Moonsighting – Response from Scholars

After knowing the truth, if someone still follows the wrongdoers, it means the person belongs to the wrongdoers.

According to the Scientific Calculations and the Prominent Islamic Scholars of All Sunni Denominations of Islam

Justice Mufti Taqi Usmani – Pakistan
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen – Saudi Arabia
Shariah Board of America
North American Islamic Foundation
Hilal Committee of North America
Hilal Committee of Metropolitan Toronto and Vicinity
Islamic Fiqh Academy (held in Jordan, October 11-16, 1986) – Criteria defined
Islamic Supreme Council of Canada
Hilal Committee of Calgary
Hilal Committee of Canada
And many other scholars and organizations

Eid ul Adha is on November 17, 2010

They are now after our Ebadah!

By (Imam) Syed B. Soharwardy

The famous ISNA/ICNA/FCNA affiliated website www.moonsighting.com states the following.

“The Astronomical New Moon is on November 6, 2010 (Saturday) at 4:52 UT. This moon cannot be seen anywhere in the world, except in Polynesian Islands. On November 7, it still will not be visible in Northern Asia, and Northern Europe and Northern Canada, but everywhere else, it can be seen in easily”. http://moonsighting.com/1431zhj.html.

In other words, according to SCIENCE, it was impossible to see moon in Saudi Arabia on November 6. How come the Saudis saw the moon on November 6? We know science can not be wrong. Obviously, Saudis are wrong. If we assume that the Saudis decided based upon the birth of the moon and not on the basis of visibility of moon, then I have a more serious question. Who gave authority to Saudis to override Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? These Saudis always want to see proof from Qur’an OR Hadith even for very minor things. But it seems that they now have decided to become divine and do not need to follow Qur’an and Hadith anymore.

We all know that there are more then a dozen of hadith indicating to set the dates of Islamic months after moon become visible. I am not asking to look for moon in this scientific age. I am just asking not to change the divine guidance of Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). For daily five prayers no one performs prayer (Salat) after seeing Sun OR Star’s positions. We use watches and clocks for this purpose but we pray at the time defined by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Science and technology help us to determine prayer times. Similarly, we MUST use science to determine the time for Ramadan, Eid and Hajj but we must start these months based upon the criteria defined by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

In today’s scientific and technological age, science and technology can pinpoint when moon will be visible. Why don’t we use science to help us in following our religion? Why these misguided Muslims are creating innovations (Bid’a) in our religion and trying to destroy our EBADAAT?

Qur’an describes the manipulation of calendar as a pagan tradition.

إِنَّمَا النَّسِيءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِي الْكُفْرِ

“Verily the transposing (of a prohibited month) is an addition to Unbelief” (Surah Al Tawbah, 9-37)

Although Saudis are not transposing / substituting months like Pagans used to do but Saudis are reviving the pagan tradition. In this modern way of “Nasee (لنَّسِيءُ ) Saudis are transposing / changing days of Islamic occasions by calculating them wrong. This is not only a worse Bid’a but it resembles with the pagan tradition of manipulating calendar, which Qur’an calls KUFR.

Moonsighting.com wrote;

“The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia announced that 1 Dhul-Hijjah will be on Sunday 7 November 2010, and the Muslims performing Hajj will be in ‘Arafah on Monday 15 November 2010.

According to Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA), Eid-al-Adha in North America would be on the day after Hajj; so Eid-al-Adha is on Tuesday, November 16, 2010”.

Are the ISNA/ICNA and the FCNA confident that on the Judgment Day they will be able to defend themselves in front of Allah? Why are they trying to create their own ways in Islam? Why are they supporting a wrong and corrupt decision?

I beg to Allah to accept the Hajj of all Hujjaj (pilgrims) who will be performing Hajj this year on the wrong day. O’Allah, you know, it is not their fault. They have been forced by a government who does not respect your guidance.

