Many waits for the sighting of first crescent moon to begin Ramadan.
When does Ramadan 1435 AH start this year, in 2014? Unfortunately, this simple question of when does ramadan start this year has been repeated every year and there seems to be no easy answer to it. It depends who you ask and their view on how to start Ramadan or other islamic months in general.
Some clerics and islamic organization held a view of using pre-calculated islamic calendar while others wait for the real-sighting of the new crescent moon or hilal.
Even pre-calculated islamic calendars have a few variations. For example, the Ummul Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia, use local moon position to start the islamic month. But, for Ramadan, Shawwal and Dzulhijja the Saudi authority wait for crescent moon sighting reports. The proposed Global Islamic Calendar use global possibility of hilal sighting around the world.
Below is a table of possible starts of Ramadan 1435 AH in 2014
| Ummul Qura | 28 June 2014 | (local position of new moon) |
| Proposed Global Islamic Calendar | 28 June 2014 | (global crescent sighting possibility) |
| Universal Hijri Calendar | Western Zone 28 June 2014, Eastern Zone 29 June 2014 | (global crescent sighting possibility) |
| Makkah Calendar | 29 June 2014 | (sighting possibility in Makkah) |
| FCNA/ISNA, USA | 28 June 2014 | (local position of new moon in Makkah) |
What if you follow hilal sighting? Then you should wait for the news or look for the new crescent moon of Ramadan by yourself. The map of hilal sighting possibility may help you what to expect in finding the new crescent moon of Ramadan. It could be seen either on the evening of 27 June 2014 or more likely on 28 June 2014.
Crescent Moon Sighting Possibility Map
Only parts of South America have the possibilty of sighting the new crescent moon of Ramadan on the evening of 27 June 2014.
Possibility of crescent moon sighting on the evening of 28 June 2014. Almost all part of the world could sight the hilal of Ramadan.
