Rabat – According to the Grand Mosque of Paris, Ramadan starts on Wednesday in France. But this is not what the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) said in its statement, which instead announced today that Ramadan begins on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Grand Mosque of Paris announced Wednesday as the first day of Ramadan, creating division and frustration in the Muslim community in France.
“The blessed month of Ramadan will begin in France on Wednesday,” the mosque said in a communique signed by Musulmans de France, Foi et Pratique, and the French Federation of Islamic Associations of Africa, the Comoros, and the Antilles.
The joint statement indicated that the decision came following a meeting using a method that combines scientific calculation with moon sighting.
While some concerned commenters described CFCM as the body responsible for observing the moon for Ramadan in France, France 24 described it as the former body representing Islam before French public authorities.
The news outlet added that CFCM relied solely on scientific calculations in its separate communique announcing the date of Ramadan.
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However, others suggest that the Grand Mosque is the body responsible for determining the start date of Ramadan. Yet critics of the mosque say that it follows Algeria as a model in determining the date of Ramadan, citing funds the mosque has allegedly received from Algiers over the years.
Yet Algeria itself has announced Thursday as the first day of Ramadan this year.
This date discrepancy continues to fuel concerns among France’s Muslim citizens and residents, who are now divided about the start of Ramadan.
Islam is the second-largest religion in France, with approximately 10% identifying themselves as Muslims. This is the equivalent of roughly 6 to 7 million people in a country of about 69 million people.
Many countries announced Wednesday as the first day of Ramadan, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The first day of Ramadan in Egypt is Thursday. Morocco is expected to celebrate the first day of Ramadan on Thursday as well. The Islamic Ministry committee will sight the crescent moon on Wednesday evening to determine the official date of Ramadan.