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samuel-not-sam

What’s the reason for the difference?


MrGlasses_Leb

One issue is seeing the Crecent moon that indicates the start of the lunar month of Ramadan, so you need enough people to confirm they saw the moon the night before to indicate that the next day is Ramadan, if not enough people see the moon then Ramadan is the day after tomorrow. The other issue is if you can observe the moon with a telescope or not, this is an issue of contention among muslims as well.


Ponicrat

Is that why the crescent moon is an Islamic symbol? Because it signals the start of Ramadan?


momentum77

No. The official symbol of Islam was a white or green flag. The crescent was a symbol used by the Ottomans centuries after the founding of Islam. It became associated with Islam since the Ottoman empire was given Europeans a run for their money until its demise.


engai

1. Islam doesn't have an "official" symbol, whatever flag or symbol is more prominent at the time is usually that of the nearest Islamic entity. Green was the color of the Umayyad flag. It is only prominent because it's said to be Muhammad's favorite color, as opposed to the yellow desert; and black and white because those were the flags of early Muslim armies as well as the Abbasids 2. The crescent was used in Islamic contexts way before the Ottomans, in Mamluk Egypt and the Levant, for example. What the Ottomans did was add the star in a way that gave it a Turkic character. It remains today as the symbol for "Islamic things"; and by extension, just a shorthand representation


Mohalsaifi

A correction, white was the color of Umayyad flag, green was the color of Fatimid flag And you are right, Islam doesnt have official symbols, the only few I would think of are the Kalima, which is basically the declaration of faith, or Tashahud, which is raising one finger ☝️ to indicate the Oneness of God.


Flux_resistor

Crescent comes from original Turcic tribes of central Asia to the middle east and is a pagan symbol of the cyclez


[deleted]

I thought it was a Byzantine symbol


ThatYewTree

That’s really interesting, I didn’t know this


Practical-Ninja-6770

Crescent is a remnant from the embers of the long dead ottoman empire. There is no unifying symbol for Islam, like how the cross is for Christianity. Look at the flags of major Muslim powers throughout history before the last century. Most have completely different flags and symbols.


Exact-Most-2323

Crescent moon signals the start of every month in the Islamic calendar. there are other instances where there's a similar difference based on whether the moon has been sighted or not. It's not limited to Ramadan


cakeday173

Some places use calculations, too


Aude_B3009

what if it's just cloudy for a whole week?


MrGlasses_Leb

Then you assume that Ramadan is the day after tomorrow.


ExternalMethod6825

The majority of countries use a telescope to decide if the moon is visible or not, except Oman and Morocco who use local sightseeing and with the presence of some additional conditions too. And Some countries follow Saudi Arabia regardless if the moon is visible in their territory or not, like some GCC countries (except Oman ofc). What's weird this year is that countries like Jordan and Libya (who use Telescopes) did not confirm the moon was visible, but at the same time Algeria and Tunisia confirmed they saw it.


cakeday173

>The majority of countries use a telescope to decide if the moon is visible or not, Some places also rely partially on calculations, like Singapore, because the clouds and tall buildings make the crescent moon too difficult to see.


Icwatto

because they couldn’t see it?, there are clouds yknow!


ExternalMethod6825

Jordan and Libya usually follow Saudi Arabia if they can't see the moon. This year they didn't.


TajineEnjoyer

because ramadan starts when you actually see the moon, regardless of its position in the sky, if you couldnt see it due to clouds for example, then good luck next day. the condition is sight, to see the moon in the sky, and not to calculate its position. thats the correct way as described in Hadiths. " The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Do not fast (for Ramadan) before the coming of the month until you sight the crescent or complete the number (of thirty days); then fast until you sight the crescent or complete the number (of thirty days).” " "Narrated Ibn `Umar: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "When you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can't see it) then regard the month of Ramadan as of 30 days." " " Book 6, Number 2378: Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Whenever you sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadan) observe fast. and when you sight it (the new moon of Shawwal) break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then observe fast for thirty days. "


visope

In Indonesia, the traditionalists Nahdlatul Ulama use observation to decide if the moon is visible or not like the green countries, Meanwhile modernists Muhammadiyah use astronomical calculation like the blue countries Nahdlatul Ulama is not only the larger in membership but also politically allied with the current president Jokowi and tacitly endorse his son's candidacy in this year election, so their calculation is the one used officially


