A MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL HILAL COMMITTEE OF NORTH AMERICA

presents

REVIVING THE SUNNAH:

MOON SIGHTING
SOLUTIONS ACCORDING TO
THE QURAN AND HADITH

1
 THE IMPORTANCE

ِ ‫يت ل ِ َلن‬
‫اس َوٱل ۡ َح ِج‬ ِ ‫ق‬ ‫و‬
‫ٲ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ى‬ ِ
‫ه‬ ‫ل‬ُ ‫ق‬ ِ
‫ة‬ َ ‫ل‬ ِ
‫ه‬ َ‫ك َع ِن ۡٱۡل‬
َ َ‫﴿ يَ ۡس َـلُون‬
﴾ ُ ََ َ ۡ
“They ask you about the new moons.
Say: They are indicative of time for the
people, and of the Hajj.”

(al-Baqarah:189)

2
 THE IMPORTANCE

َ ‫﴿ ف َ َمن َش ِہ َد ِمن ُك ُم‬

﴾ ُ ‫ٱلش ۡہ َر فَلۡ َي ُص ۡمه‬
“So those of you who witness the
month must fast in it.”

(al-Baqarah:185)

3
 THE IMPORTANCE
،‫ وال تفطروا حتى تروه‬،‫» ال تصوموا حتى تروا الهالل‬
« ‫فإن غم عليكم فاقدروا له‬
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Do not fast until you see the Hilal and do

not break fast (perform Eid) until you see it.
If it is cloudy, estimate it [as thirty]”
(Sahih Bukhari:3:31:130)
4
 THE IMPORTANCE
‫ ف َ ِإ ْن غُ َم َعلَ ْي ُك ْم‬،‫وه فَأَفْ ِط ُروا‬ ‫م‬ ‫ت‬ ‫َي‬ ‫أ‬‫ر‬
ُ ُ ُْ َ َ ُ ُ َ‫ا‬‫ذ‬َ ‫إ‬ِ ‫و‬ ، ‫وا‬‫وم‬‫ص‬َ ‫ف‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ال‬
َ ِ
‫ه‬ ْ ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫م‬
ُ ُْ َ »
‫ت‬ ‫َي‬ ‫أ‬‫ر‬ ‫ا‬‫ذ‬َ ِ
‫إ‬
« ‫ين يَ ْو ًما‬ ِ‫فَصوموا ثَ َالث‬
َ ُ ُ
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
said: “Whenever you sight the new moon
(of the month of Ramadan) observe fast,
and when you sight it (the new moon of
Shawwal) break it, and if the sky is cloudy
for you, then observe fast for thirty days.”
(Sahih Muslim:2378) 5
 THE IMPORTANCE
َ ،‫ َال نَ ْك ُتب َو َال نَ ْح ُسب‬،‫» ِإنَا أُ َمة أُ ِم َية‬
‫الش ْه ُر َه َك َذا َو َه َك َذا َو َه َك َذا « َو َع َق َد‬ ُ ُ
‫ين‬ ِ‫ و َه َك َذا «يع ِني تَمام ثَ َالث‬،‫ و َه َك َذا‬،‫الشهر َه َك َذا‬ َ ‫و‬ » ِ ‫اْلبهام فِي الثَالِ َث‬
‫ة‬ ِ
َ َ َ َْ َ َ ُْ َ َ َْ ْ
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“We are an unlettered people who can neither write

nor count. The month is thus, and thus, and thus.”
(folding his thumb when he said it the third time.)
“And the month is thus, and thus and thus”
(Meaning complete thirty)
(Sahih Muslim:2380)
6
 THE IMPORTANCE
‫وه‬‫م‬ ‫ت‬ ‫َي‬ ‫أ‬‫ر‬ ‫ا‬‫ذ‬َ
ُ ُ ُْ َ َ ُ ُ َِ
‫إ‬ ‫و‬ ،‫وا‬‫وم‬‫ص‬َ ‫ف‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ال‬
َ ِ
‫ه‬ ْ ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫ت‬ ‫َي‬ ‫أ‬‫ر‬ ‫ا‬‫ذ‬َ ِ
‫إ‬ َ ‫ف‬ ،‫ن‬َ ‫و‬‫ر‬ ‫ش‬
ْ ِ
‫ع‬ ‫و‬ ‫ع‬‫س‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ‫ر‬‫ه‬ َ
‫الش‬ »
ُُ ْ َ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ
« ُ ‫ فَ ِإ ْن غُ َم َعلَ ْي ُك ْم فَا ْق ِد ُروا لَه‬،‫فَأَفْ ِط ُروا‬
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“A month has twenty-nine days in it. Do not start

the fast or break it until you see the Hilal. If the it
is obscured from you, then estimate it [as thirty].”