However, those who are not living under the ruthless misguided rulers, please celebrate Eid on the day based upon the scientific evidence of moon sighting. In North America it is November 17, 2010. This is based upon the scientific evidence of moonsighting and the criteria defined by the Sunnah of our Prophet (peace be upon him).

Please safeguard your EMAAN and A’MAAL-e-SALEH by following Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). May Allah accept our prayers and scarifies. Ameen

HAJJ MABROOR WA SA’YAM MASHKOOR

EID UL ADHAH MUBARAK

Fatwa on Ramadan and Eids According to Saudi Arabia

By Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen – Saudi Arabia

Question: Should we fast and end our fast according to the sighting of the new moon in Saudi Arabia or should we do it according to the sighting of the new moon in the country where we are?

Response: There are as many as six different opinions amongst the scholars concerning this issue. However, there are two main points of view. The first is that everyone should sight the moon in their own country and those countries where the moon rises at the same time should follow them. The reason for this is that the time at which the moon rises, varies from place to place. The second opinion is that the beginning of the new month need only be confirmed in any one of the Muslim countries. If the sighting of the new moon is confirmed in any Muslim country, it is then obligatory for all Muslims to use that sighting to begin the fast of Ramadhaan or end it. According to this last opinion, if the new month is confirmed in Saudi Arabia it is obligatory upon all Muslims, in all parts of the world, to fast if it is the beginning of Ramadhaan and to end their fast if it is the beginning of Shawwaal. This is the most common opinion held by the followers of the madhhab of Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.

However, the first opinion is more correct because of the evidence in the Qur’aan, Sunnah and because of analogy. With regards to the Qur’aan, Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says: The month of Ramadaan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever witnesses the month should fast it…, [Soorah al-Baqarah, Aayah 185].

This last sentence is a conditional sentence, and the ruling contained in a conditional sentence is established for whomever the condition applies to and it is annulled for anyone for whom the condition does not apply. So the sentence: “Whoever witnesses the month should fast it” implies that whoever does not witness it does not fast it.

It is well known amongst astronomers that the time the moon rises differs from place to place. The moon might be seen in one place and not in another. Therefore, according to the verse, whoever does not see it is not obliged to fast.

With regards to the Sunnah, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said: “If you sight it (the new moon of Ramadaan), then fast and if you sight it (the new moon of Shawaal),then end the fast. And if it is obscured from you, then complete thirty days (of Sha’baan)”.

He (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said: “If you sight it”. He therefore linked the ruling to the sighting and if a ruling is linked to an effective cause, then that ruling is annulled in the absence of that cause.

With regards to analogy, we say that in as much as the times for beginning the fast and breaking the fast every day vary from place to place so, in the same way, the times for the beginning and ending of the monthly fast also vary. We here in Riyadh, for example, begin our fast every day before the people in Al-Hijaaz and we also break our fast before they do. It is, therefore, obligatory upon us to start fasting while they are still eating. On the other hand, at the end of the day we are eating while they are still fasting. If, therefore, each place has its own ruling due to the variation in the time that the sun rises and sets, the same also applies due to the variation in the time that the moon rises and sets.

Therefore, the answer to the question is clear. It is obligatory for you to follow the sighting of the new moon in the place where you are.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
Ref: Al-Aqalliyaat Al-Muslimah – Page 84, Fatwa No.23

Justice Taqi Usmani about Eid ul Adha

Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2010 15:41:27 +0000

Salam, Its good to hear one of the most recognized Islamic Scholars and Jurists in the World Mufti Taqi Usmani has written a response to Islamic Society of North America on what he feels about the date they chose to celebrate eid and why it isn’t right.

Mufti Taqi Usmani’s Response

I have gone through the article of ISNA and with the utmost respect for their sentiment for Muslim unity, I am forced to say that the view expressed in the article (Eid al-Adha on next day of Arafat) is in total disagreement with the teachings of Quran and Sunnah, and with the Shari’ah position recognized throughout the centuries. This is an unprecedented view which has never been adopted by any of the Muslim jurists during the past 1400 years, and it has a number of intrinsic defects and anomalies, some of which are summarized here.

