Editing New moon (section)

== Lunar calendars ==
{{Main|Lunar calendar}}

===Islamic calendar===
{{see also|Solar Hijri calendar|Tabular Islamic calendar}}
The [[Islamic calendar|lunar Hijri calendar]] has exactly 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days.{{sfn|Seidelmann |1992 |pp=577}} It has retained an observational definition of the new moon, marking the new month when the first crescent moon is seen, and making it impossible to be certain in advance of when a specific month will begin (in particular, the exact date on which the [[Ramadan (calendar month)|month of Ramadan]] will begin is not known in advance). In [[Saudi Arabia]], the new King Abdullah Centre for Crescent Observations and Astronomy in Mecca has a clock for addressing this as an international scientific project. {{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} In [[Pakistan]], there is a "Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee" whose head is Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, assisted by 150 observatories of the [[Pakistan Meteorological Department]], which announces the sighting of the new moon.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Senate body decides to draft Ruet-e-Hilal Constitution |url=http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/01/23/national/senate-body-decides-to-draft-ruet-e-hilal-constitution/}}</ref>

An attempt to unify Muslims on a scientifically calculated worldwide calendar was adopted by both the [[Fiqh Council of North America]] and the [[European Council for Fatwa and Research]] in 2007. The new calculation requires that conjunction must occur before sunset in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and that, on the same evening, the moonset must take place after sunset. These can be precisely calculated and therefore a unified calendar is possible should it become adopted worldwide.<ref>Fiqh Council of North America Decision: "[http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/Articles/IslamicLunarCalendar/tabid/169/ctl/Detail/mid/571/xmid/19/xmfid/1/Default.aspx Astronomical Calculations and Ramadan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828060222/http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/Articles/IslamicLunarCalendar/tabid/169/ctl/Detail/mid/571/xmid/19/xmfid/1/Default.aspx |date=2010-08-28 }}"</ref><ref>Islamic Society of North America Decision:"[http://www.isna.com/articles/Press-Releases/RAMADAN-AND-EID-ANNOUNCEMENT.aspx Revised ISNA Ramadan and Eid Announcement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111040801/http://www.isna.com/articles/Press-Releases/RAMADAN-AND-EID-ANNOUNCEMENT.aspx |date=2007-11-11 }}"</ref>