(Sahih Muslim:2370)

7
 ‫‪THE IMPORTANCE‬‬

‫ال‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ق‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫م‬

‫ِ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫َ‬
‫الش‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ة‬
‫َ‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ِ‬
‫و‬ ‫ا‬‫ع‬ ‫م‬ ‫َى‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ِ‬
‫إ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ث‬‫َ‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ب‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫الشام‪َ : ،‬عن ُكريب‪ ،‬أ ََن أُم َ الْ َف ْض ِل بِن َت الْحا ِر ِ‬
‫ث‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ت‬‫فَ َق ْ ُ‬
‫م‬ ‫ِ‬
‫د‬
‫َ‬ ‫َُ َ‬ ‫ََ ْ ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ْ َْ‬ ‫َ‬
‫الشا ِم‪ ،‬فَ َرأ َْي ُت الْ ِه َال َل ل َْيلَ َة الْ ُج ُم َع ِة‪ ،‬ث ُ َم‬ ‫اج َت َها‪َ ،‬و ْاس ُت ِهل َ َعلَ َي َر َم َضا ُن َوأَنَا بِ َ‬ ‫فَ َق َض ْي ُت َح َ‬
‫الل ْب ُن َع َباس َر ِض َي الل ُ َع ْن ُه َما‪ ،‬ث ُ َم َذ َك َر‬ ‫الشه ِر‪ ،‬فَسأَل َِني عبد ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ر‬ ‫قَ ِدم ُت الْم ِدين َة فِي ِ‬
‫آخ‬
‫َْ ُ‬ ‫ْ َ‬ ‫َ َ‬ ‫ْ‬
‫ال‬ ‫ق‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ال‬
‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ه‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ل‬
‫ْ‬ ‫ق‬‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫؟‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ال‬‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ه‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫ت‬ ‫َي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ى‬ ‫ت‬ ‫م‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ق‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫ة‬‫‪:‬أَ ْن َت رأَيته؟ فَ ُق ْلت ‪:‬رأَيناه لَيلَ َة الْجمع ِ‬
‫َ َ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ََ َ ُْ ُ‬ ‫ُ َُ‬ ‫ُ َ َْ ُ ْ‬ ‫َ َْ ُ‬
‫السب ِ‬ ‫لِ‬
‫اس‪َ ،‬و َص ُاموا َو َصام َ ُم َعا ِويَ ُة‪ ،‬فَ َق َ‬
‫ال‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫الن‬
‫َ‬ ‫آه‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬
‫َ‬
‫ْ َ‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫م‬ ‫ع‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫"‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫ال‬‫ز‬‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ال‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ة‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫َي‬ ‫ل‬ ‫اه‬
‫ُ‬
‫َ ْ ْ‬ ‫ن‬
‫َ‬ ‫َي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ا‬‫ن‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َك‬
‫ين‪ ،‬أ َْو نَ َر ُاه‪ ،‬فَ ُق ْل ُت‬ ‫‪:‬أَو َال تَ ْكتفِي بِر ْؤي ِة معا ِوي َة و ِصي ِام ِه؟ فَ َقال ‪:‬نَصوم ح َتى نُ ْك ِمل ثَ َالثِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ُ ُ َ‬ ‫َ ُ َ َُ َ َ َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫الل َصلَى الل ُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَ َم‬ ‫ك يحيى بن يحيى فِي نَ ْكتفِي أَو " َال‪ ،‬ه َك َذا أَمرنَا رسول ِ‬
‫ََ َ ُ ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ْ‬ ‫َو َش َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ‬
‫‪.‬تَ ْك َتفِي‬
‫( رواه مسلم )‬
‫‪8‬‬
 THE IMPORTANCE
Kurayb said: Umm Fadl, daughter of Harith, sent him to Mu'awiyah in Syria. I arrived
in Syria, and did the needful for her. It was there in Syria that the month of Ramadan
commenced. I saw the new moon (of Ramadan) on Friday. I then came back to
Medina at the end of the month. Abdullah ibn Abbas asked me (about the new
moon of Ramadan) and said: When did you see it? I said: We saw it on Friday
night. He said: (Did) you see it yourself ? I said: Yes, and the people also saw it
so they observed fast and Mu'awiyah also observed fast. Thereupon he said:
But we saw it on Saturday night. So we shall continue to observe the fast until
we complete thirty (fasts) or we see it (the new moon of Shawwal). I said: Is the
sighting of the moon by Mu'awiyah not valid for you? He said: No; this is how
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has commanded us.
(Sahih Muslim:2391)