The article admits that the celebration of Eid al-Fitr should be tied to the sighting of the moon in each country and should not be linked with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr in Saudi Arabia. At the same time, however, the article calls for celebration of Eid al-Adha according to the Saudi Calendar regardless of the local dates, which means Eid al-Adha will be celebrated in North America on 8th or 9th of Zul-Hajjah. It is thus clear that the theory proposed in ISNA’s article is impractical.

The article has laid much emphasis on the concept of unity of the Muslim Ummah, which no one can deny. At the same time, however, one must appreciate that unity does not mean that the entire Muslim Ummah throughout the world should perform their acts of worship at one and the same time, because it is physically not possible. It is evident that when people in Saudi Arabia are performing their Fajr prayers, those in North America may still have not completed their Isha prayers of the previous day. Similarly, when Muslims in Los Angeles offer their Fajr prayers, those in India and Pakistan are offering their Maghrib or Isha prayer of the same day.

If it is made obligatory on all the Muslims in the world to offer their acts of worship at one and the same time for the sake of unity, such unity can never materialize (because of the time differences). It is, therefore, obvious that offering one’s acts of worship at different times do not affect the concept of Muslim Unity.

What does the Muslim unity mean?

It means that all Muslims should treat each other with brotherly sympathy and affection and should not spread disorder and dissension among them. Nor should they invent new ideas foreign to the teachings of Quran and the Sunnah which may lead to division and conflict among Muslims.

It is also astonishing that the article views the celebration of Eid al-Adha on different days as being against the concept of Ummah while in the matter of celebration of Eid ai-Fitr, this concept is dispensed with. If the celebration of Eid al-Fitr on different days does not affect the concept of unity, how can it be said to harm unity in the case of Eid al-Adha?

It is true that Eid al-Adha falls immediately after the day of Arafat in Saudi Arabia, but it is not necessary that the Muslims in every country should follow the same dates in their respective areas. Hajj, no doubt, is tied with a particular place but the celebration of Eid al-Adha is not confined to that place alone. It is celebrated everywhere in the world and cannot be tied to the Saudi calendar.

The article admits that the celebration of Eid al-Adha in other countries was never linked with its celebration in Saudi Arabia throughout the past 14 centuries. This, the author’s claim was because of a lack of communication facilities. With vastly improved communication today, they argued that everyone almost anywhere can find out the day of Hajj, and should celebrate Eid al-Adha based on Saudi calendar.

There is a clear admission in this argument that it is not obligatory according to Quran or the Sunnah to celebrate Eid al-Adha according to Saudi calendar. Had this been so, Muslims would have tried their best to find the exact date of Hajj in Saudi Arabia. It is not correct to say that it was not possible in those days for people living outside Saudi Arabia to know the exact date of Hajj, because this date is normally determined on the first night of Zul-Hijjah. There is a nine day period until which is more than sufficient to acquire this information. However, no jurists has ever stressed that such information be collected in order to celebrate Eid al-Adha according to Saudi dates.

Further, if the argument of the article is accepted and it is held that the real intention of Quran and Sunnah was to link the celebration of Eid al-Adha with the Saudi dates, as a mandatory provision for all Muslims in the world, it means that the Shari’ah has stressed a principle which was not acceptable for 1300 years. Is it not against the Quranic declaration that Allah does not make a thing mandatory unless it is practical for the human beings.

If the authors argue that the celebration of Eid al-Adha was not linked with the dates in Makkah in the past but it has become a mandatory requirement of the Shari’ah now, then the question arises, who has abrogated the previous principle and on what basis? There is no provision in Quran or the Sunnah which orders the Muslims to celebrate Eid al-Adha according to their local dates up to a particular time and to link it with the dates in Makkah thereafter. Whoever considers this and similar questions arising out of this unprecedented theory advanced in the article can appreciate its fallacy.

