities. The Turkish government also issue a state-Islamic calendar, based on the calculations of the New Moon.
Thus, Muslim communities who conduct moonsigthings for their calendar based on crescent sightings locally tend to find that the Saudi Calendar is one day earlier than theirs.
We hope that clarifies. Any questions or comments, please do put them in the comments section below!
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