9/30/08 ‘Twas the Night Before 3id al-Fitr…Maybe

I spent tonight in my host family’s house. I go to their house most evenings for lfdrt, but tonight is special because tomorrow might be the 3id. I say might because it depends on whether the imams in Rabat can see enough of the moon tonight to decide that it’s been a full month since the beginning of Ramadan. They might decide that we need another day of fasting, in which case the 3id will be Thursday. That’s one of the several reasons that lunar holidays = two days off; not only are they major religious celebrations, there’s also always uncertainty as to when they begin.

I’m not sure why they still rely on visual observation instead of using lunar calendars – scientists can predict what the phase of the moon will be in a millennium, let alone in a month – but the unpredictability lends a certain something to the night-before expectancy. It reminds me of waiting up to see election results, or to find out if the next day will be a snow day… You *want* to be eager and excited, but there’s always the chance that tomorrow won’t be what you expect…