1. The Lunar Calendar day starts just after sunset and completes at sunset next day, whereas the solar calendar day starts just after midnight and completes at midnight next day.

2. A lunar calendar month can be of 29 or 30 days (six months of 29 days and six months of 30 days) whereas the solar month of February is of 28 days (except leap years when it is 29 days), four solar months are of 30 days (April, June, September and November) each and the remaining seven months are of 31 days each.

The solar calendar consists of 365 days or 366 days in a leap year. Each lunar calendar is of 354 days. A lunar year is 11 days shorter than a solar year. That is why Ramadan starts 11 days earlier.

3. A lunar month of Hijra calendar (Islamic calendar) starts from the sunset when the new crescent is sighted in the horizon. Thus the Hijra calendar month cannot start on the same date in all areas of the globe. This is why we find that Ramadan starts in India, Indonesia or Pakistan a day later than the UK.

4. The term full moon means when the moon is fully illuminated by the rays of the sun. This is the opposite of the conjunction, when the moon has no illumination at all or is completely shaded or dark. The astronomers refer to this as the birth of the new moon probably because the next phase of the moon starts after this event. The moon remains completely dark or shaded for a short time but the new crescent of the moon cannot be visible even if it is in the horizon after sunset unless it is at least 15 hours old, provided of course the sky is clear and the visibility conditions are favourable.

5. The Hijra calendar's new month starts from the sunset after which the new crescent is sighted and not from the time of conjunction nor from the night following the conjunction as some people think or some astronomers recommend. During our Prophet's (pbuh) time when there was confusion about starting the month of Ramadan, the Prophet's verdict or advice was to start fasting after the sighting of the Ramadan crescent and stop fasting after sighting of the Shawwal crescent.

6. Some brothers in the UK say that even when according to the Royal Observatory the 'new moon' was not born, they sighted the crescent after sunset. They probably are not aware that the sighting of the last stage of the crescent of Shaban is not the same as the sighting of the Ramadan crescent. The Shaban moon has to completely disappear, conjunction should take place, leading to the birth of the Ramadan crescent which must be sighted in the UK or any other country. The last crescent of Shaban and the new crescent of Ramadan should not be taken as the same. Similarly, the last stage of the Ramadan moon if sighted on the 29th day after sunset should not be taken as the crescent of the Shawal moon.

7. Some countries start Ramadan a day earlier, probably for political reasons, but fasting in the month of Ramadan has nothing to do with politics. It is strictly a religous duty which has some positive influence on social and political life, character and conduct. But starting Ramadan a day earlier for political reasons or to comply with astronomers' advice is not right.

8. Some of us believe that there is no clear guidance for determining the lunar calendar in the Holy Quran. In fact, there is a clear guidance in the Holy Quran which was followed by the Holy Prophet (pbuh). If we do not think properly and understand the guidance we have only ourselves to blame. Some of us wrongly think that Scientific data should be rejetced when determining the Hijra calendar. In fact Allah asks us to take into account the movements of the sun and moon for reckoning of time as can be seen in the veresr of the Holy Quran below.

9. In a Muslim country the Government declares the dates of Islamic events and every Muslim can follow these dates. But in Muslim minority countries such as Europe and North America or Australia or China and other areas there should be a council of Muslim leaders who should take it upon themselves the responsibility of deciding the Islamic events and calender. Allah has made it quite easy for them to acheive this if they can enlighten themselves with knowledge which is readily available. For Muslims in non-Muslim countries who are working in the Government or private sector and for Muslim students it will be convenient if the dates of Islamic events are known well in advance. In this computer age it is possible to print Islamic calendars for several years in advance for each country or region. It will be worthwhile for the Islmaic bbok publishers to undertake such projects.

In conclusion, let us remind ourselves about the relevant verses of the Holy Quran on this subject

"And He has made subservient to you, from Himself,all that is in the heavens and on earth; in this behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!" (45:13)

"It is He who cleaveth the daybreak (from the dark) He made the night for rest and tranquilty and the SUN & MOON FOR THE RECKONING (OF TIME)" (6:96) 

"It is He who made the Sun the source of light and MEASURED OUT THE STAGES FOR HER THAT YOU MAY KNOW THE NUMBER OF YEARS AND THE COUNT (OF TIME). THERE IS NOTHING BUT A PART OF HIS CONSTRUCTIVE DESIGN"(10:5)

"The Sun and the Moon follow courses (exactly) COMPUTED" (55:5)

"Lo! The number of months with Allah is TWELVE by Allah's ordinance in the day He created the Heavens and the Earth" (9:36)

"They ask the concerning the New Moons. Say: they are but signs to mark FIXED PERIODS OF TIME in the affairs of people and for Hajj" (2:189)

Thus the Holy Quran mentions the use of both the Sun and the Moon to reckon time. Let us do so wisely and with unity

Notes prepared by Dr Mahbub Ahmed, Secretar of the UK Ruiyate Hilal Committee

1984 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LUNAR CALENDAR, LONDON

Resolution VIII
with regard to the beginning of the lunar month according to Sharia'h, the participants debated the following principle: sighting of the crescent must be the primary deciding factor and when the astronomical calculations verify that the crescent for the new month is born and in the horizon after sunset then the following day will be the beginning of the Shari'a month.

Resolution IX
Having taken into consideration the circumstances of Muslims in Europe and similar areas where there is no possibility of sighting the moon at most times of the year for several reasons, and with the intention of arriving at an agreed decision, the recommendations are as follows:

(i) The Muslims in those areas should attempt a sighting of the new moon. If they see it in accordance with the Sharia'h they should act accordingly.

(ii) If a sighting of the moon was not possible, they may accept a sighting from any Muslim country, provided it has been ascertained in accordance with the Sharia'h and communicated by a reliable source and providing the astronomical calculations show that the moon is indeed in the horizon after sunset in the region concerned, whether it is visible or not.

(iii) On determining the beginning of Shawwal, it is necessary to follow the country where sighting for Ramadan was accepted. If however , the moon of Shawwal was not sighted in that country, a sighting in another Muslim country would be acceptable in accordance with the preceding recommendations.

The seminar adopted these principles for the sake of unity and for establishing an acceptable method of determining the beginning and ending of Ramadan, Shawwal and Al-Hijja and in accordance with the hadith of the Prophet (S.A.W.) 'Fast when you see the moon and stop fasting when you see the next new moon. If, because of cloud you cannot see the moon then calculate'.

May Allah lead us to success. The Blessings of Allah and Peace be upon Sayyedina Muhammad, his family and his companions.