The untold story of Ramadhan Moon Sighting

Anver Saad October 07, 2005

The Untold Story of Ramadhan Moon Sighting Anver Saad Friday, October 07, 2005 The countries that announced Tuesday, October 4, 2005 as the beginning of Ramadhan was Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Yemen. Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, the Palestinian territories, Qatar, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, and the United Arab Emirates followed the decision of Saudi Arabia. However, Oman was an exception. Oman's Islamic scholars told Omanis to start fasting Wednesday after they failed to see the moon on Monday night that was also astronomically impossible to view. Saudi Arabia didn't announce who, where, and how the moon was sighted on Monday, October 3. Mr. Saleh Al Saab, one of the six-member officials Saudi Hilaal Sighting Committee confirms that the Hilaal was not seen by them in the Kingdom on Monday. He said he had been unsuccessfully trying to correct the error for the last 20 years. However, Majlis Al Qadah Alala ignored their testimony again and followed the error to begin fast on Tuesday. Saudi Astronomer Dr. Ali Mohammad Al-Shukri, Chairman of Physics Department, KFUPM (email: alshukri@kfupm.edu.sa and Home-page: faculty.kfupm.edu.sa/phys/alshukri) said it was impossible to see the moon on Monday. He calculated the following: "The Calculations are done for the Longitude and Latitude of Makkah AlMukarramah Area and the times are for Local Time of Saudi Arabia Makkah Al-Mukarramah: Latitude = 21:39 N, Longitude = 39:46 E For crescent sighting, the Moon will be about 0.4 degree above the horizon and, horizontally, about one degree to the left (south) of the sun on Monday at the sunset moment and its luminosity is about five ten thousands (0.05 %) of the full moon which is much below the ability and sensitivity of normal human eyes detection, therefore it is not possible to sight that extremely faint crescent by a human. But it is possible to sight the crescent on the Tuesday evening since the age of the Moon will be about 29 hours and it will be about 7.4 degrees above the horizon and, horizontally, about ten degree to the left (south) of the sun at the sunset moment and its luminosity is about 1.5 % of the full moon which is in the range of the ability and sensitivity of normal human eyes. Taking all the points into account, the possibility is that according to calculation Tuesday 4th will be the first day of Ramadhan and according to actual sighting of the crescent Wednesday 5 October 2005 will be the first day of Ramadhan. "The above prediction is based on calculations and may be used merely for the purpose of a general guidance and one must go with the method of actual sighting of the moon, the method which, our Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) guided and ordered us to observe and follow, and Allah has the knowledge."

