Rabat – The French Council of the Muslims (Conseil Francais du Culte Musulman) has announced that Ramadan in France will officially start on Saturday, March 1.
The Theological Muslim Council of France also announced that Ramadan in France will start on March 1.
Muslims in France are welcoming this holy time with jubilation and devotion, prepping for a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting and quality times with family and friends within their communities.
The Grand Mosque of Paris has not yet officially announced the start date of fasting, as it awaits the “Night of Doubt” on Friday evening.
Tradition dictates that the sky be observed for the sighting of the crescent moon, which signals the beginning of fasting the next day. If the moon is not visible, the start of Ramadan is postponed to the following day.
Although the council cited March 1 as the first day of fasting, many Muslim immigrant communities across the European country tend to follow the start dates according to their countries of origin.
For the Moroccan diaspora in France – which at one million people-strong makes up not only the largest migrant community in France but also Western Europe – this means that they may start fasting on Morocco’s predicted start of March 2, despite the council announcement.
Islam is a minority religion in France, making up roughly 4% to 10% of the total population, according to a 2019-2020 survey by national statistics bureau INSEE.
Of this Muslim community, the INSEE report also noted that only around 20% frequently go to mosques, but that the higher-practicing Muslims are more prominent in the immigrant communities.
Despite the growing prevalence of Muslims in France, Islamophobia is strong throughout the European country, with hate crimes especially on the rise within recent years.
These attacks range from personal insults and slurs to vandalism on mosques, cemeteries, and Muslim small businesses. In November 2023, anti-Islam graffiti was sprayed on the Pessac Mosque in Girone, and secular laws in the country have limited women and girls from freely wearing hijab in many public places, including schools.
The French government defends itself, maintaining that these measures are to uphold its “secularism values,” but observers fear that the uptick in stringent laws fuels Islamophobia.
Yet, within this tense environment, Muslim communities continue to flourish and thrive, especially during Ramadan. Mosques are filled with worshippers day and night devoting themselves to extra hours of prayers, including Taraweeh, and families gather for community iftars (breaking of the fast).
This holy month is a time especially for Moroccan communities to remind themselves of a taste of home, with tables filled with harira, “mssmen”, chebakia, dates, “sellou” and more. It is a time of rest, devotion, thankfulness, and celebration.