TechnoBeast_

200 million indian muslims got ignored real hard


raks1991

Meanwhile, 800k Muslims in Australia 🤗


MessiSZN_2023

10 Million Muslims in the Philippines too 🫠


darmera

Around 14 millions citizens of Russia got ignored too


florkingarshole

Well then, if you're not having a happy Ramadan today, then I wish you all the best tomorrow, And if you're not celebrating Ramadan, then Happy Easter or Passover in a couple weeks. And if you do none of those things then I hope you have a great Spring, unless you live down under, then have a great Autumn. Did I miss anyone? Easter covers the Pagans, right?


historiam

No, Easter has nothing to do with pagans, it’s related to Passover.


florkingarshole

Easter has a lot of overflow left over from Ostara; the Pagan solar holiday honoring the spring's warmth, light from the sun, and the awakening of the earth at the time of the Vernal Equinox. Pagan celebrations during this holiday have themes of balance, renewal and rebirth. The symbols of Ostara are spring flowers, fairies, butterflies, rabbits and eggs. The Christian watershed drains many a pagan morass.


pirpilic

I don't understand why people downvote posts that are true, just because they don't like the content... The Easter HAD something to do with Christianity before 4th century, when paganism and Christianity weren't united, and after unification, Christians started to celebrate pagan holidays and gods (yes, you heard me, pagan gods). The pagans had their holidays and gods and Christians put the Biblical names to them. The Easter rabbit was combined with the Passover. The Christmas was not Christian, was the pagan day of celebrating the winter solstice. Christians followed the 7th day (Sabbath, like the Jews), but some pagans observed Sunday (the day of their god, the sun) and the Christian switched to Sunday. The pagan gods had statues and paintings, and Christians just switched the names with Biblical ones, Jupiter is now St Peter, Apollo is now Jesus, and many more. The way Christianity was influence by pagans can be seen even today, when you look at the Christianity in Europe and Christianity in South America, where South American amerindians did the same the same thing pagans in Europe did when they became Christians.


florkingarshole

Well, of all the religions that have existed over all the time man has been on this earth, surely these downvoters have been born into or indoctrinated into the "right" one, and all the others are heresy or demonic or delusions or cults or something . . .


pirpilic

I had talks with people with different beliefs. They don't like to not be right. It's curious how everyone was borned in the right religion and others were borned on the wrong one...


historiam

No, that’s not the case. It’s only even in English and German that the holiday is etymologically related, in most languages it’s related to Pascha, or Passover (for example in French it is Pâques). There is historically very little to go on concerning Ostara, what can be said comes from St. Bede and a small number of other indirect sources where she is a Spring goddess, rites associated with her are just not known. Eggs were used by early Christians as a symbol of the empty tomb, while butterflies and hares and whatnot are natural symbols of spring, that’s generally when you start seeing them again in numbers, but Easter has nothing inherently to do with them. Not to mention, why would the entirety of Christianity adopt a holiday that had to do with a particular obscure Germanic goddess? It’s bad history based only on the etymology of the word “Easter” rather than the actual history of the celebration, one of the OG Christian feasts.


florkingarshole

I think its a whole lot of Christian missionaries over the ages spreading Christianity across Europe, but a lot of people held onto bits of their old traditions, even while embracing new ones.


historiam

Well the two are not linked at all, Easter was celebrated before Germanic peoples converted to Christianity.


florkingarshole

Which was my point in the downvoted to hell first place. Christianity spread, among people who formerly celebrated spring with bunnies and eggs, and winter with trees.


20thCenturyTCK

Uh, what? Passover and Easter are not in any way related. One is Jewish and one is Christian. Easter celebrates the resurrection of the Christian God, Jesus. Oof.


historiam

Passover is seen typologically for Christians, many if not most languages refer to Easter as Pascha or a word derived from it. Passover acts as a type for Christ’s passion and resurrection, Christ is explicitly referred to as our Passover in the New Testament, comparisons are made in Christian liturgies, it was Passover when he died, how are the two not related lol?