9
 ‫‪THE IMPORTANCE‬‬

‫ال‬‫َ‬ ‫ق‬ ‫‪،‬‬‫ي‬‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬

‫ر‬ ‫ت‬‫خ‬‫ْ‬ ‫ب‬‫ْ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ي‬‫ِ‬ ‫ب‬‫َ‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ن‬‫ع‬
‫َ‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫ال‬‫َ‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ة‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ل‬‫خ‬‫ْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ن‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ط‬
‫ْ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ز‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ل‬‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‪،‬‬‫ة‬‫ِ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ل‬
‫ْ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ج‬ ‫ر‬ ‫خ‬
‫َ‬ ‫‪:‬‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ َ‬ ‫َ ْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ض الْ َق ْو ِم‬ ‫ع‬
‫ْ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ال‬
‫َ‬ ‫ق‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‪،‬‬‫ل‬
‫َ‬ ‫ال‬‫َ‬ ‫ال بَ ْعض الْ َق ْو ِم ‪:‬تَ َر َاء ْي َنا الْ ِ‬
‫ه‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ق‬‫و‬‫َ‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫ث‬ ‫ال‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ث‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫اب‬
‫ْ‬ ‫و‬
‫َ‬ ‫ه‬
‫ُ‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫و‬
‫َ‬ ‫ه‬
‫ُ‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ُ‬
‫ال‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ق‬ ‫‪،‬‬‫ن‬‫ِ‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ت‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫َي‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ن‬ ‫اب‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬‫ل‬‫ْ‬ ‫ق‬
‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫اس‬ ‫ب‬
‫ض ‪:‬فَلَ َ ْ َ َ َ‬
‫ع‬ ‫ن‬ ‫اب‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ين‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ق‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ق‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ال‬
‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ه‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫َي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫َا‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ِ‬
‫إ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ ْ ُ ْ َْ‬ ‫ْ ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ْ‬
‫ال بَ ْع ُ‬
‫ض الْ َق ْو ِم ‪:‬الْ َق ْو ِم‬ ‫ال ‪ُ :‬ه َو ْاب ُن ثَ َالث‪َ ،‬وقَ َ‬ ‫أ ََي ل َْيلَة ‪ُ :‬ه َو ْاب ُن ل َْيلَ َت ْي ِن‪ ،‬فَ َق َ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ال فَ ُق ْل َنا‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ق‬ ‫؟‬ ‫وه‬
‫َ َ َ ُْ ُ ُ َ‬ ‫م‬‫ت‬‫َي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ق‬‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‪،‬‬‫ا‬‫ذ‬‫َ‬ ‫ك‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬‫ذ‬‫َ‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ة‬‫َ‬
‫ُ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ‬‫ل‬‫َي‬ ‫ل‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ي‬‫َ‬ ‫ل‬‫ع‬ ‫الل‬ ‫ى‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ل‬‫ص‬‫َ‬ ‫الل‬ ‫ِإ َن َر ُس َ‬
‫ول‬
‫ال‬‫َ‬ ‫ق‬ ‫‪،‬‬‫م‬‫َ‬ ‫ل‬‫س‬ ‫و‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫«‬‫وه‬ ‫م‬‫ت‬‫َي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ة‬‫َ‬ ‫ل‬‫ي‬‫َ‬ ‫ل‬‫ِ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ه‬‫َ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫‪،‬‬‫ة‬‫» ِإ َن الل مدَه لِلر ْؤي ِ‬
‫َ َ ُ ُ َ َُ ْ َ ُْ ُ ُ َ َ َ َ‬
‫( رواه مسلم )‬
‫‪10‬‬
 THE IMPORTANCE
Abul Bakhtari reported: We went out to perform Umrah and when we
encamped in the valley of Nakhlah, we tried to see the new moon.
Some of the people said: It was three nights old, and others
(said) that it was two nights old. We then met Ibn Abbas and told
him we had seen the new moon, but that some of the people said
it was three nights old and others that it was two nights old. He
asked on which night we had seen it; and when we told him we
had seen it on such and such night, he said the Prophet of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) had said Verily Allah deferred it till the
time it is seen, so it is to be reckoned from the night you saw it.
(Sahih Muslim:2392)

