The University of Leeds is involved in a ground-breaking project to teach Muslims the practice of moon-gazing.
Moonsighters Academy is the first course of its kind in the UK and will help develop 38 Muslim community leaders from across the country.
Moon-gazing, a method of determining the Islamic calendar and marking major events such as Ramadan and Eid, has been used for hundreds of years but is not common in the UK.
The aim of the course is to “bring the moon home and into our own sights,” said Imad Ahmed, program coordinator at the academy.
The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, with the beginning of each month marked by the appearance of the first crescent moon.
Lunar observations require specific astronomical conditions and visibility, which is why most mosques in the UK rely on observations from other countries, such as Saudi Arabia or Morocco.
Imad Ahmed aims to inspire British Muslims to watch the moon [University of Leeds/Mark Bickerdike]
“When Muslims first came to Britain, they were faced with a problem that many in British astronomy faced – cloudy weather,” Ahmed said. “They settled on a solution for tracking the moons of different countries.”
The reliance on other countries has led to disputes between British mosques, or the so-called “moon wars”, depending on which country they follow, as different countries see the new moon on different days.
This often means communities do not celebrate events such as Ramadan or Eid at the same time.
Ahmed added: “Growing up, the problem I faced, and all Muslims in the UK, was that every Ramadan or Eid, we didn’t seem to know when we should celebrate it, and it caused a lot of harm to the community.
“What we are trying to do here is educate people in astronomy, not only because it is a contemporary issue but because Muslims have a very long history in astronomy.
“Moon watching is a national sport and we all need to work together. I want to move from moon wars to moon watching and moon unity.”
The nine-month course, which begins in December, was created in partnership with the lunar observing organization Crescent Society (of which Ahmed is director) and the University of Cambridge.
This includes use of the University of Leeds’ rooftop observatory and its state-of-the-art 35cm telescope.
University of Leeds astronomer Dr Emma Alexander (centre) is co-lead of the Lunar Academy project [University of Leeds/Mark Bickerdike]
Dr Emma Alexander, an astronomer at the university and co-lead of the project, said: “One of my favorite aspects of working in astronomy is being able to share it with others, especially when I can help ignite a spark of curiosity about the universe and break away from stereotypes about astronomers.
“This course creates more interest in the interconnectedness between astronomy and culture – how people from different communities and faiths interact with our night sky.”
The 38 participants included imams, school teachers, artists and business owners of different ages.
Aliyah Khan, a science teacher and forest therapy practitioner, said she applied for the course because she wanted to “educate the next generation” of Muslims in the UK.
“Where I grew up, we had two main mosques, but they both agreed that Ramadan or Eid were on the same date,” she added.
“So in school I was the only one who celebrated Eid on a different day with my friends. It was very isolating and divided the community.
“We can see the moon from the UK and we don’t need someone from another country to see it for us. This is a way of connecting scientific knowledge and Islamic practice.”
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