00:00How is the start of Ramadan decided?
00:03In Saudi Arabia, it's like this.
00:06Astronomers look for the first glimpse of the crescent moon.
00:10Authorities still rely on this traditional method of a direct sighting, despite advances
00:15in technology.
00:20I learned this method because of my environment, out of necessity.
00:23We didn't have television or electricity.
00:25We didn't even have a radio.
00:29The spotting process is not that simple.
00:32It's presented to a judge who verifies the testimony according to Islamic law.
00:38Following their observations, the Saudi Kingdom announced this Wednesday would be the start
00:43date.
00:43But not all Muslim countries agree.
00:46I grew up in Turkey, so I was wondering why there is sometimes a difference between Turkish
00:53start of Ramadan and Saudi Arabia.
00:55And now I'm here to discover the difference.
01:01This year, Turkey picked Thursday as its start date.
01:05Ankara uses a different method, based on scientific analysis of the movement between the earth
01:10and the moon.
01:11In France, a majority of Muslims belong to the Sunni form of Islam, and religious authorities
01:16are split.
01:17According to the Grand Mosque of Paris, Ramadan begins this Wednesday.
01:23But for the French Council of the Muslim Faith, it should start on Thursday.
01:28While in the Shia Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei announced that Ramadan begins,
01:33according to the calendar, on Thursday.
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