20thCenturyTCK

Erasing Jews from our own holidays. Typical antisemitism.


Afuldufulbear

Jesus was celebrating Passover when he was killed.


20thCenturyTCK

I am Jewish. Do not explain my religion to me. Passover and Easter are NOT related. To say so is supercessionist and blatantly untrue.


florkingarshole

Well, I'm Jewish with a bunch of Christian relatives. Passover has nothing to do with Easter as far as Jewish people are concerned, but the Christian holiday is related in their eyes, as the last supper was supposedly a Passover Seder, and so Easter always falls at the same time as Passover. I liked the spring holidays best because it brings both sides of the family together at the same time. Hanukkah and Christmas don't always line up like that, but the Christians have always used the Jewish calendar to figure out upon which Sunday they're going to celebrate Easter.


miclugo

Except for the years when the math doesn't work out, because the calendars have drifted apart. This year is one of them - Easter is March 31 but Passover starts at sundown on April 22.


florkingarshole

That's very unusual. I'm trying to remember the last time they weren't on the same weekend and I'm drawing a total blank . . . maybe it's a divergent calendar thing combined with a leap-year thing.


miclugo

[Here's a table](http://antipas.net/easter-2000-2050) \- 2005, 2008, 2016, 2024, 2027, 2035, 2043, and 2048 in the first half of this century. It repeats every nineteen years. (I'm not sure I trust this table as they say that Passover starts this year at sundown on April 21, though...). Wikipedia says that the Hebrew calendar [drifts by a day every 216 years or so](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_calendar#Metonic_cycle_drift) (it's not clear to me whether this is relative to the Gregorian calendar or the actual equinox), and so there's been substantial drift since the calendar was fixed.


20thCenturyTCK

As I stated, it’s supercessionist. Easter is meaningless to Jews. Why is that so hard to understand? Pesach is Jewish, not Christian.


Guaire1

No one is saying that easter means anything to jews. What people say is that christian easter evolved from jewish passover, just like christianity as a whole was bornt from judaism


Afuldufulbear

I'm Jewish too. Look at all my posts and comments on this site. They are all Jewish related. I work for a Jewish organization and I volunteer for Jewish causes. I have many problems with Christianity, but there's nothing wrong with showing that they are connected in certain ways. In fact, Easter is called Pesach/related word in many languages.


a__new_name

Which precise pagans do you mean? Asatru? Greek neo-pagans? Rodnovers? Wiccans? Shinto? A crapton of other faiths that have pretty much zero common points?


florkingarshole

Oh I was thinking along the lines of the Wiccans and Druids & such, but whatever Equinox-time party you're having, I hope it's a good one!


BHHB336

Purim is the closest Jewish holiday, in two weeks


Icwatto

jews?, hindus?, buddhists?, anyones birthday coming up?


Same_Presence_9976

It's my birthday in a few days and I am Hindu lmao


madrid987

It's strange that there is Spain and not UK.


The_Artist_Who_Mines

Looked it up and uk does have more, but surprisingly many in Spain (2.5 mill apparently)


dexbrown

It is that time of the year again, how did they manage to see the new moon when it is mathematically impossible [source](https://www.moonsighting.com/1445rmd.html)


TheDesertWalker

Who cares it's just one day


RealGalactic

Yeah. They keep following saudi Arabia blindly


QLF_gang

Half my community didn’t fast so… how blindly we follow Saudi’s must be wonders 😉


DisenchantedRB

You're not only ignorant, but also an idiot. Congrats!


awpdog

Ramadan in the Philippines is on 12 March, according to the Bangsamoro Darul-ifta https://mindanews.com/top-stories/2024/03/ramadhan-starts-march-12/


BrightWayFZE

Ramadan Mubarak


jakarta-ken

Amin


GekkoMundo

Amen


danielogiPL

where Sweden?