Finally, I would like to inform you that the question of sighting the moon for each lunar month including Zul-Hijjah was thoroughly discussed at the annual sessions of the Islamic Fiqh Academy (held in Jordan, October 11-16, 1986) attended by more than a hundred outstanding scholars of Shari’ah. The academy adopted the resolution recommended that all Muslim countries should determine all the lunar months including Zul-Hijjah on the same basis for both Eid al-Fitr as well as Eid al-Adha.

This resolution represents the consensus of Muslim jurists throughout the world. The proposal contained in the ISNA article, however, goes totally against this consensus – (see note below).

Before parting with the subject, I would like to emphasize that such unprecedented proposals can never advance the cause of Muslim unity. Rather, they may create a new point of disunity and dissention among Muslims. Before venturing such opinions as definite “Fatwa”, these should be discussed at some responsible international forum of contemporary Muslim jurists like the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah.

Welcome to Shariah Board of America

Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Hajj?

By: The Committee for Crescent Observation International

ISNA and some other groups have been enforcing a “BID’AH” on the Muslims in N. America, and elsewhere. They know that there is no “Daleel” in the Qur’an or the Sunnah for making it Eid al- Hajj but they argue:

1) Element of place is dominant for Eid al-Adha;

2) Muslim must show unity with Hujjaj;

3) Fast is on the Day of Arafah (determined by the official Saudi Hajj date); and

4) Eid al-Adha is a celebration for completing the rites of Hajj.

They quote Ayah 22:29 as the legal basis.

No Fiqh ever claimed that Eid al-Adha is really Eid al-Hajj. Muslims always celebrated it to walk in the footsteps of Hadrat Ibrahim (AS).

Qur’an:

Ahilla (The Crescent moons) are the Mawaqeet… for (determining the date of) Hajj. (2:189)

Aayat 2:185,2:200 and 22:29 have no relevance for determining the Hajj date. The only correct date of Eid al-Adha all over the world is 10th Day of D. Hijja, counted from the evening D. Hijja Hilaal is seen.

(It is well-known that NONE of the committees in S. Arabia assigned to look for a Hilal ever see a crescent moon on the officially announced dates. It is always SEEN a day or two later there.)

Hadith:

Eid al-Adha is on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijja.

All Ahadith mention only the 10th as the day of Eid al-Adha. No Hadith mentions: the day after Hajj or Eid al-Adha is a celebration of Hajj. If Eid al-Adha was a celebration of the completion of Hajj rituals then why did the Messenger (S) pray it regularly on the 10th day of D. Hijja for 9 years when there was no Hajj for the Muslims?

Fiqh:

Eid al-Adha date, like Eid al-Fitr, is to be fixed by the crescent moon.

(Hilal D. Hijja kal-Fitr. (Fath al-Bari )

No Fiqh ever fixed Eid al-Adha date by the Hajj date in Makkah Mukarramah.

(The Messenger (SAW), Sahaaba and Tabi’in always prayed on the 10th D. Hijja by their sighting, irrespective of when was Hajj in Makka. The Ummah has been doing it on the 10th D.Hijja. NEVER BEFORE anyone fixed it on the ‘Day after Arafah in Makkah’. Similarly, the Messenger (SAW) always fasted on the 9th day of D. Hijja by the date in Medina (or wherever he was, as Ahadith mention it clearly, and not when the Day of Arafah was in Makkah.

Fixing Eid al-Adha date by Saudi-fixed Hajj date is a BID’AH as several prominent Fuqaha have declared. It is a ‘Bid’ah’ of the worst kind when it is certain that the Saudi date of Hajj is 8 of D.Hijja. Ulema accept that Saudi dates of Hajj cannot be based on the‘Ahilla’ of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and yet ISNA persist in its folly by arguing that Eid al-Adha is ‘Eid al-Hajj’.)

by: The Committee For Crescent Observation International

BismillahirRehmahnirRaheem

Who should we obey? Allah or the Saudees?

