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News Item
The earliest visibility of D. Qa'da moon
will begin around Australia in the evening of September 28, 2011. But as the
moon has mover too far south in
southern hemisphere the moon will be seen only in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri
Lanka, South and central Africa, and most of South America.
Japan, China, Bangladesh, northern India, Pakistan, Central Asia, Middle East
including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Northern African countries from Egypt to
Morocco, Europe, Canada, and most of the USA will NOT see a Hilal in the evening
of Sep. 28.
In the USA, the best chances of lunar visibility on Sept. 28 are in Miami, Fl,
Hawaii, and marginally in southern areas of Texas, Arizona, and California.
Though the angle in many regions is 20+ degrees, lunar altitude is less than 10
degrees and the Lag between the sunset and moonset is less than 40 minutes.
Red Alert
Shawwal Hilal was not seen
anywhere in N. America in the evening of August 29.
Eid al-Fitr is insha-Allah on Wed. August 31, 2011
Saudi Taqweem Web page: Saudi Dates not by
Hilal
For several decades Saudi Arabia
has employed a calculated lunar calendar that is commonly referred to as the
‛Umm al-Qura calendar’. It is also followed by several neighboring states on the
Arabian Peninsula such as Bahrain and Qatar.
Many Muslim communities in non-Islamic countries also tend to follow the Umm al-Qura
calendar as its use in mosques funded by Saudi Arabia and in modern computer
software (it is the default Islamic calendar in the Arabic setting of Microsoft
Vista) becomes more and more prevalent.
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Fiqh
Council of North America (FCNA) and the European Council for Fatwa and Research
(ECFR) have announced in the recent past that they will also follow the lunar
calendar of Saudi Arabia.
Nevertheless, the Umm al-Qura calendar is often criticized by other Muslim
communities who base their calendar on the actual sighting of the lunar crescent
(hilāl). Especially around the month of fasting (Ramadān) and the month of
pilgrimage (Dhū ’l-Ḥijja) the Umm al-Qura calendar often causes confusion when
the dates observed by different Muslim communities for these major Islamic
festivals are found to differ by one, two or even three days.
Since 1419 AH (1998/99 CE) several official hilāl sighting
committees have been set up by the government of Saudi Arabia to determine the
first visual sighting of the lunar crescent at the begin of each lunar month.
However, the religious authorities of Saudi Arabia also allow the testimony of
less experienced observers and thus sometimes announces the sighting of the
lunar crescent on an evening when none of the official committees could observe
the lunar crescent or even on an evening when the lunar crescent actually set
before sunset.
This often leads to confusion when the dates of important
religious events in the month of fasting (Ramadān) or the month of pilgrimage (Dhūl
’Hijja) are changed. In nearly all of these cases, a retrospective analysis
indicates that these extremely early reports of the lunar crescent are
impossible and are based on false sightings. A study of 42 reports of
sightings of the Ramadān new moon, as announced by the Supreme Judicial Council
of Saudi Arabia (Majlis al-Qadā’ al-A‘lā) between 1962 to 2001 (1381 AH to 1422
AH), confirms that more than half of these were too early and based on false
sightings (Kordi, 2003). Most of these false sightings were probably caused by a
planet, a bright star or an airplane contrail viewed near to the western
horizon.
Only in one case (Ramadān 1424 AH) was the lunar crescent first sighted on the
evening after the evening predicted by the Umm al-Qura calendar. However, in
seven cases (Shawwāl & Dhū ’l-Hijja 1425 AH, Ramadān & Dhū ’l-Ḥijja 1427 AH,
Shawwāl & Dhū ’l-Hijja 1428 AH and Shawwāl 1429 AH) the lunar crescent was
supposedly first sighted on the evening before the evening predicted by the Umm
al-Qura calendar with moonset occurring just before or even well before
sunset.
