'You Can Get it if You Really Want': Proof That a UK Islamic Calendar is Possible [Shortened Version]

by Imad Ahmed
18 April 2021 / 5 Ramadan 1442

The future of the Islamic calendar in the UK, insha allah...

Summary

This blog will be presented in two versions. 

Version 1: Will be a shortened summary, offering data proving viability of UK Islamic Calendar [this article]

Version 2: Will be a longer version, offering a full background to the Islamic Calendar in the UK, and further analysis/notes about the data, particularly around our experience of using HMNAO visibility codes

In both articles, we make the same case, which can be summarised as follows:

In the past: Local Islamic Calendar not Possible in the UK

• We did not have enough moonsighters in the country to have a functional Islamic calendar.
• Therefore mosques in the UK outsourced their Islamic calendar abroad - Saudi, Morocco, South Africa, or other countries. 
• This is the root cause of why we have 'moon wars', and differing dates for the calendar, Ramadan and Eid.

Now: Local Islamic Calendar possible in the UK

• For the last 3 years and 9 months, almost 4 years now, we have increased our moonsighting efforts.
• Alhamdulillah, we have proved that you can have a perfectly functional moonsighting calendar in the UK, and have the data to prove it!

For the first time in the history of Muslims in the British Isles, the community has the option to return to the sunnah of local moonsighting: the practice of the Prophet ﷺ, the earliest Muslims, Muslim civilisations of the past, and Muslims today across the globe.

We also give an overview in this video. If you haven’t seen it already, this video is required watching!

Background Context to data

How does a traditional Islamic Calendar work?

We look for the moon after maghrib following the 29th of each Islamic month in that locality and then:

• If the moon is ‘visible’, that month will have 29 days, and the new month will now begin.
• If the moon is ‘not visible’, that month will have 30 days, and the new month will begin a day later.
• This was, historically, the practice of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the earliest Muslim generations.

If the moon is not seen for any reason (e.g. weather) then the traditional rules would dictate that you complete 30 days.  As such, this is how our calendar data has been compiled.

This is also how it currently works in Muslim communities and countries such as Morocco, South Africa, Bangladesh, Oman, Brunei, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Mauritius, and many other places etc.

Moonsighting has been happening in South Africa since the 17th C. This is a picture from 1935

Sunnah of local moonsighting continues till today in Cape Town, South Africa

I had the privilege of being able to visit the Bangladesh National Moonsighting Committee meeting.

They also continue this traditional practice of local moonsighting. Stationed across 64 locations, sighters report into a central committee using phone or Zoom. 

Below is a picture of [left to right]

• Imad Ahmed, Director of New Crescent Society (myself).
• Muhammad Altaf Husain Chowdhury, Assistant Secretary to the Minister of Religious Affairs (seated),
• Anisur Rahman Sarkar, Assistant Director of Islamic Foundation (standing),
• Muhammad Mushfiqul Rahman, Director General of Islamic Foundation (seated).

Having a cup of tea waiting for the moonsighting reports

What do you mean by a ‘functional’ Islamic calendar?

• A functional calendar has 29 days or 30 days in a month
• It cannot have a month of 28 days, nor 31 days.
  
  
• About half the year should have 29 days, and the other half should have 30 days. We would expect 6 or 7 months of 30 days in a normal year - which is the case around the world where others conduct the Islamic calendar.
• We would not consider, for example, 12 months of 30 days, a functional calendar.

As you can see from the data below, we would have had a functional calendar since the beginning of 1439 in the UK.

This has never been the case before. Even in the previous year of 1438, there were many months of 30 days, leading to a 28 day month in Dhul Hijjah that year.

Is it possible to see the moon in the UK?

It certainly is!

If you have enough sighters, weather isn't a problem

What data are you presenting?

• The dates for an Islamic calendar, based on UK moonsighting, since 1439
• When we saw the moon on the 29th day, and when we had 30 day months.
• It shows the HMNAO Predicted Lunar Visibility Code for the 29^th of that month. I have chosen Manchester as the location from which the data is calculated, as a natural midpoint of the Britain (including Scotland)
• All reported moonsightings can be found on ICOUK's website

The Data: UK Islamic Calendar is Possible

1439 AH / 2017-2018 AD

1440 AH / 2018 - 2019 AD

1441 AH / 2019 - 2020 AH

1442 AH / 2020 - 2021 AH

ADDED ON REQUEST: A comparison of how many 29/30 days a year, between the UK and Morocco and Saudi's Umm al Qura calendar. Note Saudi's Umm al Qura Calendar is a calculated calendar which does not match lunar visiblity, but is used in the Kingdom.

NOTE: We're still in 1442, hence the incomplete data for that year. As you can see - we're perfectly functional in the UK.

What does the above data prove?

A viable UK Islamic Calendar, as proved over the last 3 years and 9 months, based on physical moonsighting in the UK.

Before this point in our history, we have never successfully achieved a 'functional' year - we've always had too many consecutive months of 30 days one after the other after the other due to lack of sighters, and even 28 day months. 

To read more background notes / analysis, read our longer version of this blog here.

Any Further Questions? 

Please do take a look at this data and let us know what you think!

If you have any further questions, do also read the longer version of this article

We are open to feedback, we all make mistakes, and we are happy to be corrected.

And please, do thank the hard work of the moonsighters around the country in the comments below!

So what next? call to action!

'Rome was not built in a day
Opposition will come your way
But the hotter the battle you see
It's the sweeter the victory, now

You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try
Try and try, you'll succeed at last'

Our path next, surely, must be one of education, reconciliation and healing.

Across the country, Muslims are convinced about the proposal of a United Islamic Calendar for UK Muslims. 

But we need your help!

We need to reach more parts of the UK Muslim community, offer them training, show them our proposal, and engage everyone in this community conversation.

Maybe you have good links to key decision makers in the mosque? Maybe you work in a Muslim organisation? Maybe you have an idea you want to share?

Follow our page, DM us on Facebook or Insta, and let us know how you'd like to help!

• If you're a mosque, or a committee member of a mosque, and would like to talk to us and get involved, fill out this form here.
• If you're an individual, please follow us on Facebook or Instagram, where you can continue to learn more, find out about our events and trainings, and connect with us. 

Alhamdulillah, we've got this far - but we can't go it alone. 

Only when we work together will this problem be solved.

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