Eid al-Fitr date confused by new moon sighting times around the world - BlogPost - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/new-moon-sighting-times-make-it-confusing-to-know-which-day-is-eid/2011/08/29/gIQA1HAVnJ_blog.html

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When is Eid? Debate is on - Arab News
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article494126.ece

When is Eid? Debate is on

By MD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Aug 26, 2011 23:45 Updated: Aug 27, 2011 00:05

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has called on Muslims in the Kingdom to look for the new moon of Shawwal on the evening of Monday, which is the 29th day of Ramadan (Aug. 29) and report the matter to the nearest court if any one sights the new moon either by the naked eye or with help of lenses.

The court directed that the lookers for moon join the committee for the purpose in each region.

The end of fasting and the day of Eid Al-Fitr are decided by the sighting of the Shawwal moon.

But astronomers, who differed on the start of the holy month of Ramadan based on astronomical calculations, are at it again. They are now debating whether Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month, will fall on Tuesday or Wednesday. The controversy over the start of Ramadan is also driving the debate.

The Saudi Astronomical Society expects Ramadan to be 30 days this year and, if that is the case, it will end on Tuesday, Aug. 30, with the Eid falling on Wednesday, Aug. 31.

The society said the moon would not be sighted on the night of Monday, Ramadan 29 (Aug. 29) thus Eid would not be on Tuesday.

Chairman of the society Majed Abu Zahra said the moon, on Monday, Aug. 29, will set before sunset so no one would be able to sight the crescent. He explained that on that day, the moon would eclipse in all parts of the Kingdom before sunset by at least three to six minutes thus making it impossible to sight the crescent.

He said on the night of Tuesday, Aug. 30, the moon would be clearly seen without the help of telescopes thus indicating that the Eid would be next day, Wednesday Aug. 31.

Abu Zahra said there were two options before the Saudi authorities:

l To make Tuesday (Aug. 30) the first day of Eid with people fasting for 29 days according to astronomical calculations.

l To make Wednesday (Aug. 31) the first day of Eid as the moon would be seen by the naked eye on the night of Tuesday.

KHALID

Aug 27, 2011 16:00

Report abuse This article is confusing, on one hand it says "Saudi Astronomical Society expects Ramadan to be 30 days this year" and then it in the end it concludes in the first option "To make Tuesday (Aug. 30) the first day of Eid with people fasting for 29 days according to astronomical calculations". It is contradicting itself.

SULAIMAN

Aug 27, 2011 16:01

Report abuse It's good to see that this issue is finally being openly discussed in Saudia. Anyone with any interest in the subject knows that Saudia have for years been declaring the first of Ramadhaan and Eid and the start of Dhul Hijjah from calculation of the first possible sighting anywhere in the world - at least a day before any sighting in Saudia is possible.
Allahu ta'aalaa tells us that the sun and moon run on fixed courses, so as the Saudi Astronomical Society correctly states, it's possible to calculate when it's first possible to see the moon there, so any claims of sighting before that time should be dismissed out of hand. On days when the moon can be sighted however, it should still be actually seen before declaring it, to conform with the sunnah - unless 30 days have already passed.
I hope the will is there to finally get to grips with this and enforce what is right.

SULAIMAN

Aug 27, 2011 16:02

Report abuse As a follow-up to my last post, here are 2 sites to show what I mean;
http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/moonwatch/nextnewmoon.html
http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/download/AIS101.pdf

AL MURAQIB

Aug 27, 2011 16:05

Report abuse Astronomers! Please do not bring another Fitnah into this nation of ours. As the Mufthi of the Kingdom (May Allah preserve him) stated: "Hadith of “Fast at its sighting” and the one of “Do not fast until you sight it” were clear and decisive."

We as Muslim who adhere to the teachings of Al Quran and the Sunnah in accordance with the methodology of our pious companions would reiterate what the noble Musthi (Hafidhahullah) said, "Hadith of “Fast at its sighting” and the one of “Do not fast until you sight it” were clear and decisive."

We do not think there is a debate in this issue among Ahlus Sunnah. Alhamdulillah Ahlus Sunnah is upon clarity. They are fully aware of this astronomy and astrology. May Allah guide the one who calls the nation to man made astronomy.

AL MURAQIB

Aug 27, 2011 16:05

Report abuse As Shaikh Abdul Azeez Aalush Shaikh stated:

“If anyone doubts our moon-sighting, fasting and feasting, it betrays his weak faith and defective perception,” the grand mufti, who is head of the Administration of Research in Religious Sciences and Fatwa said. He cited a Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) which says, “You start fasting when you see (the moon) and stop it when you sight (the next moon) and when it is hidden by clouds, complete (30 days of) fasting.”