11
 ‫‪THE IMPORTANCE‬‬

‫ال‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ق‬ ‫‪،‬‬ ‫ج‬‫ِ‬ ‫ر‬
‫َْ‬ ‫ع‬ ‫َ‬ ‫اۡل‬
‫ْ‬ ‫ن‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫م‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ك‬
‫َ‬ ‫ح‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫ل‬
‫ْ ََ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ‬‫ا‬ ‫ن‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ع‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫الل‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ض‬‫ِ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫اس‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ن‬
‫ِ‬ ‫اب‬ ‫َى‬ ‫ل‬‫إ‬‫ِ‬ ‫ا ْن َت َه ْي ُت‬
‫أ َْخ ِب ْرنِي َع ْن َص ْو ِم ‪َ :‬ع ْن ُه َما‪َ ،‬و ُه َو ُم َت َو ِسد ِر َد َاء ُه فِي َز ْم َزم َ‪ ،‬فَ ُق ْل ُت ل َُه‬
‫ال‬
‫ور َاء‪ ،‬فَ َق َ‬‫اش َ‬ ‫إذا رأيت هالل المحرم فاعدد‪ ،‬وأصبح يوم « ‪َ :‬ع ُ‬
‫هكذا كان رسول الل صلى الل عليه وسلم ‪ ،:‬قلت»التاسع صائما‬
‫»نعم« ‪:‬يصومه قال‬

‫( رواه مسلم )‬
‫‪12‬‬
 THE IMPORTANCE

Hakim ibn al-Araj reported: I went to Ibn Abbas and he

was reclining using his mantle as a pillow near the
fountain of Zamzam. I said to him: Tell me about
fasting on Ashura. He said: When you see the new
moon of Muharram then count the (days) and
observe fast on the 9th. I said to him: Is it how the
Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) observed
the fast? He said: Yes.
(Sahih Muslim:2526)
13
 THE IMPORTANCE
« ‫اس ِم َصلَى الل ُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَ َم‬ ِ ‫الش‬
ِ ‫ك ف َ َق ْد َع َصى أَبَا ال َق‬ َ َ ‫» َم ْن َصام َ يَ ْوم‬
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever fasts on Yaum ash-Shak* has
disobeyed Abu’l-Qasim (The Prophet
Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him).
* Yaum ash-Shak: The thirtieth day of Sha’ban when the Hilal sighting
is not established by Shar’i proof on the night before
(Tirmizhi)

14
 THE IMPORTANCE
ِ ‫قَال رسول‬
:‫الل ﷺ‬
َ ُ ُ َ َ

« ‫» أ َْح ُصوا ِه َال َل َش ْع َبا َن لِ َر َم َضا َن‬

The Messenger of Allah (s) said:

"[Carefully] Look for the Hilal of Shaban

for Ramadan"
(Tirmizhi 687)

15
 THE IMPORTANCE

‫كان رسول الل صلى الل عليه وسلم يتحفظ‬

،‫من شعبان ما ال يتحفظ من غيره‬

The Messenger of Allah (s) used to carefully preserve (look

for the Hilal of) Shaban like that of no other month.
(Abu Dawood 2325)

16
 THE IMPORTANCE

: ‫عن أم سلمة رضي الل عنها أن النبي صلى الل عليه وسلم قال‬

« ‫» إذا رأيتم هالل ذي الحجة وأراد أحدكم أن يضحي فليمسك عن شعره وأظفاره‬

Narrated by (the Mother of the Believers) Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her:
The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), said:

"When you sight the Hilal of Zhul Hijjah and one

of you intends to do Qurbani (Ud'hiya), let him
not not cut his hair or nails."
(Muslim, 1977)

17
 THE IMPORTANCE

 The monthly moon sighting effort is a Fardh Kifayah

(obligatory, sufficient if some individuals fulfill it on
behalf of all, otherwise all will be held accountable)
 Essential to many components of our Deen:
• Saum (Fasting)
• Zakat
• Hajj
• Eid
• ‘Iddah (waiting period after Talaq or
husband’s death)
18
 THE IMPORTANCE

 To discard the monthly moon sighting effort would

be to change the form of Deen taught by the
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon
him.

