Note 225 — Chapter XII

The apparition of the new moon is to the Muhammedans an important phenomenon, as it marks the beginning of their fasts, feasts, and other religious practices, which, to be valid, must be observed exactly at the prescribed time. On that account, the magistrates in the Musulman empire are attentive to announce the right epoch; the Muezins, or “cryers,” of the highest mosques, at the approach of the new moon pass the whole night on the top of the minarets to observe the precise moment. Thus, the fast of the Ramazan, which lasts thirty days, begins at the apparition of the new moon; the commencement of the moons Shewel and Zilhijah are important for the celebration of the two only feasts in the Muhammedan year: the first is the âid-fitr, “the feast of breaking “fast,” which occupies one or three days, and seventy days after this is the âid-kurban, “the feast of sacrifice,” which lasts four days: thus the grave Muselmans allow but seven days of their whole year to festivity. As their years are lunar, these two feasts run in the space of thirty-three years through all the seasons of the year.—(D’Ohsson, tome II. p. 227; tome III. pp. 4-5, and elsewhere.)