A famous Jordanian Astronomer, Mohammed Shawkat Odeh, (website: www.Icoproject.org) proved (it is thrilling to note) that in last 53 years Saudi Arabia never started Ramadhan, Eid and Hajj on the right date of actual moon sighting. He observed following calculation for the start of the current Ramadhan; "The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshallah on (Monday 03 October 2005), at 10:28 UT. On this day it is either impossible or not possible to see the NEW crescent from almost all parts of the world. Because the Moonset occurs BEFORE Sunset in the eastern parts of the world, or the Moonset occurs at or after very few minutes of Sunset in the rest parts of the world! The only location which has a possibility to see the crescent (with optical aid) on Monday 03 October is the western parts of the Pacific Ocean. While on the next day (Tuesday 04 October 2005), the program Accurate Times by Mohammad Odeh -according to Odeh criterion- showed that the visibility of the NEW crescent still difficult in many countries! Whereas the crescent is still not visible in Northern parts of Asia, most parts of Europe and northern parts of North America. Whereas it should be visible with optical aid from parts of Asia, southern parts of Europe and parts of North America. While it could be seen by naked eye (or still by optical aid only) from Australia, Southern Asia, Northern Africa and USA. Whereas it should be easily seen by naked eye from South Africa, Central and South America." Mohammed Odeh said according to the actual sighting of the crescent, the start of Ramadhan should be on Wednesday 05 October 2005 in almost all the world. American Muslim Astronomers conclude following; "The birth of moon is on Monday October 3, 2005 at 10:28 Universal Time. On Oct 3, this moon is going to be 15 hours old on West coast of USA, and still impossible to see because it is in the Southern Hemisphere. It is too low on the horizon in North America and will set in 5 to 14 minutes after sunset. It cannot be seen in North America, it cannot be seen in Eastern part of the world on October 3. On October 4, it will be visible in most of the world except most of Asia and Europe, where it will be 24 to 31 hours old and less than 2 degrees above the horizon, still not visible. In Europe and most of Asia, it can be seen even on October 5, when it will be 48 to 55 hours old. Accordingly, the first day of Ramadan will be on Wednesday, October 5, 2005 for most of the world, Insha-Allah." The Committee for Crescent Observation Intl, CFCO (www.moonsighting.net) announced that they so far received claims of Ramadhan moon-sighting on Oct. 3, 2005 from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Yemen. However, Ramadhan Moon was not sighted in Saudi Arabia according to the official Observation committees. CFCO says Saudi and Egyptian announcements are based on their well-known criterion of "Moonset AFTER sunset", and NOT on actual observation of Hilal. Other Middle Eastern countries just followed Saudi/Egyptian lead without any possibility of sighting a moon there. CFCO further says "The claims had to be rejected for another simple fact. If a crescent moon was really seen in Saudi Arabia it would be easily seen everywhere west of Saudi Arabia. Observers from all locations west of Saudi Arabia confirmed that a crescent moon was not seen anywhere." From Inside North America the information came from 1. Atlanta (three adults in a family, 10 minutes after sunset for 3-4 minutes); 2. Vancouver (Canada) (one adult and a minor child, from a beach at 2 degrees above the horizon); 3. Columbus (Ohio); 4. Lawrence (Kansas) and 5. Denver (Colorado). Claims by these casual observers were carefully checked for accuracy. CFCO experts noted several deficiencies in each of them from the timing after the sunset to the altitude of the observed object. It is a also simple observational fact that if a moon is visible to a few at a place it should be

visible to everyone there and to everyone west of them. Hundreds of CFCO's trained observers, especially those located in Arizona, and California did not see any moon in the evening despite many of them searching through telescopes and binoculars in clear skies. CFCO announces that It proves beyond doubt that a crescent moon was not visible anywhere in the world on Oct. 3, and October 5 for the first day of Ramadan is the Consensus of Muslims in North America. ISNA, ICNA and all affiliated groups, Shariah Council of America, Majlis Shura of New York, Jamiat-ul Ulema of North America, Ulema Council of North America, Shurah Council of New York, Chicago Eid Committee, Toronto Hilal Committee, Tablighi Masajid, and various other groups announced to start Ramadhan from Wednesday, October 5, 2005. Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) posted the following announcement on its website: "Members of the Fiqh Council, National Islamic Shura Council and Muslim astronomical consultants, in a conference call on Monday evening, agreed that there were no confirmed reports of moon sightings in North America on Monday, October 3. Therefore, Sha'ban will complete 30 days and Ramadan will begin on Wednesday, October 5, insha'Allah." ICNA website posted: "Ramadan moon has not been sighted in North America, so based on Islamic Shura Council decision, the First of Ramadan will be on Wednesday." However, most of the Arab Muslim community living in the US followed Saudi Arabia and Egypt and started fasting from Monday, October 4. While the Sunnis in Lebanon declared they will start fasting Tuesday, Shiites will start fasting Wednesday, October 5. In occupied Iraq, for the third consecutive year, Iraq's Sunnis and Shiites remained divided on moon sighting, though they agreed not to go by astronomical calculations. The state-run Sunni Endowment Authority announced that Ramadhan will start Tuesday, while the country's Shiites will start fasting Wednesday. The Islamic Council of Norway and organization representing almost 70% of Muslims in Oslo decided to start Ramadan in Norway on Wednesday 05.10.2005. A few exceptions are starting on Tuesday. Turkey Announced Officially that Wednesday 05 October is the First Day of Ramadhan Indonesia, South Africa, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh started Ramadhan from October 5, 205. Moon sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and scholars. While one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow this sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should follow global moon sighting. However, they practically abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia. Arab Astronomers and non-Arab Islamic Scholars put serious doubts and raise questions every year on Saudi Lunar calendar. It is surprising to note that on Monday when it was not possible to see the crescent even by powerful telescopes, Saudi Arabia declared the moon sighting. Recently, Saudi religious scholar, Sheik Abdul Muhsen Al-Obaikan, adviser at the Saudi Justice Ministry, has questioned the method used by Saudi Arabia's Supreme Judiciary Council, which relies on the naked eye to spot the hilal. In an interview with a Saudi newspaper, Al-Obaikan, he argued that using the naked eye to determine the beginning and end of Ramadan was primitive in an age of modern science and technology. "There is no other way to put it. It's pure backwardness," he said. The Hadith, or written traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, which specify that the beginning and end of Ramadan should be determined by viewing the crescent do not prescribe that the