19
I S A S T RO N O M I C A L C A L C U L AT I O N A VA L I D
R E P L AC E M E N T F O R M O O N S I G H T I N G ?
َّ ‫ ال َّش ْه ٌُر َه َك َذا َو َه َك َذا َو َه َك َذا » َو َع َقدٌَ ْاْل ْب َها ٌَم فِي‬،ٌُ‫ل َنحْ سُب‬
ٌ‫الثالِ َث ِة‬ ٌ َ ‫و‬
َ ٌُ‫ب‬ ُ
‫ت‬ ْ
‫ك‬ َ
‫ن‬ ٌ
‫ل‬ َ ، ‫َّة‬
ٌ ‫ي‬ ِّ
‫م‬ ُ ‫«إ َّنا أُمَّةٌ أ‬
ِ ِ
َ ‫ َو َه َك َذا » َيعْ ِني َت َما ٌَم َث ََل ِث‬،‫ َو َه َك َذا‬،‫« َوال َّش ْه ٌُر َه َك َذا‬
ٌ‫ين‬

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“We are an unlettered people who can neither write

nor count. The month is thus, and thus, and thus.”
(folding his thumb when he said it the third time.)
“And the month is thus, and thus and thus”
(Meaning complete thirty)
(Sahih Muslim:2380)
20
I S A S T RO N O M I C A L C A L C U L AT I O N A VA L I D
R E P L AC E M E N T F O R M O O N S I G H T I N G ?

In the Shariah, the moon sighting issue is:

 BASED ON actual sighting of the Hilal and valid

shahadah (witness) upon the sighting

 NOT based on the birth or conjunction of the new

moon

 NOT based on whether or not the Hilal was there

but not sighted ( ‫“ –فإن غم عليكم‬concealed from
you”) 21
I S A S T RO N O M I C A L C A L C U L AT I O N A VA L I D
R E P L AC E M E N T F O R M O O N S I G H T I N G ?
 Astronomical calculations were available in Madinah
Munawwarah during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him)
 THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (peace be upon him)
DID NOT ACCEPT ASTRONOMICAL
CALCULATION, BUT RATHER ORDERED:
« ‫»صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته‬
“Keep fast after seeing it (the Hilal), and break fast
after seeing it (the Hilal)”

22
C O N D I T I O N S O F A VA L I D S H A H A DA H

The witness must be a Muslim; a non-Muslim’s testimony is

not acceptable regarding the sighting of the Hilal.
The witness must be sane; an insane person’s testimony is not
acceptable.
The witness must be an adult; a minor’s testimony is not
acceptable. (the above mentioned 3 conditions are the same as
required for other of dealings in Islam)
The witness must not be blind.
The witness must be just and honest.

23
C O N D I T I O N S O F A VA L I D S H A H A DA H

Note: All the Fuqahaa unanimously agree on the fact that it is

not mandatory for a Judge to accept the testimony of a Faasiq
eye witness and make a decision based on it; however, if the
Judge has reasons to believe that the eye witness is not a liar and
subsequently he does decide on the Faasiq person’s testimony,
this decision will be considered valid. (Taken from Hidayah,
Sharah Wiqaayah, Durre Mukhtaar, Shaami, Aalamgiri, etc.)

The words "I testify" must be used in the testimony; without

these words, the testimony will not be accepted.
24
C O N D I T I O N S O F A VA L I D S H A H A DA H

The witness must be an eye witness, i.e., he or

she was present in that event, and testifying on
hearsay.
The shahadah must be presented in person to
the judge (or committee Ulama, in our case)
Reference: These conditions are taken from the booklet “Ruyate Hilal” by the
Late Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ (R.A).

