Ramadan 2026: clarification of the CFCM after confusion over the start date of the fast, call for unity of Muslims in France

While the start of Ramadan 2026 was marked by contradictory announcements and confusion detrimental to the serenity of the faithful, the French Council of Muslim Worship (CFCM) publishes an update to review the circumstances which led to this divergence. The body thus intends to clarify the facts and recall the importance of preserving the unity and general interest of Muslims in France, in a context where divisions further weaken a community already faced with numerous challenges.

Focus

Ramadan 2026, legitimacy of authorities and confusion: the CFCM calls to consider above all the unity and general interest of Muslims in France

Paris February 21, 2026

The French Council of Muslim Worship (CFCM) wishes to inform Muslims in France of the real reasons for the divergence which occurred on February 17, 2026 concerning the start of Ramadan.

Numerous statements disseminated in the media and on social networks testify to a lack of understanding of the reality of the facts, or even a desire to dismiss the CFCM – the representative body of Muslim worship – which announced that February 19, 2026 corresponded to the first day of Ramadan 1447 AH, and other actors who made different announcements.

The CFCM has always sought unity and consultation

From the beginning of February 2026, the CFCM, the CRCM and the affiliated CDCM and other local collectives of associations managing mosques in France, as well as imams and independent Muslim personalities members of COFIP (French Council of Imamate and Preaching), had announced the start of the fast for Thursday February 19, 2026.

The same decision was taken by Hilal France, a young institution which has set itself the objective of local observation of the moon in mainland France.

Furthermore, during the CFCM meeting on January 14, 2026, with MF (Muslims of France) and FP (Faith and Practice), the latter had informed the CFCM of their choice of February 19, 2026 and that it was very probably that of the Grand Mosque of Paris.

Only the CTMF (Muslim Theological Council of France) had announced its choice for February 18, 2026 very early on before realizing that it had not taken into account one of the visibility conditions of the 2016 conference and had explained it to the CFCM and then in public. He also informed the CFCM that he would not relay his decision further in order to give every chance to the development of a unitary decision.

Unfortunately, on the occasion of the “night of doubt” meeting, organized by the Grand Mosque of Paris on February 17, 2026, with the participation of MF (Muslims of France), FFAIACA and Faith and Practice leading to the choice of February 18 to begin the fast, the CFCM was surprised, like many actors in the Muslim faith, by this choice with serious consequences. It also appears that he was considerably influenced by Saudi Arabia’s decision.

Contrary to what has been broadcast here and there, the CFCM has only applied the criteria that it has always displayed with the greatest transparency, by assuming its duty and its role as a representative body of the Muslim faith. For the sake of unity, he did so in consultation by informing himself sufficiently about the intentions of the different Muslim authorities in France.

What happened on February 17, 2026 revived the trauma caused by a similar event on July 8, 2013. The CFCM had announced the start of Ramadan for July 9, 2013 during a meeting at the Paris mosque. On July 8, 2013, late at night, the Grand Mosque of Paris, which then chaired the CFCM, unilaterally changed its mind and announced the start of Ramadan for July 10, 2013. The news channels only relayed this change around 3:00 p.m., a few hours before the end of the first day of Ramadan.

Despite this unexpected and incomprehensible turnaround with the inconveniences known to all, the other members of the CFCM did everything to avoid a division detrimental to the Muslims of France. In other words, what was able to cushion the effects of the crisis of July 8, 2013 was respect for the legitimacy of the CFCM.

Why did the CFCM choose calculation?

The CFCM’s announcement came on February 2, 2026, in accordance with its decision of May 9, 2013, by which astronomical calculation became the means of determining the lunar calendar.

This means was unanimously adopted by the components of the CFCM, including the Grand Mosque of Paris, MF (Muslims of France), FAAIACA, RMF, CCMTF, CIMG-France and Foi et Pratique.

Before this 2013 decision, the CFCM met to arbitrate between the different decisions taken by Muslim countries, taking into account astronomical data. This arbitration was difficult and gave rise to decisions which could be perceived as arbitrary: certain years, the CFCM followed the decision of Saudi Arabia and countries which adopted the same position; other years, that of Egypt and other states.

In the background, a form of hierarchy between different countries could be established, with often questionable justifications.

The unanimous choice of the CFCM to adopt the calculation method thus enabled it to no longer remain dependent on the sometimes random decisions of different countries. It also allowed Muslims in France to better organize their spiritual life in a secular space, like ours, where Muslim holidays are not necessarily off-duty.

A decision taken the day before, during a “night of doubt”, does not allow the faithful to anticipate their dispositions nor to live serenely and in harmony with their environment.