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Is Eid Tuesday or Wednesday? - India Real Time - WSJ
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/08/29/is-eid-tuesday-or-wednesday/

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By Tom Wright

The confusion about Eid-ul-Fitr, the day Muslims break their month-long Ramadan fast, is on again.

Diptendu Dutta/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Muslims offered prayers, ahead of Eid during the month of Ramadan outside a mosque in West Bengal on Friday.

Some Muslims in North America, Europe and the Middle East say the holy day falls Tuesday. Others, including those in India, Pakistan and Southeast Asia, are likely to hold out until Wednesday.

The reason is an argument over how to determine the arrival of a new moon cycle which marks the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan and the arrival of the following month of Shawwal.

Islamic tradition states that a new lunar month begins with the physical sighting of a sliver of the new moon at sunset. (Islamic months begin at sundown.)

In the past, Muslims in different parts of the world would have seen this waxing crescent moon on different days due to geographical position, cloud cover and other meteorological factors. Without global connectivity, this hardly would have mattered.

But today, different Islamic authorities are keen that their interpretation of when Eid-ul-Fitr falls is taken up across the world so the faith’s 1.2 billion people can celebrate together.

Many countries take the lead from Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam’s holiest mosque and the closest equivalent the Muslim world has to the Vatican. The Saudi Supreme Court, which typically makes a call on this based on the sightings of official astronomical committees,  has not yet come down for Tuesday or Wednesday.

Tonight, those committees will be out at sunset, scanning the sky with the naked eye and telescopes. (Some traditionalists, though, eschew even telescopes.)

Generally, India and Pakistan celebrate a day later than Saudi Arabia, although Indians in Kerala, partly because of their cultural ties to Saudi Arabia, have often followed Riyadh.

The emergence of a school of thought that believes science, not physical sightings of the moon, should play a role has further complicated things.

The Fiqh Council of North America, a grouping of scholars, says that Islam should use precise astronomical data to mark the start of the lunar month.

Science can predict accurately when a new moon rises. A lunar month literally begins at the moment of “conjunction,” an astronomical term used to describe when the earth, moon and sun lie in the same plane. This year, conjunction marking the end of Ramadan occurred earlier today.

The Fiqh Council argues this means Eid-ul-Fitr falls tomorrow.

Another argument used by these “modernists” is that a physical sighting of the new moon anywhere in the world should be taken by all Muslims as a start of the lunar month. If you look at this map by the Islamic Crescents’ Observation Project, a Jordanian-backed attempt to share global moon sighting data, you’ll see the new moon should easily be spotted tonight in Patagonia and some other parts of  South America but not in most parts of North America, Europe and Asia. The Fiqh Council says it also might be visible tonight in Hawaii using a telescope.

Saudi authorities are clearly uncomfortable with the idea that an astronomical calculation of a new moon or a sighting in Patagonia, part of Catholic-majority Argentina, could mark the start of Eid-ul-Fitr.

In other areas of Muslim life, standardization is now taken for granted. Most Muslims no longer rely on sightings of the sun to determine when to perform their five daily prayers but consult prayer times published by local Islamic authorities. (Even here there’s disagreements.)

But there’s a feeling that prayer times must differ, while Eid-ul-Fitr, a key Muslim holiday, should be celebrated by all on one day.

Comments (5 of 74)

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• • • 6:03 pm August 30, 2011
    • prast wrote:

    In Indonesia, we celebrate in those two days.. it doesnt matter coz we respect others opinion.. the important thing is we can celebrate it in the peaceful.. Eid mubarak..

• • • 5:39 pm August 30, 2011
    • Onlooker - UK wrote:

    The logic that everyone should follow Saudi Arabia is deeply flawed…

    They say we should follow Saudi because that is the centre of Islam so when they announce eid, everyone should follow.

    So in that case, why don’t we follow Saudi and do our prayers at the same time as Saudi too? So when it’s time for Fajr in Saudi, it should be Fajr everywhere else in the world because Saudi is the centre of Islam.

    See? So if it doesn’t make sense for prayers, then it doesn’t make sense for Eid either – because Eid is based on SEEING the moon, in the same way as prayers are based on SEEING the sun move across the sky.

