Sign up to receive breaking news and other updates!Will Muslims be United on Moon Sighting for Eid this year?
Almost every year Muslims around the globe have this very disturbing problem of not being able to agree upon the beginning and end of Ramadhan as well the Eid-ul-Adhha. The division is some time so clear that even in one family some member will be fasting and some celebrating Eid. I like many other Muslims always wonder why we cannot use the mathematically simulated moon sighting when ever there is doubt of moon sighting due to weather conditions. The websites like moonsighting.com provides very accurate moon visibility maps every month. I beleive that if we can use the calender for prayer timings using the claculations without even every realizing or objectioning, then why cannot we use the calculated first day of an Islamic Calender month when weather conditions do not permit the actual moon sighting?
Should the announcement by Saudi Authorities regarding the visibility of new moon be followed by Muslims around the world living even on separate contenants? I think that if Muslims follow the sighting of new moon in their own region instead of following sighting in Saudi Arabia, then Muslims should be able to celebrate the religion festival with unity within their own region.
It is unbeleivable that we cannot unite on this minor thing and we want to lead the whole world. It is a joke.
It is a serious matter and Muslims should do something about it.
I agree. We live in the USA, work in the USA, go to schools in the USA, wake up and sleep according to the US time. Then why should we follow Saudi moonsighting announcements? Doesn’t make sense.
This is not Islam. Islam makes us autonomous as far as dates are concerned. That’s why Allah appointed moonsighting. Otherwise, one statement from the Prophet or the Khalifah or the king would be sufficient to start a new month throughout the Islamic world. Just remove the telephone and internet and we would never know Saudi dates. Islam is not dependent on Saudi Arabia.
The ISNA calculated calendar has three big flaws. Firstly, it is based on sunset in Makkah (Initially it was London, changed to Makkah in June 2007). Why is ISNA trying to make a calendar based on Makkah time and use it on the US citizens? Secondly, it uses “birth of new moon” or “conjunction” to calculate the new moon. This method is has no basis in Shariah. Why can’t ISNA develop a calendar based on “the probability of moonsighting at the sunset,” which is widely used in the shape of maps on moonsighting.com? We can accept one or two errors every three of four years. Thirdly, it abandons its own calculated calendar for Eidul Adha and follows Saudi dates instead.
Unfortunately there were three different eids as far as I know within North America. These festivals are meant to unite the Muslims not divide them. However, we Muslims are trying our best to not to unite.
[...] 1st and some will start from September 2nd in North America. It is very unfortunate that Muslims cannot unite on moonsighting to start this blessed month of Ramadhan or even other very important and blessed days like Eid on [...]
As-Salaam-Wu Alaykum to all
I anticipate that everbody is having a spiritually enlightening Ramadaan. With regard to this debate about the moonsighting, Alhamdulillah We in South Africa seem to be fine with this. We have a Moon sighting committe in Cape Town called MaanKykers, they have been providing this service to south african muslims for many years. If they sight the moon, then Alhamdulillah, people all around SA abide to this. It is surpring to see that people around the world aquabble over petty issues. No wonder the Ummah around the world is disunited. If you sight the moon in your are, notify the relevant muslim committe and mark the beginning of a new islamic month. simple….
Why are people so upset with different times of IDD.
If the imamams and other leaders could see the beauty of the moon sighting they can relate that Idd is fun to be celebrated at different times and places. Just like sun does not rise at the same time. This is the mode of our unity as it explains symbolicaly the diversity of the UMMAH
If you knew the science then there is no disunity rather unity that the moon is the same and the point of vision is at another space time
Assalam alaikum
I would like to differ with brother Faheem and highlight the irony of the whole issue.
In South Africa we are not united on the issue.The maankykers are not always believed and often spot the moon much later in the evening as the sun sets, especially in Summer, much later in Cape Town than in the rest of the country.Taraweeh has often been prayed by the time the report has reached the rest of the country. South Africans are renowned for taking more guidance from the British established institution of Diobhand in India than Saudi Arabia or Egypt…hence we are famous for always eating the first fast in Ramadhaan and fasting on Eid day. In SA we gladly calculate salaah times but are loathe to do the same when it comes to the moon. There needs to be clear guidelines and correct interpretation on a worldwide basis of the moon issue and when our months start and end so that we do not continue to be disunited and quibble over whether we see or calculate the moon’s movements while the West is already sitting on the moon!
all muslims should be united no matter where we live in the world and eid mubarak everyone
[...] This year has also seen the unity of Muslims on the matter of observing moon which is in contrast to many previous years when Muslims were divided on moon sighting issue. [...]