In some cases the advancement of the month can result in a month length of 31
days which is awkward as Islamic tradition only allows for month lengths of 29
or 30 days. In such cases one of the days in the month is reckoned twice. For
instance, both Friday 28 December and Saturday 29 December 2007 were reckoned as
19 Dhūl ’Hijja 1428 AH.
Ramadan 'was announced on wrong day'
Astronomers maintain that the announcement of the beginning of Ramadan on
Friday, September 22, was incorrect, and that it should have in fact been
announced two days later. The crescent moon was impossible to see on
Friday, September 22. "The moon had set before sunset, so there was no moon in
the sky to be seen.
"We have three types of crescent visibility reports. First is impossible, as the
moon sets before sunset, so the object is not in the sky. Second is not
possible, which means the moon sets after sunset but it cannot be seen. Third is
when the crescent can be seen. On Friday, it was impossible, from all Islamic
countries."
www.islamicmoon.com
Eid
al-Fitr 2011 ALERT
Many Muslims in N. America started Ramadan on Monday, August 1, 2011 because
Saudis /ISNA Fiqh Council and Shariah Boards announced that Ramadan moon was
SEEN in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. ISNA Eid al-Fitr date is already fixed for
August 30, 2011. All know that Saudi/ISNA dates of Ramadan and Eidain are based
on the Saudi rule: "The moon sets after the sunset in Makkah Mukarramah." CFCO
will eagerly wait for how the Shari'ah Boards decide about Eid al-Fitr date in
North America.
Shariah Boards Eid Date ??
Shariah Boards (Toronto, Chicago, New York, California etc.) decide by the news
of a sighting in Caribbean. However, there is a big problem for fixing Eid date
this year. On August 29, 2011, the Moon will set BEFORE the sunset in Toronto,
and New York.
In Chicago, the moon and the sun will set at the same time (7:29 pm). The moon
will not appear above the ground in most of N. America and Canada.
See how by Fiqhi opinions they overrules the Qur'an (2:189), the Hadith (La
Tuftiru ... and the consensus of all Fiqh schools?
Saudi Ramadan Hilal Reports
In Saudi Arabia Ramadan 1432 Hilal was
NOT SEEN as the following reports confirm:
Saudi Arabia 1. Not Seen: Mr. Saleh Al-Saab from Riyadh City in Riyadh State
mentioned that the sky was clear, the atmospheric condition was hazy, the
crescent was not seen by naked eye, binocular [or] telescope; the crescent was
not sought by CCD Imaging. "Happy Ramadhan for you all. The crescent was only
(4) degrees above horizon at sunset, so it was not seen even by any optical aid.
"
نتيجة رصد الهلال شهر رمضان 1432هـ يوم الأحد 31 يوليو 2011م:
استهل عدد كبير من أعضاء جمعية الفلك يوم الأحد الموافق 31 يوليو 2011م ولم يتم
رؤية الهلال. فقد تمت محولة رصد الهلال بواسطة العين المجردة والمناظير المختلفة من
مقر الجمعية في القطيف ومنطقة الأحساء وغنان (بالقرب من شاطئ نصف القمر) والبحرين
والكويت والمدينة المنورة واستراليا
Ramadan Waxing (NEW) Crescent
Observation Results 31 July 2011
Algeria 1. Not Seen: Australia 1. Not Seen: Brunei 1. Not Seen
Jordan 1. Not Seen: Lebanon 1. Not Seen Malaysia 1. Not Seen:
Nigeria 1. Not Seen: Norway 1. Not Seen Oman 1. Not Seen:
ICOP member Martin Elsaesser from Sohar City in al-Batina mentioned ..the
crescent was not seen by CCD Imaging
www.islamicmoon.com
SAUDI TRICKS
Saudi's have several tricks down their sleeves when announcing their Islamic
dates.:
1. The new moon has been sighted at ..... ( a place somewhere in SA) (Daleel:
Suumu...Hadith)
2. Adil witnesses at several places moon have seen the moon. (Daleel: Araabi
Hadith)
3. The moon was not sighted but thirty days of (the previous month of .... were
completed on .....by
(Saudi Taqweem). Therefore, the next Hijri month of ... starts on a day later
(30 days Complete Hadith)
(It was 29th or even 28th in most of the world
4. Majlis al-Qada al-A'la has decided that .... month starts on.....
For decades, Saudis have been using one of these tricks, accompanied by a
testimony from prominent Saudi Ulema like Sh. Baaz, etc. claiming that Saudi
system of sighting is very reliable, and that Saudi dates are based on a sighted
moon.
