Ramadan 1436 / 2015
Reliable astronomical data from HM Nautical Almanac Office and Crescentwatch.org indicate that on Wednesday evening, 17th June a naked-eye (unaided) sighting of the new crescent moon will be highly probable in many regions, including Africa and North and South America, and in all regions on Thursday night, 18th June.
Hence, the first day of fasting in the Americas and Africa should be on Thursday, 18th June, while in the United Kingdom, most of Europe and Asia, the first day of fasting will be Friday, 19th June.
http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/moonwatch/nextnewmoon.html
http://www.crescentwatch.org/cgi-bin/cw.cgi
We are advising people to take care when fasting this year, as the days are extraordinarily long in the United Kingdom this time of the year, between 18 and 20 hours… This is far longer than anyone fasts in Mecca and Medina, including Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his companions 14 centuries ago…
We advise people take their health into account. If anyone feels able to fast throughout these extended daylight hours, and can comfortably do so without any negative consequences to their health, we do not wish to discourage or prevent you from doing so… However, it must be acknowledged that many Muslims living in northern latitudes, including here in the UK, will struggle to keep such extended fasts for the full month without harm to their health and wellbeing.
For this reason, we strongly advise people to take care of themselves, and not put their health at unnecessary risk during the holy month of Ramadan. This advice is especially important for pregnant women, children and people with health conditions to take into account…
Fatwa On Fasting In Ramadan In The UK During Summer:
http://www.aobm.org/fatwa-on-fasting-in-ramadan-in-the-uk-during-summer/
Onislam: Prayer and Fasting in the Two Poles:
http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-the-scholar/acts-of-worship/prayer/times-of-prayer/175713-prayer-and-fasting-in-the-two-poles.html
Fatwa from Dar al-Ifta al Misriyyah; Number: 2806
http://ccmw.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Fatwa-from-Dar-Al-Iftah-Mesir-ENGLISH.pdf