    Saying that we should follow Saudi so that the Muslims are connected is not an argument – after all fasting is a religious obligation, and if you’re celebrating Eid a day early… then you’re missing the blessings of both a fasting day, AND you’re missing the blessings of the actual day of Eid. Plus you have to fast an additional day afterwards to make up for the day you missed!

    My opinion is that by the end of the month, *certain people* are just tired and ultimately they’re looking for any excuse to end the month long fast even a day earlier.

    I’d like to know who Saudi is claiming saw the moon, because according to all astronomical data on Monday 29th Aug, the only place the moon would have been visible with the naked eye (as Quran and Hadith tell advise) was South America – so it would have been Eid there – but definitely NOT in Saudi!

    Astronomical data says that it was impossible to see the moon from Saudi last night – so on what basis they have declared Eid is a total mystery to me.

    Anyway, Eid mobarak to All

• • • 1:43 pm August 30, 2011
    • Ernest Dempsey wrote:

    Celebrating on one day for all is the centralist mindset that in democratic countries should be discouraged and challenged. In the early times of Islam, Eid fell on different days and this makes it clear that Islam doesn’t oblige all to celebrate on the same day. Modrn day clerics however want to impose thier authoirty on all, which of course is not acceptable. That’s why Mulims today feel free to celebrate eid locally.

• • • 9:01 am August 30, 2011
    • Jazeer wrote:

    it does not matter.. can celebrate multiple days in different locations

• • • 7:49 am August 30, 2011
    • zein wrote:

    I object to the statement that Saudi Arabia is the closest the Muslim world has to the Vatican. Al Azhar in Egypt is the closest- it’s the most highly respected institute in all of Sunni Islam.

Announcements
http://www.crescentwatch.org/

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جمعية بريطانية تتحدى المسلمين أن يروا هلال شوال في 29 أغسطس بالسعودية
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/08/25/164031.html

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Regards,
Walid.

الأخبار - منوعـات - فلكي يتوقع رمضان 30 يوما
http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BB32DCF0-A57D-4CE1-A022-ADCEC6B63E97.htm

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طارق أشقر-مسقط

توقع الفلكي العُماني صبيح بن رحمان الساعدي أن يكون أول أيام عيد الفطر المبارك هو الأربعاء الموافق 31 أغسطس/ آب الحالي.

وأوضح الساعدي أن الحسابات الفلكية الدقيقة لحركة الشمس والأرض والقمر وتأثير الكواكب السيارة الأخرى على حركة القمر تشير إلى أن هلال شوال سيولد يوم الاثنين الموافق 29 من الشهر الحالي عند الساعة السابعة والدقيقة الخامسة و11 ثانية صباحاً بتوقيت عُمان، ويغرب مع غروب شمس نفس اليوم .

ونبه إلى أن رؤية الهلال مساء ذلك اليوم ستكون مستحيلة في غالبية الدول العربية والإسلامية، بينما تكون رؤيته في اليوم التالي الثلاثاء واضحة وجلية في كافة الدول العربية والإسلامية حيث يمكث حوالي 43 دقيقة فوق الأفق الغربي لسماء السلطنة بعد غروب الشمس، ويكون على ارتفاع  حوالي تسع درجات فوق الأفق.

وذكر الساعدي أن فترة مكوث الهلال بعد غروب الشمس مساء الثلاثاء الموافق 30 من الشهر الحالي في سماء مكة المكرمة ستكون 47 دقيقة و51 ثانية، وفي القاهرة 38 دقيقة و36 ثانية، وفي بغداد 32 دقيقة و47 ثانية، وفي طهران 28 دقيقة و46 ثانية، وفي أنقرة 24 دقيقة.

وأكد الساعدي أن الأسس العلمية لعلم الفلك تؤكد أن الحسابات الفلكية تكون في العادة واحدة وقتما تم اللجوء إليها وبشكل دقيق، غير أن الاختلاف يكمن في اختلاف مطالع الدول وفوارق التوقيت.

يُذكر أن السلطنة تعتمد في تحري الأهلة على الرؤية الشرعية القائمة على الأخذ بشهود الإثبات، في حين تستخدم الحسابات الفلكية وسيلة معتبرة شرعاً لمعرفة صحة الشهادة في رؤية الهلال من عدمه.

الأخبار - عربي - الثلاثاء عيد الفطر بعدة دول عربية
http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/AC257224-AD95-4A6A-8925-9D80003BFEB2.htm?GoogleStatID=1

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غداً أول أيام عيد الفطر المبارك في السعودية ومصر والأردن والبحرين
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/08/29/164608.html

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