The French Muslim Council (CFCM) has decided that they will now use astronomical calculations to set the date for beginning Ramadan each year, instead of depending on the naked eye to sight the new moon. Thus, the CFCM has announced the beginning date of the holy month to be on Tuesday, July 9, 2013, according to astronomical calculations. The President of CFCM, Mr. Mohammad Moussaoui, said that the traditional method of sighting the moon created confusion and chaos in the schedules of French Muslims. But now everything will be simplified, as the new rules allow French Muslims to ask for their holidays to be incorporated in the national calendar as well.
Ramadan usually begins the day after the sighting of the moon, which has been delayed by a day or two, previously. Lyon Muslim leader Azzedine Gaci said that all Muslims in France can now start Ramadan on the same day without any confusion. Other countries like Turkey and Germany, for example, have already been using the astronomical calculations method to set the beginning date of Ramadan and Eid Ul- Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month.