The Moonsighters Academy is a new initiative enabled by a Spark award from the UKRI Science & Technology Facilities Council.
The following information is extracted from the Spark funding application, showing the rationale and intentions of this collaborative course.
Context
The Islamic calendar is a lunar visibility calendar, meaning each month begins with the sighting of the new crescent Moon. As the crescent Moon is sighted in different regions of the world on different dates, Islamic dates differ between countries. For example, Saudi Arabia may start a month on Saturday, but Morocco may start the same month a day later on Sunday, or even Monday.
In the UK, however, there is no local Islamic calendar. Due to a lack of resources and expertise, the UK Muslim community has never been able to set up trained lunar observation groups for their own national lunar calendar. Instead, the vast majority of UK mosques have outsourced their calendar to different countries. Imad Ahmed’s PhD research has shown that the lunar observations of at least six different countries are followed by various Muslim communities in the UK. Not a single mosque in the UK today follows local lunar observations, nor do they usually have the expertise to do so. Nevertheless, Ahmed’s research shows there is a strong demand to develop this expertise.
The absence of a unified, local calendar in the UK has caused considerable friction with the community. As UK mosques follow different countries, different mosques celebrate festival days on different dates. Even in our own town of Cambridge this year, the Muslim community could not agree on which date to celebrate Eid, dividing the community over two dates. These debates are further exacerbated by misinformation and misunderstanding about the basic principles of astronomy involved.
Ahmed has found that over 95% of imams interviewed lack basic knowledge of the lunar orbit, how to sight the moon, or the ability to explain why Eid dates split communities. These debates are often highly polarising, with incidents recorded by Ahmed of imams being sacked, physical altercations in mosques, and families refusing to celebrate Eid together.
The Moonsighters Academy seeks to address this problem by “bringing the Moon back home.” The initiative aims to build a network of public engagement leaders and lunar observation groups across the UK, empowering British Muslims to manage their own calendar rather than outsourcing it to various countries abroad.
A new generation of Moonsighting leaders
The Moonsighters Academy will recruit and offer a 9-month training programme to 30 British Muslim leaders, representing communities across the UK. Delivered online and in-person with astronomy scholars from the University of Cambridge and the University of Leeds, the Academy will cover the astronomical and scientific underpinnings of the calendar, together with modules on facilitation and community building.
At the end of the programme, trainees will be fully equipped to:
- conduct local lunar observations
- lead and train local observation groups within their own community
- share best practice within a national network of practitioners
Trainees will gain access to an evolving resource hub containing teaching materials, templates, and guides to support their local communities.
The initiative not only seeks to resolve the practical issue of the Islamic calendar but also aims to inspire greater interest in astronomy within British Muslim communities. By fostering scientific literacy and empowering community leaders, the Moonsighters Academy offers a unique model for how STFC public engagement can address specific community needs while promoting the value of science and technology.