25
 “GLOBAL” MOON SIGHTING
Kurayb said: Umm Fadl, daughter of Harith, sent him (Fadl, i.e. her son) to
Mu'awiyah in Syria. I (Fadl) arrived in Syria, and did the needful for her. It was
there in Syria that the month of Ramadan commenced. I saw the new moon
(of Ramadan) on Friday. I then came back to Medina at the end of the
month. Abdullah ibn Abbas asked me (about the new moon of
Ramadan) and said: When did you see it? I said: We saw it on Friday
night. He said: (Did) you see it yourself ? I said: Yes, and the people
also saw it so they observed fast and Mu'awiyah also observed fast.
Thereupon he said: But we saw it on Saturday night. So we shall
continue to observe the fast until we complete thirty (fasts) or we see it
(the new moon of Shawwal). I said: Is the sighting of the moon by
Mu'awiyah not valid for you? He said: No; this is how the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) has commanded us.
26
(Sahih Muslim:2391)
 “GLOBAL” MOON SIGHTING

 As understood from the hadith of Kurayb, it was the practice

of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his
Blessed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to
look for the Hilal in their own vicinity

27
 “GLOBAL” MOON SIGHTING

 While in Madinah, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and

Sahabah (r) never sought to find out when the Hilal was
sighted in Makkah

 There is no recorded incident of the Sahabah, Tabieen, or

the many generations afterwards looking to find out when
the Hilal was sighted in Makkah or anywhere else outside of
their vicinity

28
 “GLOBAL” MOON SIGHTING

 Although it is a fact that:

’‫‘أقام رسول الل صلى الل عليه وسلم بالمدينة عشر سنين يضحي‬
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,
resided in Madinah for ten years and performed Udhiyyah.

(Tirmizhi, Ahmad)

 There is no such view found in any book of Hadith or Fiqh

called “Global” moon sighting

29
 ‫‪SHAYKH AL -ISLAM‬‬
‫‪IBN TAYMIYYAH (R) SAYS:‬‬
‫الرؤية تختلف باختالف التشريق والتغريب فإنه متى رئي في المشرق‬
‫ۡلنه يتأخر غروب الشمس ; وجب أن يرى في المغرب وال ينعكس‬
‫بالمغرب عن وقت غروبها بالمشرق فإذا كان قد رئي ازداد بالمغرب نورا‬
‫وبعدا عن الشمس وشعاعها وقت غروبها فيكون أحق بالرؤية وليس‬
‫كذلك إذا رئي بالمغرب ۡلنه قد يكون سبب الرؤية تأخر غروب الشمس‬
‫‪.‬عندهم فازداد بعدا وضوءا ولما غربت بالمشرق كان قريبا منها‬
‫( مجموع فتاوى ابن تيمية‪ :‬ج ‪ ٢٥‬ص ‪) ٩٨‬‬
‫‪30‬‬
 SHAYKH AL -ISLAM
IBN TAYMIYYAH (R) SAYS:
“The sighting [of the hilal] differs according to the difference in east and
west. Undoubtedly, when it is sighted in the East, it MUST be
sighted in the West, but not vice versa because the sunset is delayed
further in the West than the East. Thus, when it is sighted, it increases in
light and distance from the Sun and its rays during the sunset [of the
West]. It is then more likely to be sighted. This is not necessarily the case
however if it was sighted in the West, because the reason it was sighted
could have been the delay in sunset in their (the Westerners’) [area] and
thus it increased in distance and illumination, whereas during the sunset
in the East, it was closer.”
(Majmoo’ Fatawa Ibn Taymiyyah, vol. 25, pg. 98)
31
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS
1. If everyone follows global moon sighting and
depends on other countries to sight the moon,
no one will take part in an effort to sight the
moon locally. Everyone will depend on
someone else, thus moon sighting efforts will
end forever. How will we have any moon
sighting reports then?
32
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

2. If everyone follows global moon

sighting and the moon is sighted in the
West, how will the Muslims of East act
upon it since they won't get the news until
it is the day after already?

33
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

3. We have heard from the ‘Ulama and Mashaikh that sighting the
moon is fardh kifayah (fardh upon all, sufficient if some do it). So
what do we do about the rest of the Islamic months?

4. Do we simply rely on pre-calculated dates for the other nine

months of the Islamic calendar?

5. Do we rely on just hearsay and internet postings by unknown

or questionable sources throughout the year for such an
important part of our Deen, which is related to many essential
Ibadaat in Islam? Should we feel content in doing so?
34
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

6. Did our Salafus Saliheen (pious

predecessors) and Mashaikh ever act upon
global moon sighting? Is there any
historical proof from any book of Hadith
or Fiqh?
35
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

7. Does ‘global moon sighting have any

office, committee members or
international authority which maintains
it every month?

