ContentsDefinitionDate of Ramadan 2023•Start of Ramadan 2023•End of Ramadan 2023Ramadan in FranceNight of Doubt Eid el-Fitr Umrah [Updated February 1 2023 at 11:35 a.m.] Ramadan 2023 end date: Thursday March 23 for the start date of Ramadan and Thursday April 20 for the end date. Dates still to be refined and formalized during the Night of Doubt / Announcement which corresponds to the 29th day of the month of the current Hijri calendar. This must take place on Tuesday March 21 for the start date of Ramadan and Thursday April 20 for the end of Ramadan. The feast of Eid al-Fitr which marks the breaking of the fast takes place on the first day of the month following that of Ramadan. ►More detailed explanations on the start and end dates of Ramadan Read the article Between culture faith and traditions… Ramadan explained simply What is the definition of Ramadan? The fourth pillar of Islam is respected by many practicing Muslims in France: according to INSEE 5 million believers practice Ramadan each year in France. Worldwide, 好唔好 more than 1.5 billion people are affected. During the month of Ramadan devout Muslims observe fasting between dawn and sunset. And as the year continues to move towards summer the days get longer and longer making the of food and drink more and more difficult. In France as in several other countries the start date of Ramadan is announced by the French Council for Muslim Worship (CFCM) several months in advance based on astronomical calculations then confirmed by a theological commission at the end of the lunar observation of the Night of Doubt at the end day a few days before the start of Ramadan. If a crescent is visible on this evening also called Announcement Night then Ramadan begins the next day otherwise it begins the following day. What is the date of Ramadan 2023? From Thursday March 23 for the start date to Thursday April 20 2023 for the end date. This is the period already indicated by the astronomical calculations for the dates of Ramadan 2023. Associated with the Coordination made up of the four Muslim Federations (FFAIACA GMP MF and RMF) the Grand Mosque of Paris will raise doubt on this point during the night of doubt of lunar observation organized on the 29th day of the month preceding the month of Ramadan. How is the date of Ramadan fixed in France? Two methods coexist in France to determine the beginning of month of Ramadan: traditional lunar observation and astronomical calculations. In a statement of March 15 2022 the Coordination of National Muslim Federations (FFAICA GMP, 好唔好 MF and RMF) meeting at the Great Mosque of Paris specifies that these two methods are complementary. She adds on this point that during the Night of Doubt the Theological Commission of Coordination (…) takes into consideration the results of the work on the adoption of scientific calculation and universal astronomical data for the determination of the beginning and the end of the blessed month of Ramadan. The CFCM (French Council for Muslim Worship the main representative body of Islam in France) relies exclusively on astronomical calculations for determining the dates of Ramadan and indicates in generally the start date of the month of fasting and the date of the Eid-el Fitr festivities several weeks or even months in advance. Regarding the representation of Muslims in France an important change took place in March 2021 with the split between the French Council of Muslim Worship the representative institution of the Muslim faith in France and four of its former Muslim federations (the famous FFAIACA GMP MF and RMF). Since this thunderclap in the sky of Islam in France, 好唔好 the CFCM is once again relying on scientific data to formalize the dates of Ramadan several weeks in advance. This is also the modus operandi followed by the Muslim Theological Council of France (CTMF, 好唔好 a body of imams particularly close to the Muslim Brotherhood but who do not replace representative bodies).What does the Night of Doubt actually consist of? The traditional method of the Night of Doubt based on lunar observation takes place at the Grand Mosque of Paris. The decision taken at its outcome depends not only on the observation of the sky but also on the decisions made by other Muslim countries which are based on this same lunar observation. The Paris mosque reminds on its website that a one-day delay is possible. This shift day is due to the observation or not of the crescent moon which marks the beginning of each of the twelve months which make up the lunar calendar on which Islam is based. Ramadan only on the 29th day of the month preceding the month of Ramadan in this case on the 29th day of the month of Chaabane (eighth month of the Muslim calendar). If the crescent moon (hilal) is seen by Muslims in the sky the month of Ramadan begins the next day otherwise it begins the day after tomorrow. The determination of the exact dates of Ramadan is still the subject of debate, 好唔好 in reality centering on the adoption or not of the fixed lunar calendar based on scientific calculation. There is indeed a conflict of opinion between those who consider that it is absolutely necessary to see the star in the sky and those who trust astronomical science. Proponents of the scientific method believe that setting the start and end dates of Ramadan in advance allows believers to plan their abstinence and Ramadan festivities in advance. It would also unify Ramadan dates around the world. What is Eid al-Fitr? The Eid al-Fitr holiday is one of the most important for observant Muslims. The month of Shawwal (tenth month of the Muslim calendar) begins precisely with the feast of the end of the fast of Eid El Fitr. Every year the breaking of the fast is celebrated on this occasion by Muslims among friends families and relatives and marked by an important prayer in the morning. During the Eids of recent years it has been recommended by the Paris Mosque that the Zakat i.e. alms for breaking the fast be 7 euros. What is Umrah? Umrah is a form of pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca (Saudi Arabia). Unlike the hajj the great pilgrimage which is one of the five pillars of Islam the umrah is not compulsory. It should also be noted that if the hajj can only be done during the last month of the Muslim year the umrah is achievable throughout the year. However it is recommended to practice it during the month of Ramadan.