viewing should be done by the naked eye, Al-Obaikan added. "Modern science is always aligned with Islam," he said. The ancient tradition of sending two witnesses to the desert to report the sighting of the Hilal taking upon themselves responsibility for the fasting of millions of Muslims - was no longer logical when telescopes and satellites could easily determine the moon's presence without any error, he said. "How can we take into account the testimony of an old man, 80 years old, who comes to the court and says he has seen the crescent in the desert? The guy can barely see his sandals!" Al-Obaikan remarked. Al-Obaikan noted how last year millions of pilgrims were confused when the Supreme Judiciary Council suddenly announced just a couple of days before Arafat Day - the climax of the Islamic pilgrimage of Haj - that the day was to be changed. In the New York, 100% of Arab Americans started Ramadhan on Tuesday, said Khalid Lamada, President of Arab American Federation. However, the Islamic leadership of Bangladeshi community, the fastest growing community of New York, is not happy over the decision and "globalization" of moon sighting and argues that these people sacrifice our local unity for the sake of so-called "global unity." Prominent scholar of Arab World Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi had a very different approach this year. He said Muslims can sight the new moon after noon Monday, October 3, when the sun reaches its zenith. "If the moon is sighted after noon, Muslim scholars agree that the following day marks the beginning of the new month (Ramadan)," Qaradawi said in a fatwa, a copy of which was obtained by IslamOnline.net on Sunday, October 2. Qaradawi, the head of the Dublin-based European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), said calculations indicate that a partial eclipse will occur after 12:30 p.m. on Monday. "At that time, the Ramadan moon will be born and could be seen in the Gulf region using special glasses." The renowned scholar expected a better sighting of the new moon in after noon in both Libya and Sudan . "Therefore, the beginning of Ramadan - if the moon is sighted Monday (in after noon during solar eclipse) - will fall on Tuesday, October 4." An annular eclipse of the sun will occur on Monday, 3 October, which will be visible within a narrow corridor that traverses the Iberian peninsula and parts of Africa . A partial solar eclipse will also be visible over large parts of Europe, west Asia, the Middle East, and Africa . The eclipse will start in the North Atlantic at 8:41 UT (Universal Time), and end in the Indian Ocean at 12:22 UT, sunset local time. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in a direct line between the Earth and the sun. For an eclipse to take place, the moon must be a new moon. This means that people in the path of the eclipse on Monday will be able to literally sight the birth of this Ramadhan's new moon - known as a dark moon in its first phase - during the eclipse itself. According to astronomer Dr. Khaled Al-Sebai in an interview with the Qatar News Agency, for the first crescent to be seen, the moon must move seven degrees away from the sun. On Monday evening, it will only have moved two degrees away from the sun. This means that after the eclipse, the first crescent will most probably not be seen until the following Tuesday evening. Sheikh Qaradawi has sparked a heated debate as to whether the sighting of the birth of the new moon during the solar eclipse on Monday passes as the official sighting based on which the first day of Ramadhan can be announced as the following day.