What should we obey? The Truth from Allah or the “fiction” from the Saudees?

Is Sunday Nov. 7, 2010, the first day of Zull hejj according to the Commands of Allah? No it is NOT in the Commands of Allah.

The Commands of Allah are contained in the Shahadah from trustworthy and experienced observers of Helaal in Arabia, east of Arabia, west of Arabia and from across the world, as shown on the websites mentioned below.

Has any trustworthy Muslim seen the Zull hejj Helaal on the evening of Saturday Nov. 6, 2010, anywhere in Arabia east of Arabia, west of Arabia? The Shahadah is that no trustworthy Muslim has seen the Helaal anywhere in Arabia on the evening of Saturday Nov. 6, 2010. This means that those people responsible in Riyadh are giving out “fiction” as usual, through the Official Saudee announcement of the advent of the new month.

What should we obey?

The Truth that Allah shows in the sky or the “fiction” that comes out from the most untrustworthy people in Riyadh?

How untrustworthy?

No one in Musjidulharaam trusts their “fiction”. Yet they have to endure the sacrilege of enforcement of a “falsehood” on Musjidulharaam in silence.

Whosoever will bother to compare the Saudee “fiction” with the Truth that Allah shows in the sky will come to know the truth that the Official Saudee announcement of the advent of the new month of Zull Hejj is based upon falsehood as it has been from time to time in the past.

The Shahadah of Truth that Allah showed in the sky is now available for all the truth seekers to see on the following websites:

www.moonsighting.com/1431zhj.html and www.icoproject.org/icop/hej31.html

The Shahadah gathered so far by the trustworthy and experienced observers across the world is that on the evening of Saturday Nov. 6, 2010 Zul hejj Helaal has NOT been seen in the following countries:

Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Saudee Arabia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Norway, Trinidad & Tobago, Canada, U.S.A

The above most trustworthy Shahadah is that the according to the Commands of Allah, the day of assembly at Arafah is Tuesday Nov.16, 2010, and the day of Eiduladha is Wednesday Nov.17, 2010 in almost entire world. What more it is in all black and white and for all to see.

O’ Believers, the trustworthy Shahahdah as received from across the world through the above websites, are the Commands of Allah (swt). So, being true to the Kalimah of allegiance you make, do not ever reject His Commands for the sake of, very usually, “untrustworthy” content of the Official Saudee announcement of the advent of the new months, made from Riyadh. The Ulamah of Musjidulharaam have nothing to do with the Official Saudee announcement.

In fact, they do not approve of it as they know as we all know, that it is sacrilegious to enforce that falsehood on Musjidulharaam.

O’ Believers, It is our vow through our Kalimah to obey no one but Allah.

To obey Allah, it is natural that we shall all go to the mosque where Allah is obeyed and hence go to the mosque where Eiduladha is celebrated on Wednesday Nov. 17, 2010. To do otherwise, will be to commit transgressions and invite the wrath of Allah.

Do we not see enough evidence of the wrath of Allah all around us.

When a falsehood is enforced upon Musjidulharaam and the Muslim Ummah keep silent about it, then why should the wrath of Allah, not be with us? Your most sincere, truthful and humble well wisher.

S Wasty.

Dhul-Hijjah moon has been sighted in several places in North America including Chicago, Florida, Connecticut, New York. Therefore Shariah Board of America and Chicago Hilal Committee has announced that Dhul Hijjah will begin on Monday, November 8, 2010. 10th of Dhul Hijja (Eid-ul-Adha) will be on Wednesday, November 17, 2010.

http://www.islamicmoon.com/eid_al-adha.htm

All praise is to God, The crescent moon of Dhul-Hijjah 1431 was sighted in multiple cities in the United States of America on the evening of Sunday, November 7, 2010.

