The Ramadan will begin Monday in France, said Saturday evening the French Council of Muslim worship (CFCM), during a ceremony setting the beginning of this month of fasting, sharing and prayer.
"The first day of the holy month of Ramadan (...) is set for Monday, May 6," said Ahmet Ogras, president of the CFCM, the representative body of Islam at the public authorities, at the Grand Mosque of Paris in the presence of large Muslim federations or representatives of mosques.
Think of those "who can not afford to break the fast"
As the crescent of the new moon was not visible on Saturday, Ramadan will begin Monday, according to the CFCM, which has adopted the lunar observation favored by a majority of faithful. Proponents of astronomical calculation in advance have long been relying, as some participants pointed out, on a start of Ramadan on Monday. Ahmet Ogras asked, during this "night of doubt" (of fixing the date), to think, during this month ahead, to the French of Muslim faith "who can not afford to make the break fasting "," isolated women "," children who will pass "baccalaureate exams or competitions.
The first Muslim community in Europe
France has between five and six million practicing and non-practicing Muslims, according to the latest studies on the subject (Pew Research Center, Montaigne Institute, Insee, Ined), which makes Islam the second largest religion in the country. And makes the French Muslim community the first Muslim community in Europe.
During Ramadan, one of the pillars of Islam, believers are urged to abstain from drinking, eating, and having sex, from dawn - as soon as one can "distinguish a white thread from 'a black thread' says the Koran - until sunset. Fasting is prescribed for pubescent Muslims, but exemptions are provided for travelers, the sick, the elderly, women who are pregnant or who have just given birth. Offsets are possible for people prevented or dispensed (fasting done later, donations to the needy ...)