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What Counts With Regard To The Beginning And End Of The Month Is Sighting Of The Moon
EsinIslam
Ramadan
The Awqaf -
Living Shariah
Some people claimed to have sighted the new moon
of Ramadan, whilst astronomers and those who follow
calculations claim that it is not possible to have
sighted it on that night. There is no confusion in my
mind because of this, as calculations may be wrong.
But what does confuse me is that the astronomers and
those who deal with calculations claim that they tried
to sight the moon that night with the telescopes and
other equipment that they have but they did not see
it. How can it be seen with the naked eye and not with
modern equipment? If it were the other way around, and
they saw it with their equipment but it was not seen
with the naked eye, there would be some justification
for the difference of opinion as to whether we should
fast or not, and whether the people should break the
fast or not. But the problem is: How can they see it
with the naked eye and it is not seen with their
equipment? In fact I would like you to explain clearly
so as to dispel my anxiety and confusion, because I do
not think I am alone in this matter.
Praise be to Allaah.
What counts with regard to confirming the beginning of
the month of Ramadan is sighting of the new moon or
the completion of 30 days of Sha’baan if the moon is
not sighted. This is what is indicated by the saheeh
Sunnah, and the scholars are unanimously agreed on it.
Al-Bukhaari (1909) and Muslim (1081) narrated that Abu
Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: “Fast when you see it and break the fast when
you see it, and if it is cloudy then reckon the month
as thirty.”
Astronomical calculations do not count. The basic
principle with regard to sighting is that it should be
done with the naked eye, but if the crescent moon is
sighted with modern equipment, then this sighting may
be acted upon, as stated in the answer to question
number 106489. With regard to how the new moon is
sighted with the naked eye when it is not seen with
telescopes and equipment, this may be due to
differences in the place and time of sighting.
Whatever the case, the ruling depends on sighting of
the new moon. So long as it has been seen by one or
two trustworthy Muslims, then it is obligatory to act
upon this sighting.
Shaykh Saalih ibn Muhammad al-Lahaydaan, the head of
the Higher Judiciary Council (may Allah preserve him)
said: There is a brother called ‘Abd-Allaah al-Khudayri
who is famous for sighting the moon and he is one of
those who are known to be involved in sighting the
moon at different stages, even at times other than the
new moon. Some astronomers went to him and met with
him in the region of Hawtah Sadeer. And he told me
that they estimated that the moon would appear on that
night in a certain place according to the calculations
they did on their computers, but he told them that it
would not appear from the place that they said,
because he had seen it before them the night before,
and he knew the stations of the moon and from where it
would rise every night. Then when the moon appeared,
it rose from the place he mentioned and not they place
they mentioned. But he excused them because their
conclusion was not based on direct moon sighting;
rather it was based on calculations with the computers
they had. End quote from an interview with him in
al-Riyadh newspaper.
http://www.alriyadh.com/2007/10/12/article286271_shtml
And Allah knows best.
Ramadan Team
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