Disagreement over Eid ul-Fitr 2023 date in France

Taking into account the “most accurate scientific data”, the French Muslim Theological Council CTMF estimates that “the new moon will occur on Thursday, April 20 at 4:13 a.m. GMT, or 6:13 a.m. Paris time. On the same day, Thursday, April 20 , from 19:19 GMT, or 20:19 Paris time, the conditions necessary for ocular vision of the new Shawwal crescent will therefore be met. Consequently, the month of Ramadan 2023/1444, for Muslims in France will end on Thursday, April 20, after a 29-day fast and the first day of the month of Shawwal, which corresponds to Eid ul-Fitr, will take place on Friday, April 21, 2023,” the agency said.

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The French Council of the Muslim Faith CFCM also announces the same date as CTMF, but federations such as the Grand Mosque of Paris prefer to wait for the decision to be taken by other Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia. With the exception of Turkey, the countries are not expected to publish any dates other than those indicated by CTMF based on the astronomical calculation method. But not until this Thursday will it be possible to confirm whether Eid ul-Fitr will take place on Friday, April 21 or Saturday, April 22, depending on the country.

According to a forecast map from the International Astronomical Center (IAC), published by Saphire News, the crescent moon will be visible to the naked eye in the Americas on Thursday evening, April 20, but theoretically only with telescopes in South America, Europe and West Africa. This year, “seeing will be very difficult and will require an accurate telescope, a professional observer and exceptional weather,” said IAC director Mohamed Shawkat Odeh. He states that it will be difficult “to see the crescent moon, even through a telescope, from anywhere in the Arab world unless these conditions are met”.

“If we want to remain rational, Muslim countries (which have adopted the observation method), except perhaps Morocco where the visibility of the moon would be possible, should announce Eid for Saturday, April 22, says planetologist Smaïl Mostefaoui. The risk of divergence is present and even large but “experience shows that it is possible that Saudi Arabia will announce Friday’s date” and that the Muslim federations gathered around the Grand Mosque of Paris will follow the date of Saturday, April 22. Especially when those not only chosen by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but also and above all by Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, the countries from which many Muslims in France come.

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The Union of Mosques of France (UMF), the Turkish federations (CCMTF and Milli Görüüs) and the CTMF, for their part, based on the method of astronomical calculations and the principle of transmission of visibility, have announced Eid for Friday, April 21 . In any case, celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on this day will not be a mistake for the fasters.