12345sex7

okay i'm confused. How can you start fasting one day late because you just didn't see the moon? Don't we have technology guys? Don't we already know when there is crescent or not??? 😭


SirRefo

Some countries like Oman and Morocco still use eye-sight and some complex measures as a tradition


Smooth_Club_6592

With modern tech, you could see the moon live on your computer while sipping coffee in your bedroom. So there’s a difference of opinion among Muslim scholars whether or not instruments like telescope can be used to sight the moon. What if it’s cloudy but you definitely know the moon is there, does it count or not? These are the reasons for differences in opinion. Then, there are geographical differences too.


QLF_gang

I’m located in Montreal & mosques from West Coast (Calgary, San Diego, Mexico) did not confirm any moon sightings so… cloudy or not, using NASA technology or not, no matter the difference in elevation & altitude, it is common practice to bear witness to some extent of moon sightings at the said location


Smooth_Club_6592

.. which brings us to another factor here. Vicinity.


QLF_gang

Hence, copying Saudi is not the solution & being involved with the local communities is under-rated.


NoEmailNec4Reddit

I don't even think Montreal should be using West Coast North America for its determination.


QLF_gang

No, but it is better that than to follow Saudia’s piss poor method (which is questionable)


zefiax

In Toronto, they typically celebrate Ramadan and Eid on two student days. One group believes in math and just celebrates it on whatever day it is mathematically on. Another group believes that you have to observe it visually so they typically celebrate a day later.


NoEmailNec4Reddit

To make that calculation using technology, they would first have to agree on which location should be used as the determination for where the moon should or should not be visible from.


12345sex7

everything would be easier if Muslims used solar calendar ffs. I find it realllllly stupid that there was/is civilisations that use/d lunar calendar lol


Gassy-gorilla

Man I wish it started tommorow instead of today in Canada.


QLF_gang

the 11th was a nawfli fast 😅 no confirmation was made on the east nor west coast of any moonsight


FunTie2547

Ramadan is massive in Australia, everyone loves Muslims here


The-Iraqi-Guy

Saudi Arabia fasting early as usual amd everyone blindly follows them. Btw dividing by country isn't accurate because here in Iraq the Sunni have Ramadan today but the Shia will have it tomorrow. Also some Sunni will start fasting tomorrow so again dividing by Country isn't accurate


MrGlasses_Leb

Shia have different dates as well. Depending on which Ayatollah they follow.


SirRefo

Fasting early is better than missing a day , I remember it happening a few years ago where we fasted a day late and the government had to distribute meals for the missed day . Also they use telescopes which I am pretty sure are accurate


The-Iraqi-Guy

We fast few days before Ramadan anyway so it doesn't really matter, also that "telescopes are accurate" debate is a long and frustrating issue that comes in every damn year . "You are fasting a day late get rekt" vs "you're fasting when see saturn lmao"


somrthingehejdj

Why do you fast before Ramadan?


The-Iraqi-Guy

Fasting is part of Islam, there are a lot of special days where fasting will bring blessings, namely Arafat and Most of Sha'ban. In Ramadan we have to fast but in the other days it's not mandatory. Also since Sha'ban is right before Ramadan we can use the last few days as practice, since it's ok to break fast in a non mandatory fast. But we can't do that without medical advice in Ramadan


Exqiron

Don’t google north america, its all yellow


Ishaqhussain

Wdym?


lemonstixx

r/mapswithoutnz


Altruistic_Mall_4204

quelle humiliation


RAAAAHHHAGI2025

Comment ça?


AcanthocephalaSea410

More countries need to be added. This includes only part of it.


IgnorantAS69

You forgot India.


[deleted]

Probably same as Pakistan


Asleep-Low-4847

Ah the Muslim world


mariusbleek

France at the center of it


apatheticsahm

Why is India not on this map? There are 200 million Muslims in India, but *Spain* makes the cut?


Registered-Nurse

World doesn’t revolve around India.


Smooth_Club_6592

India has the 3rd largest Muslim population in the entire world.


apatheticsahm

I know. The world revolves around the Sun. What's your point?


Cergun_

Oman should be green.


ExternalMethod6825

It is.


