US: Ramadan To Begin Friday, July 20; Eid Al-Fitr On Sunday, August 19

The Fiqh Council of North America said that it recognizes astronomical calculation as an acceptable Shar’i method for determining the beginning of lunar months including the months of Ramadan and Shawwal. FCNA uses Makkah al-Mukarrama as a conventional point and takes the position that the conjunction must take place before sunset in Makkah and moon must set after sunset in Makkah.

On the basis of this method the dates of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr for the year 1433 AH are established as follows:

1st of Ramadan will be on Friday, July 20, 2012

1st of Shawwal will be on Sunday, August 19, 2012

Ramadan 1433 AH:

The Astronomical New Moon is on July 19, 2011 (Thursday) at 4:24 Universal Time (7:24 a.m. Makkah time). Sunset at Makkah on July 19 is at 7:05 p.m., while moonset is at 7:11 p.m. Moon is born before sunset in Makkah and moonset is after sunset. Therefore first day of Ramadan is Friday, July 20, insha’Allah. First Tarawih prayer will be on Thursday night.

Eid al-Fitr 1433 AH:

The Astronomical New Moon is on August 17, 2011 (Friday) at 15:54 Universal Time (6:54 p.m. Makkah time). On Friday, August 17, sunset at Makkah is 6:49 p.m. and moonset is 6:30 p.m. Moon is born after sunset in Makkah and moon sets before sunset. On Saturday, August 18, sunset at Makkah is 6:49 p.m. and moonset is at 7:11 p.m. Moon is born 24 hours before sunset, while moonset is after sunset. Therefore, first day of Shawwal, i.e., Eid al-Fitr is Sunday, August 19, insha’Allah.

Source: ISNA