Therefore, the first of Dhul-Hijjah is Monday, November 8, 2010.

Eid-ul-Adha will be on Wednesday, November 17, 2010

North American Islamic Foundation

Eid-ul-Adha will be on Wednesday November 17th. Please check back for Eid Prayer details

CRESCENTWATCH.ORG

Hilal Sighting Committee of North America

http://hilalsighting.org

Hilal for Zul Hijjah sighted in multiple locations in Florida, Virginia, Georgia, Connecticut, and California, USA after the sunset on November 7th 2010 Therefore we announce that Monday November 8, 2010 is the first date of Zul Hijjah 1431H. & we will celebrate Eid-ul-Adha on November 17, 2010

There have been no reports of confirmed sightings of the new Hilal for Dhul Hijjah 1431 on the eve of Saturday the 29th Dhul Qa’adah 1431, from within the parameters of the Hilal Committee of Toronto. Therefore the Hilal Committee declares Monday 8th November the 1st of Dhul Hijjah. Accordingly;

Eid Al Adha will be on Wednesday 17th November, 2010.

http://www.hilalcommittee.com/

The Biggest Group of Bid’atees

By Syed B. Soharwardy

www.iscc.ca

Date: August 13, 2010

Today when I visited Br. Khalid Shaukat’s website, moonsighting.com, I read two very contradicting statements on his website. The first statement was from FCNA and its sister organizations regarding start of Ramadan. Here is the statement;

“According to Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), as well as European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR), Ramadan 1431, begins on the evening of Tuesday August 10, 2010, so that the first day of fasting would be Wednesday, August 11, 2010.”

The second statement on the same website was purely a scientific perspective on the start of Ramadan. Here is the statement:

“Moonsighting for Ramadan 1431

The Astronomical New Moon is on August 10, 2010 (Tuesday) at 3:08 UT. On this day, this moon may not be seen in any continent. With difficulty it may be visible in South America. Only in PolynesianIslands on August 10, it will be easily visible. On August 11, it will be easy to see in New Zealand, Australia, South-East Asia, Africa and Americas, while it will be difficult to see in Northern Asia, Europe, and Canada. See the visibility map below:”

Then I read the Ahadeeth (sayings) of Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and he commanded the following. I have copied several hadith for your knowledge. Here are some of those Ahadith:

