2008 Gregorian/1429 Hijri Announcements

Jamad ul-Awwal , 1429 Announcement
The 1st of Jamad ul-Awwal, 1429 will be on Wednesday, 7th May, 2008 based on clear sightings all over the US including California on the 6th of May. No reports of the crescent were made on the 5th.

2007 Gregorian/1428 Hijri Announcements

Ramadan 1428 Hijri/2007 Announcement
The 1st of Ramadan ul-Mubarak will be on Thursday September 13, 2006, based on the Houston sighting. Please visit our Ramadan page for details on Tarawih, local schedules, and other community activities. Please visit this page through Ramadan for any updates of activities.

Muharram 1428 Hijri/2007
The cresent for Muharramat ul-Haraam was sighted on Friday January 19, 2007 in California, USA by three trustworthy witnesses, near Russian Ridge Space Preserve, and at Mount Tamalpias, in Marin County, as reported by br. Youseff Ismail. Insha-Allah, the 1st of Muhaaram will be on Saturday, January 20, 2007. The Day of Ashura, which falls on the 10th of Muharram (Monday 29 January, 2007) is a day of Fasting, devotion, and honorably remembering those who were martyred while defending the faith of Islam in Karbala.

Dhil Hijjah 1427 Hijri/2006
Dhil Hijjah Mubarak ! The moon has been sighted on Thursday December 21, 2006 in Dallas, Texas, USA by several witnesses, according to the JAMAT-E-AHLE-SUNNAT OF NORTH AMERICA (JASNA) as reported by Maqsood Ahmed Qadri (917)370-8177, in Texas. Insha-Allah, the 1st of Dhill Hijjah will be on Friday 22, 2006, and Eid ul-Adha will be on Sunday, December 31, 2006.

Ramadan 1427 Hijri/2006
Ramadaan Mubarak! The moon has been sighted on September 23, 2006 (Saturday) in Houston Texas. Insha-Allah, the 1st of Ramadan ul-Mubarak will be on Sunday September 24, 2006. The shahadah was taken from credible witnesses in Dallas, TX. by Maulana Bab ur-Rahmani. There have been other reports and in Houston (Nouri Masjid) the Tarweeh prayers have commenced. Yuba City and othe Ahl us-Sunnah organizations around the US are also reported to have started Ramadaan.

Sha'ban 1427 Hijri/2006
The moon was sighted in various parts of the world, including California on August 25, 2006. The 1st of Sha'ban falls on August 26, 2006. The Night of Absolution (Lalat ul-Bara'a) will be on Friday August 11, 2006 and the following day (Saturday 12, September) is a recommended day of fasting (Nisf Sha'ban). Next moonsighting (for Ramadan) will be on September 23, 2006. The IECRC, as always, decides the beginning of the Islamic month with the naked-eye sighting or completion of 30 days. The month of Rajab is the month of Mustapha (peace be upon him and his blessed family), who fasted more in this month than any other, after Ramadan. Please remember to send abundant blessings and greetings (salawaat/durood) on the Best of Creation (peace be upon him).

Rajab 1427 Hijri/2006
The moon was sighted in various parts of the world, including California on July 26, 2006. The 1st of Rajab falls on July 27, 2006. Next moonsighting (for Sha'ban) will be on August 24, 2006. There was one sighting by Yusuf Ismael in California on July 25th, but with a binoculars (not with the naked eye), thus we will go with the naked eye sighting on the 26th of July. The month of Rajab is a sacred month. Please read the article on the Virtues of Rajab. The night of Isra and Mairaj will be celebrated on Monday 21 August, 2006 and the following day (22 August) is a recommended day of fasting.

Jamadi uth-Thani 1427 Hijri/2006
Not recorded.

Jamadi ul-Oula 1427 Hijri/2006
The moon was sighted in various states in the United States, including Virginia, Colarado, and Arizona on May 27, 2006. The 1st of Jamadi ul-Oula falls on May 28, 2006. Next moonsighting (for Jamadi uth-Thani) will be on Sunday June 25, 2006.