36
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

8. As Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (r) was quoted,

which is also an established principle in astronomy, it is
an undeniable natural fact that if the moon is sighted at
any point in the East it MUST be sighted in the West.
How is it possible the Saudi Arabia sees the Hilal first
every year and the dozens of Muslim nations and
millions looking for the Hilal to west are not to see it?

37
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

9. Must there be only ONE Hijri date

everywhere simultaneously where as the
Gregorian calendar differs in dates as we
speak?

38
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

10. Does global moon sighting mean

following Saudi Arabia and no one else?

11. Did the Sahabah and Taabi'een of

Madinah, Egypt, Sham, etc. follow Makkah
for the moon sighting?
39
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

12. What if a sighting is established in another country

before Saudi? Should we follow it? (This happened
quite a few times. We remember clearly that a few years
ago, the moon was sighted in the province of Xinzhao
of China before Saudi and Saudi did not do Eid
according to it. Those who say they follow global moon
sighting also did not do Eid. Did they do something
wrong?)
40
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

13. The Saudi ulama say they follow the local moon
sighting and do not accept sightings from any other
country. Why should we then follow them, as we are in
a different country?

14. The Haajis follow Saudi local moon sighting when

they go to Hajj, so is their Hajj valid if not done
according to global moon sighting?
41
 SOME LOGICAL QUESTIONS

15. The horizon in Saudi Arabia is usually

clear. Do you know of any rooyat ammah
(sighting of the moon by a very large number of
people) since there are announcements
requesting the public to try to sight the moon?
If so, is the moon usually sighted in the
Haramain?
42
 WHAT ABOUT UNITY?

 Allah (swt) says: “Hold fast, all of you, to the

cord of Allah, and be not divided.” (3:103)
 But unity upon what?
 If unity is attained but we let go of the
‘cord of Allah’ (His Deen and
regulations), there is no benefit in that
unity
43
 WHAT ABOUT UNITY?
Allah (swt) says:

ِۚ َ ‫ض يُ ِضلُو َك َعن َس ِبي ِل‬

‫ٱلل ِإن يَ َت ِب ُعو َن ِإ َال‬ ۡ َ‫﴿ َو ِإن تُ ِط ۡع أ‬
ِ ‫ڪ َث َر َمن فِى ۡٱۡلَ ۡر‬
﴾ ‫ٱلظَ َن َو ِإ ۡن ُه ۡم ِإ َال يَ ۡخ ُر ُصو َن‬
“If you obey the majority of those on earth,
they will make you lose the way of Allah. They
follow nothing but whims, and they do nothing
but make conjectures.” (6:116)
44
 WHAT ABOUT UNITY?
Allah (swt) says:

‫ول َوأُ ْولِى ۡٱۡلَ ۡم ِر ِمن ُك ۡ ۖم فَ ِإن تَ َنـ َز ۡع ُت ۡم فِى‬ ‫س‬ ‫ٱلر‬ ْ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ‫يع‬‫َط‬ِ ‫أ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ٱلل‬
َ ْ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ‫يع‬ ِ
‫َط‬ ‫أ‬ ْ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ام‬‫ء‬ ‫ين‬ ِ َ ‫﴿ ي ٰٓـأَيُہا ٱل‬
‫ذ‬
َ ُ َ ُ ََ ُ ٰٓ ُ َ َ َ َ َ
‫ك َخ ۡير َوأ َۡح َس ُن‬ ِ ‫ل‬ ‫ٲ‬‫ذ‬ ۚ ِ
‫ر‬ ِ
‫خ‬ َ ‫ٱۡل‬ ‫م‬ ‫و‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ٱ‬‫و‬ ِ
‫ٱلل‬ ِ ‫ب‬ ‫ن‬ ‫و‬ ‫ن‬ ِ
‫م‬ ‫ؤ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫م‬ ‫نت‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ن‬ ِ
‫إ‬ ‫ول‬ِ ‫س‬ ‫ٱلر‬ ‫و‬ ِ
‫ٱلل‬ ‫َى‬ ‫ل‬ ِ
‫إ‬ ‫وه‬
َ َ ۡ ِ َۡ ۡ َ َ َ ُ ۡ ُ ُۡ ُ ُ َ َ َ ُ ‫َش ۡىء فَ ُر ُد‬
﴾ ً ‫تَأۡ ِويال‬
“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger
and those in authority among you. Then, if you quarrel
about something, revert it back to Allah and the
Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That
is good, and the best at the end. ” (4:59)
45
 WHAT ABOUT UNITY?