Hazrat AbuHurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
Allah’s Messenger (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. (Muslim Sharif, Hadith # 2378).
Hazrat AbuHurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon Him) said: Observe fast on sighting it (the new moon) and break (fast) on sighting it (the new moon), but if the sky is cloudy for you, then complete the number (of thirty) (Muslim Sharif, Hadith #2379)
Hazrat AbuHurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon Him) said: Observe fast on sighting it (the new moon) and break it on sighting it. But if (due to clouds) the actual position of the month is concealed from you, you should then count thirty (days). (Muslim Sharif, Hadith 2380)
Hazrat AbuHurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon Him) made a mention of the new moon and (in this connection) said: Observe fast when you see it (the new moon) and break fast when you see it (the new moon of Shawwal), but when (the actual position of the month is) concealed from you (on account of cloudy sky), then count thirty days. (Muslim Sharif, Hadith # 2381)
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
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. (Muslim Sharif, Hadith # 2391)
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates; 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. (Muslim Sharif, Hadith # 2526)
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless Him and grant Him peace, once mentioned Ramadan and said, “Do not begin the fast until you see the new moon, and do not break the fast (at the end of Ramadan) until you see it. If the new moon is obscured from you, then work out (when it should be).” (Al-Muwatta, Hadith #18.1.1 & 1.2)
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless Him and grant Him peace, once mentioned Ramadan and said, “Do not start the fast or break it until you see the new moon. If the new moon is obscured from you, then complete a full thirty days.” (Al Muwatta, Hadith # 18.1.3).
Hazrat AbuUmayr ibn Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
AbuUmayr reported on the authority of some of his paternal uncles who were Companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon Him): Some men came riding to the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) and testified that they had sighted the new moon the previous day. He (the Holy Prophet), therefore, commanded the people to break the fast and to go out to their place of prayer in the morning. (Abu Dawood, Hadith #1153)
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said: The month consists of twenty-nine days, but do not fast till you sight it (the moon) and do not break your fast till you sight it. If the weather is cloudy, calculate it thirty days. When the twenty-ninth of Sha’ban came, Ibn Umar would send someone (who tried) to sight the moon for him. If it was sighted, then well and good; in case it was not sighted, and there was no cloud and dust before him (on the horizon), he would not keep fast the next day. If there appeared (on the horizon) before him cloud or dust, he would fast the following day. (Abu Dawood, Hadith #2312)
Hazrat Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin (May Allah be pleased with her) narrates;
The Apostle of Allah (Peace be upon Him) used to count the days in Sha’ban in a manner he did not count any other month; then he fasted when he sighted the new moon of Ramadan; but if the weather was cloudy he counted thirty days and then fasted. (Abu Dawood, Hadith # 2318)
Hazrat Hudhayfah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said: Do not fast (for Ramadan) before the coming of the month until you sight the moon or complete the number (of thirty days); then fast until you sight the moon or complete the number (of thirty days). (Abu Dawood, Hadith # 2319).
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said: Do not fast one day or two days just before Ramadan except in the case of a man who has been in the habit or observing a fast (on that day); and do not fast until you sight it (the moon). Then fast until you sight it. If a cloud appears on that day (i.e. 29th of Ramadan) then complete the number thirty (days) and then end the fasting: a month consists of twenty-nine days. (Abu Dawood, Hadith # 2320)
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
Husayn ibn al-Harith al-Jadli from the tribe of Jadilah Qays said: The governor of Makkah delivered a speech and said: The Apostle of Allah (Peace be upon Him) took a pledge from us that we should perform the rites of hajj after sighting the moon. If we do not sight it and two reliable persons bear witness, we should perform the rites of hajj on the basis of their witness. I then asked al-Husayn ibn al-Harith: Who was the governor of Makkah? He replied: I do not know. He then met me later on and told me: He was al-Harith ibn Hatib, brother of Muhammad ibn Hatib. The governor then said: There is among you a man who is more acquainted with Allah and His Apostle than I. He witnessed this from the Apostle of Allah (Peace be upon Him). He then pointed with his hand to a man. Al- Husayn said: I asked an old man beside me: Who is that man to whom the governor has alluded? He said: “This is Abdullah ibn Umar, and he spoke the truth. He was more acquainted with Allah than he. He (Abdullah ibn Umar) said: For this is what the Apostle of Allah (Peace be upon Him) commanded us (to do) (Abu Dawood, Hadith # 2331).
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
A bedouin came to the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) and said: I have sighted the moon. Al-Hasan added in his version: that is, of Ramadan. He asked: Do you testify that there is no god but Allah? He replied: Yes. He again asked: Do you testify that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah? He replied: Yes. and he testified that he had sighted the moon. He said: Bilal, announce to the people that they must fast tomorrow. (Abu Dawood, Hadith # 2333)
Hazrat Ikrimah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
Once the people doubted the appearance of the moon of Ramadan, and intended neither to offer the tarawih prayer nor to keep fast. A bedouin came from al-Harrah and testified that he had sighted the moon. He was brought to the Prophet (Peace be upon Him). He asked: Do you testify that there is no god but Allah, and that I am the Apostle of Allah? He said: Yes; and he testified that he had sighted the moon. He commanded Bilal who announced to the people to offer the tarawih prayer and to keep fast. (Abu Dawood, Hadith # 2334).
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
The people sighted the moon, so I informed the Apostle of Allah (Peace be upon Him) that I had sighted it. He fasted and commanded the people to fast. (Abu Dawood, Hadith # 2335)
Hazrat Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates;
When the Prophet of Allah (Peace be upon Him) saw the new moon, he said: “a new moon of good and right guidance; a new moon of good and right guidance; a new moon of good and right guidance. I believe in Him Who created you” three times. He would then say: “Praise be to Allah Who has made such and such a month to pass and has brought such and such a month.” (Abu Dawood, Hadith # 5073)