The calculation criteria used in 2013 are those of the 1978 Islamic conference on astronomical calculation, in which all Muslim countries participated. These criteria were supplemented in 2016 by two conditions intended to bring the astronomical calculation closer to the reality of the visual observation of the new moon and to correct the effects linked to time difference (see appendix at the end of the text).

Why should the decision come from the CFCM?

The divergence observed this year should not mask a reality: debates on determining the lunar calendar have existed for a long time, including in Muslim-majority countries. However, the presence, in these countries, of a single reference authority generally limits the impact of these divergences and keeps them within the framework of an intellectual debate, without immediate consequences in the daily life of the faithful. In France, the CFCM has played this role since its creation and considerably reduced cases of divergence.

Because, notwithstanding the criticisms to which it may be subject, the CFCM — with all its real or supposed inadequacies — remains yesterday as today:

• the body elected by the largest number of representatives of mosques in France. Indeed, despite the absence of specific issues specific to a religious body, nearly 1,200 mosques took part in the last elections. No other Muslim body can claim such representativeness.
• the only body to benefit from a largely majority, plural, rooted and constant territorial presence of the federations and associations that have comprised it for decades.
• the only body intended to represent the entire diversity of the Muslim component. It is the only structure to bring together associations and federations of diverse origins, trends and sensitivities.

By contradicting the CFCM’s announcement concerning the start of Ramadan and by calling into question in a unilateral manner and without consultation a method of determining the lunar calendar in which they themselves took part in 2013. These instances have unfortunately contributed to further weakening the unity and cohesion of Muslims in France.

While calling for this situation to be played down, which is certainly deeply regrettable, the CFCM will continue to promote consultation, stability and cohesion within Muslim bodies. The unity and general interest of Muslims in France will always remain its compass.

Finally, he wishes a happy Ramadan to all Muslims in France as well as to all Muslims around the world.

APPENDIX: Principle of astronomical calculation

Although the subject of astronomical calculation is partly technical, it is possible to understand the main elements:

After the full moon, the illuminated part of the moon begins to diminish day by day, until it becomes a crescent and eventually completely disappears from view anywhere in the world. The new crescent will reappear one or a few days later. Astronomers generally publish this instant, called the conjunction of the moon, in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Obviously this unique instant expressed in a country’s legal time can shift the phenomenon one day forward or backward depending on the time difference between the country and universal time.

1. The new moon

Between the conjunction (disappearance of the moon from the field of vision everywhere in the world) and its reappearance again in certain areas of the globe, several hours can pass: Since humanity began to record astronomical data linked to the moon, the duration of this disappearance before the possibility of seeing it again with the naked eye has never been less than 15 hours and 32 minutes (record recorded in 1990) and never below of 11h40 minutes with the use of a telescope (record recorded in 2002).

1. How to deal with jet lag?

For a visual observation to be taken into account by all countries despite the time difference, the Islamic conference had issued two conditions:

1. The possibility of calculated vision of the new moon must be realized on a continent and not in the Pacific Ocean, in the far west of the American continent, because the time difference between this area and many Muslim countries is too great.

2. The possibility of calculated vision of the new moon must occur before midnight (universal time) to be taken into account.

For this year 2026, two important elements must be specified:

– the conjunction took place at 12:01 p.m. (UTC: universal time) on February 17, i.e. 1:01 p.m. Paris time.

– The reappearance was expected with the use of a telescope at 3:42 a.m. (UTC), February 18, in the Pacific in the far west of the American continent.

We see here that the duration of the complete disappearance of the moon — from 12:01 p.m. on February 17 until 3:42 a.m. on February 18 — is 15 hours and 41 minutes, which is consistent with established scientific knowledge.

Generally speaking, non-compliance with the two conditions in the method of calculation would inevitably imply divergence with those who use ocular vision as a means. This is also one of the reasons behind the introduction of these conditions.

Like the CFCM, those who use the calculation taking into account the two previous conditions, announced the start of Ramadan for February 19 and in fact, they found themselves in agreement with those who use exclusively ocular vision. As for those who do not take it into account, like the CTMF (Muslim Theological Council of France), they chose February 18 and found themselves in fact out of step with those who use ocular vision.

Another consequence of non-compliance with these two conditions should not be underestimated: in the specific case of this year, Arabia and other countries began fasting on February 18, 2026, even though no one in the world, including in the Pacific, had yet observed the new moon.

Indeed, for example in Mecca (Makkah), the dawn prayer (al-fajr) of February 18, 2026 and therefore the start of the fast took place at 2:32 a.m. universal time while the first possibility of vision was expected later from 3:42 a.m.