 Unfortunately, there is a major lack of

discipline

 There are only two ways to attain UNITY in

this matter:
1. The government announces the Hilal sighting
2. There is a central authority accepted by all

46
TAWHEED AL-AHILLAH WA AL-A’YAD
(UNIFIED HILAL AND EID)

47
TAWHEED AL-AHILLAH WA AL-A’YAD
(UNIFIED HILAL AND EID)

 The Islamic Fiqh Council, an international board of Islamic

scholars, had a seminar on this topic
 It was decided that:

“The claim of unified Hilal and Eid

is AGAINST the Shariah and
common sense”
48
HISTORY OF MOON SIGHTING IN
NORTH AMERICA

RAMADAN MOONS
by PBS Thirteen

49
 HISTORY OF MOON SIGHTING IN
NORTH AMERICA

 Most of North America is geographically positioned close to the

equator, and not relatively very far north or south of the equator
(called bilad ‘adiyah in the terminology of Fiqh). Muslims reside
across many such countries.

 They gave the issue of moon sighting its due attention and
importance to ensure Ramadan and Eid are observed correctly at
their prescribed times.

50
 HISTORY OF MOON SIGHTING IN
NORTH AMERICA

Various moon sighting committees formed under the

supervision of Ulama.

Committees such as The Hilal Committee of Chicago

and The Hilal Committee of New York have been
providing their services for the past 35 and 25 years
respectively.

51
 HISTORY OF MOON SIGHTING IN
NORTH AMERICA

 A controversy arose when it was decided by the Islamic Society

of North America (ISNA) that Eid would celebrated in North
America the day after Arafah took place in Makkah.

 Many prominent scholars rejected this opinion as an invalid

criterion for the Muslims of North America.

 ISNA ceased to promote this opinion and continued thier

practice of local moon sighting.

52
HISTORY OF MOON SIGHTING IN
NORTH AMERICA

53
 HISTORY OF MOON SIGHTING IN
NORTH AMERICA

 On August 13, 2006, ISNA, adopting the view

of the Fiqh Council of North America, declared
the use of astronomical calculations as the
means of determining the start of Ramadan and
the day of Eid.

54
 HISTORY OF MOON SIGHTING IN
NORTH AMERICA

 Subsequently, there immediately emerged three different views in

this regard:

1. Follow the local moon sighting

2. Following the announcement of Saudi Arabia and starting

Ramadan and Eid based on their announcement.

3. Following the pre-calculated dates dictated by astronomical

calculations

55
 THE SOLUTION

 We must establish our own system of moon sighting in

North America, by the will of Allah, if we are to live as
proper Muslims in this great land which has so many
opportunities and has provided us with so many religious
freedoms unthinkable in many other places.

 We do not need to rely on foreign sources when we can

organize a proper system in accordance to the Quran and
Sunnah in our own land.

56
THE CENTRAL HILAL COMMITTEE
OF NORTH AMERICA (CHC)
 In 2009, the heads of the Hilal Committees of different states
gathered for a "National Hilal Sighting Conference" under
the auspices of “Shariah Approved Solutions to Hilal
Sighting and Related Issues”

 The objective was to build an effective network of local

moon sighting committees

 In 2006, members from 11 states gathered in the effort

 By 2015, CHC grew to include members from 23 states

 Three national conferences have been held so far

57
 MEMBERS FROM 22 STATES
1. Alabama 8. Kansas 16. Ohio

2. Arizona 9. Maryland 17. Pennsylvania

3. California 10. Massachusetts 18. Texas

4. Connecticut 11. Michigan 19. Virginia

5. Florida 12. Nebraska 20. Washington

6. Georgia 13. New York 21. Wisconsin

7. Illinois 14. New Jersey 22. Indiana

15. North Carolina 23. Oregon

58
 HOW YOU CAN TAKE PART
 A local Hilal sighting committee should be organized in each
vicinity (see Guidelines at www.hilalcommittee.org)

 Small groups should go out on the 29th of every Islamic

month to look for the Hilal

 Reports and shahadah should be submitted to local Hilal

committee organizers and then relayed to the responsible
CHC Ulama

59
 HOW YOU CAN TAKE PART
 Visit www.hilalcommittee.org

 Sign up to receive email updates about when and how to sight

 Contact report@hilalcommittee.org with shahadah information

 Spread the awareness, establish the Sunnah

60