There are several other similar Ahadith from other books of Hadith clearly, consistently and emphatically describing the criteria of new moon in Islam for the start of a month. From the above mentioned Ahadith, it is very clear that the criterion is that the new moon MUST be mature enough to be visible.

Lets see the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and its sister organizations’ criteria of starting Ramadan. Their criterion is the birth of the moon not the visibility of the new moon which is obviously goes against the criteria that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has given to Muslims. Moreover, it is not a question of using science in calculating the new moon. The biggest DECEPTION that Fiqh Council of North America and its sister organizations are giving to Muslims is that they are making the issue of moon sighting as the issue of science and technology. It is not the issue of science. We can and should use science and the technology in calculating the dates of new moon but we MUST not make our own criteria. We must use the criteria defined by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Science & technology can help in calculating a calendar for Islamic events and occasions. The FCNA calendar is scientific but very un-Islamic.

As you can see that the scientific statement posted on moonsighting.com reads;

Why Fiqh Council of North America and its sister organizations do not take August 11 as the new moon evening, which science tells us will have a visible new moon? Science clearly says that on August 10, moon will be born but will not be visible but on August 11, moon will be visible.

The answer to above question is that Fiqh Council and its sister organizations have a very clear agenda, destroy Islam within. These organizations and their leaders are misguiding Muslims. They are infiltrating their own ideas and beliefs (called Bid’a) in Islam. They are the biggest Bidatee group in the world.

Ramadan Alert
The Muslims in N. America should start Ramadan on August 12, 12010, if they wish to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

In the USA and Canada Ramadan Hilal will NOT be SEEN on Tuesday, August 10. Its age, lag between the sunset and the moonset, as well as its altitude on the western horizon is too low.

In the evening of August 11, the moon will be easily seen almost everywhere except northern regions of Canada.

ISNA date of August 11 for N. America follows Saudi/Egyptian date. They do not decide by the Hilal of Ramadan in North America or Saudi Arabia but because the moon sets 11 minutes after the sunset in Makkah on August 10.

A Hilal CANNOT BE SEEN in Makkah or Cairo on August 10.

http://www.islamicmoon.com/ and http://www.hilalsighting.org/

Respected brothers/scholars in Islam,

Assalamualaikum wa-Rahmatullahi wa-Barakatuh.

I just spoke to members of Tabuk and Riyadh Hilal Committees in Saudi Arabia. They all confirmed that none of the 10 official committee members were able to sight the Hilal on Tuesday 10 August 2010, but some bedouins from Shagrah (near Riyadh) claimed sighing and reported to the Court.

When asked how come the astronomers could not see the Hilal with their own eyes or telescopes, the bedouins replied that the astronomers’ telescopes are not as powerful as the their eye sights!

Unfortunately, the Saudi Supreme Court is happy to accept a single witness report (from a man, women or a slave) to start the month of Ramadan without further verification.

Please see the Youtube video link below about our UK scholars meeting with Saudi scholars.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjitreYTTag

We have also suggested the ICOP members proposal that (1) the Umm Al-Qura calendar criteria should be changed to a predicted visibility model and (2) the court should only accept witness reports from a large group of people with the official Hilal committees.

Wassalam,

Qamar Uddin, UK
qamar.uddin@uk2.net
http://www.icoproject.org/

المراقبة الإسلامية للأهلة في المملكة المتحدة
Islamic Crescent Observation for the UK
http://www.icouk.net | http://twitter.com/icouk/