If someone raised the question: (Morocco Ulema's missive to Saudi king, or the
Turkish delegation's appeal to Sh. Baaz, etc.).
1. Have you seen the moon yourself (today or ever before)? or
2. Why does this moon claimed "Seen" in Saudi Arabia is NOT seen at any place
outside of Saudi Arabia?
Actually, Saudis seldom announce that for them "Sighted" moon is “assumed” if
calculation shows the moon will sets after the sun on the New Moon date. Saudis
and Egyptians agreed on this rule in Jeddah (1999) Conference. ISNA blindly
follows Saudi dates (See ISNA Fiqh Council's 1432 announcement of Ramadan and
Eid a-Fitr dates.) It has long ago tied Eid al-Adha in N. America to "Next day
after Hajj.
It is a known and proven fact (by the astronomical experts) that none of
Ramadan, Eidain and Hajj dates in the last 50+ years was fixed by the Ahilla
(Observed Moon) as the Qur'an (2:189) requires and the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH)
established. For 1432 Ramadan again Saudis (and ISNA in N. America) started
Ramadan month on Monday, August 1, 2011 when the Moon was confirmed NOT SEEN in
Makkah Mukarramah or in N. America.
ISNA/Zulfiqar Shah's
Islamic calendar?
Dr. Shah has argued for 3-4 years that the physical sighting of a Hilal (the
earliest visible waxing crescent moon) by human eyes is NOT REQUIRED for fixing
Ramadan and Eidain dates (or any Hijri date). His argument: Arabic word "Ra'a"
in Hadith also means "coming to know" and calculations tell it better.
He is not the first to make such an absurd claim. Kahf (1978) used the same
argument to convince ISNA Fiqh Council to go by the "news from Saudi Arabia" to
begin Ramadan and celebrate Eid in N. America (This resulted missing 1-2 days of
Ramadan fasting every year from 1978-).
How does Dr.Shah (ISNA Fiqh Council) fix the fist date of an Islamic month?
If it is by the New Moon (NM) that many believe is exactly "calculated?" then
they should know:
1. The New Moon is NEVER SEEN on the NM date;
2. The New Moon occurs at all times of day and night (and almost NEVER at the
sunset) when the Islamic date/day begins.
3. Astronomical lunar month is approx. 29 1/2 days long and never 29 or 30 full
days.
Zulfiqar Shah's booklet on moon-sighting (published by ISNA's IIIT) is a glaring
example of twisted Fiqhi arguments, sheer ignorance of astronomical facts , and
outright deception, based on linguistic reasoning.
Now the Muslims in N. America follow the following to fix Ramadan and Eidain
dates:
1. The News from Saudi Arabia and Egypt (since 1999 Jeddah meet the rule is
Moonset AFTER the sunset, No visibility).
2. Sighted in Caribbean (Shura Councils of Chicago, New York, etc.)
3. Sighted within 48 states...(barring Alaska, Hawaii)
4. Local sighting (CT Council of Masajid and many others)
5. Shia Council and other groups with their own criteria
6. Muslim astronomical experts who support CCD imaging on the N. Moon date
7. Muslims who follow their home country (Nigeria, Turkey, Indonesia/Malaysia)
etc.
8. Muslims who can SEE A MOON during Daylight, at mid-day (Iran, USA, etc.)
Ramadan and Eidain 2011
For N. America, the possibility that Ramadan Hilal might be seen in the evening
of July 31 in Miami, Houston, San Diego, etc. is extremely remote. The Altitude
and the Lag both are below the visibility threshold. It will be SEEN Insha-Allah
on August 1, making August 2 (Tuesday) the first day of Ramadan 1432.
Eid al-Fitr in N. America will be insha-Allah on August 31 by the Hilal of
Shawwal.
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