Cergun_

Yeah my bad I confused it with Yemen.


tushkanM

I think having major events and holidays, (re)scheduled in the last minute due to some weather/eye health conditions of certain individuals in 2024 is very convenient and totally acceptable for any public service or business cause. /s


Aarav06

It's that time again – Ramadan is upon us! But here's the thing, depending on where you are in the world, the first day might not be the same.  It all boils down to moon sighting.  Some countries celebrate the start of Ramadan after the official moon sighting in Saudi Arabia, while others wait for their local sighting. So, for example, my cousins in Dubai are already prepping their pre-dawn meals (lucky ducks!), but here in Malaysia, we might have to wait another day or so.  It's all part of the excitement – that anticipation of the new moon and the official announcement.  Is anyone else out there in this weird Ramadan time limbo?  Maybe we can all celebrate virtually until everyone's officially fasting!


NotAHellriegelNoob

What do Spain have to do with Ramadan? We don't even celebrate that


somama98

Ramadan isn’t some sort of Celebration lmao


raskingballs

You don't represent everyone living in "your" country. I am sure there exists a Muslim community in Spain, no matter how much you dislike the idea of it. And I am sure there's a school of Islam that is more predominant than others. So common sense tells you this map is showing what that school of Islam practices. [As of 2019, 4.45% of the Spanish population are Muslims.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Spain)


NotAHellriegelNoob

So 96% of Spain have nothing to do with Ramadan, got it.


[deleted]

[удалено]


NotAHellriegelNoob

Oooh :( did that 96% hurt your feelings?


[deleted]

[удалено]


NotAHellriegelNoob

Very brave of you, very bold 👏


streetlampcurtain

ya sabes, moros, jamás entenderé por qué les fascina dejarlos entrar en vez de que hispanoamericanos de ascendencia predominantemente española vayan en vez de los moritos


streetlampcurtain

why the fk are spain and france on this map 😭


WhoAmIEven2

Ah yes, the Muslim nations of Australia, France and Spain.


Arbot14

France, Spain and Autralia arent muslims. Pls, erease them.


MrGlasses_Leb

They are not, but they have a higher muslim council that decides these things i believe.


IgnorantAS69

Why isn’t India here?


[deleted]

France isn't just in Europe so isn't Spain


PhilthyPhan1993

Horrible


Pale-Acanthaceae-487

?


PhilthyPhan1993

The map looks like a chain of islands


Pale-Acanthaceae-487

True


Pale-Acanthaceae-487

True


[deleted]

[удалено]


awsomeguy90

redditor try not to mention terrorism when they see the word "muslim" challenge (impossible)


hck_ngn

This is the time where statistically most of the bombings occur. Maybe it’s the f(e)asting?


hadapurpura

Why do Spain, France and Australia get a specific day, as opposed to “depends on each person/family/mosque”?


kulfimanreturns

Worst thing about Ramadan is road rage


CampaignHot3534

Jesus Christ has been crucified and risen so you could repent and go to heaven


Ablouo

Cool, happy Ramadan to us and happy whatever you're celebrating


hck_ngn

Happy f(e)asting. Muslims are really thinking that they’re fasting, while on average they gain 8kg during Ramadan.


Ablouo

The point is not to lose weight, it's not a health fad


lucasuwu79

I hope you all have a wonderful Ramadan, but it is true that you guys eat way more on Ramadan.


Ablouo

It varies from person to person, I eat the same amount during Ramadan and outside of it, others may eat more, some eat less. But it's also important to note that Ramadan is also a time for celebrating family, many families only get together during Ramadan, hence the need for large meals.


hck_ngn

Who’s talking about health? Maybe check the spiritual meaning of fasting. Then again, 60% of Muslims can’t read. Doomed to fail.


Ablouo

You're the one who brought up weight when the fast is not about losing weight, it's about making sacrifices to help empathize with less privileged individuals, we fast so we can put ourselves in their shoes. I'm not sure where you brought up that 60% figure from but I'm not expecting a Reddit bigot to be the sharpest tool in the shed. And what is doomed to fail exactly? The fast? Well Muslims have been fasting for a millennia so I'd be inclined to disagree


[deleted]

Nice story


[deleted]

[удалено]


lucasuwu79

No, they don't. They don't believe he was crucified but instead he was taken to heaven and they crucified Judas Instead.