Rabi' uth-Thani 1427 Hijri/2006
The moon was sighted in various states in the United States, including Virginia, South Carolina, Arizona and Washington State on Friday, April 28th. Rabi uth-Thani is the month of the Urs of Ghawth ul-Aazam, Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him). To learn more about this great personality and the events held at IECRC, please visit the Gee-yaar-ween Sharef page.

Rabi' ul-Awwal 1427 Hijri/2006
There have not been any reported sightings in the United States on the 29th of March which coincides with the 29th of Safar. In California, thick cloud cover made sighting very difficult. By following the Prophetic hadith "add an extra day to the month if the crescent remains hidden," where the Islamic month cannot exceed 30 days unless the original sighting was erroneous, then the first day of Rabi' ul Awaal 1427 Hijri would correspond to Friday, 31st April 2006 in the United States.

Safar 1427 Hijri/2006
The cresent for the month of Safar was sighted in several states accross the USA including California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Virginia on Feb 28, 2006. The 1st of Safar coincides with the 1st of March this year.

Muharram 1427 Hijri/2006
The cresent of the sacred month of Muharram has been sighted with the naked eye in several states in the US on the 30th of January, 2006 including Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colarado. Thus, the first of Muharram 1427 is on the 31st of January, 2006. Muharram marks the new year in the Hijri Calendar. It is also a significant time in Islamic history. In it is the day of Ashura (10th of Muharram) which is a day of fasting in keeping with the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him and his family). Muharram also marks the month in which Hadrat Hussayn (may Allah be pleased with him), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was matryred. In it are the Urs Shareef for many well-known Awliya of Allah.

Dhil Hijja 1426 Hijri/2005-06
At the IECRC, we base the beginning of the Islamic month on local observation. The moon was not sighted anywhere in the contiguous United States on the 31st of December, 2005. There were multiple sightings on the 1st of January, 2006. Therefore, Eid ul-Adha will be on the 11th of January. It is recommended to fast on the 10th.

Dhil Qa'ada 1426 Hijri/2005
Dec 2, 2005 -The moon for Dhil Qa'ada was sighted on Dec 2, 2005 in various states of the US including California, Arizona, Texas, South Carolina, Virgina. The beginning of Dhil Qa'ada is on Dec 3, 2005.

Shawwal 1426 Hijri/2005
Nov 2, 2005 11:01PM - IECRC bases the start of the Islamic month on the local sighting of the cresent with the naked eye. IECRC will, insha-Allah, celebrate Eid ul-Fitr on Friday November, 4th 2005 along with a number of organizations accross the US that have not been able to reliably confirm any of the moonsighting reports.Eid ul-Fitr will be on Friday, November 4th, 2005

Ramadan 1426 Hijri/2005
Oct 4, 2005 - The cresent of Ramadan has been sighted in Wilton (Sacramento), CA. The upper tip of the cresent was at 2 o'clock and the bottom tip was at approx 7 o'clock. The tips were pointing towards the left and the cresent appeared towards the left of the sunset. It was very fine and quite close above the horizon (about 25 degrees). It was sighted by Fatima Sharaaz first, Sharaaz Khan Qadri, and Sahar Sharaaz (minor). Click here to see attached photograph of this sighting.

Oct 3, 2005 - The moon cresent has not been sighted anywhere in the U.S. on Monday 3rd September, 2005 (as of 10:30 pm PST). Since IECRC bases it's announcement of the month of Ramadan and other months on a local sighting, the first day of Ramadan will be on September 5th, 2005. Thus, the Tarawih prayers will start on Tuesday, 4th of September at the respective IECRC locations. This announcement is based on the actual moonsighting with the naked eye and coincides with other Ahl-us-Sunnah organizations in the U.S. Please visit our Ramadan page for details on Tarawih, local schedules, and other community activities. Please visit this page through Ramadan for any updates of activities.