Wow, you’re so much more technologically inclined than I am. But I do so appreciate this website and the info it has provided me… and hope to take some time this week to read more. Love your blog!
CHAOS IN DECIDING IDD FESTIVALS IN INDIA
Moon Sighting Problems in India: The system of Hilal Committees, the work of Muftis and Imams of Grand or village Masjids, all sound on paper, scientifically well organised and superbly efficient, but unfortunately the ground realities are different. There is total chaos and confusion every year, in every part of India about the commencing and ending of fasting.
Let me narrate what happened in the year 2000. I was in my native village ( Ilayangudi) 500 Km from Chennai during Ramadan. We had completed the 29th day of fasting and our Tarawih prayers and it was ten at night. In Tamil Nadu, then, there were seven private cable TV networks and three Government channels and not a single station reported any announcement made by any of the Hilal committees, offices of the State Kadzi or Mufti.
Now to continue my frustrating story, at 10.30 p.m. that night I made a telephone call to the Chennai office of a leading Muslim monthly Samarasam and I was told that the Chennai Kadzi had not made any official announcement so far. It was 11.00 p.m. Then I made another call to a Grand Masjid at Angappa Naik Street, Chennai and received the same “Not sure” message.
Now my question is: Who is responsible for this chaos, confusion and uncertainty? Who is responsible for this incommunicado? What is the point of having Govt appointed Kadzis, the so-called Hilal Committees at the State and the Central levels and the umpteen Muslim organizations( NGOs) and Muslim based political parties if there is no constant communication between the leadership deciding these vital dates and the millions of their followers?
Elders say that, the situation was exactly the same in the year 1953 and I see absolutely no change after 50 years of massive advancement in information technology and scientific inventions.
There is no change in our leaders’ attitude towards their efforts in trying to reduce the hardships of 180 million people. There is something seriously lacking in us. It is such a shame that we celebrate the Eid one day in one town and another day in a different town even within the same District.
It is a simple scientific fact that the crescent is sighted after about 30-60 hours of Amavas.
Hence it is easy for Hilal committees, Muftis, Imams and Muslim organizations to monitor the situation and keep informing every 10 minutes after the Magrib prayers at the end of 29th day of fasting and keep up the communication flowing through private cable networks until the decision is made on the sighting of the moon.
I appeal to knowledgeable Muslim Brothers to take up the above matter with leaders at all levels influential Muslim individuals, Muslim political parties, organizations, associations, mass media, minority cells of political parties and even at the Prime Minister’s Level.
For decades, the Muslims of India never had a well managed and well organised centralized authority in deciding the start of the Fasting month (Ramadan) and deciding the last day of the fasting and the actual celebration of Idd’l Fitr. Hence I appeal to you to explore the possibility of instituting a good system, to start with for the whole India
A National Committee should be appointed (by an ad hoc committee of Muslim Organisations or other suggestions??) The Committee should make arrangements with the help of the Survey Dept (or a group of Muslims scientists) to sight the new moon at several vantage- points through out the State. For this purpose, the Central Committee should have sub-committees at other cities in the States. In Tamil Nadu for instance, the Wakaf Board can undertake this job by forming a Committee.
The work of sighting the moon should be well coordinated and monitored and all Television stations should start giving the messages at the bottom of the screen indicating, for instance:
“NO REPORT SO FAR ON THE SIGHTING OF THE NEW MOON”
Flashing of this message can commence, say from 8.00 p.m. the day succeeding Amavasai because the new moon is usually sighted about 30 hours after the point of time of Amavasai.
Supposing that the new moon is not sighted anywhere in India by the Central Committee or the sub-Committees, then TV Stations can immediately flash this on their screens and the same way if the new moon has been sighted.
In Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei and in very many Muslim countries the above system has been beautifully followed. We can do this in India, in spite of our minority status ( In terms of numbers we are huge)
The most unfortunate thing is that in spite of our financial potential, Muslims have not established a Private TV network. Still the Muslim businesses such as LKS Jewellers and others can make use of the existing TV services as they generate huge advt. incomes.
The present situation is extremely confusing as Muslims through out the country wait in great suspense whether they should commence the fast on a particular day and celebrate the Iddl Fitr on a particular day. In every village the Masjid administration tries to sight the moon or expect telephone calls from cities
It is common that Iddl Fitr is celebrated one day in one district and another day in another district. This is a very ludicrous situation in the age of advanced information technology, Internet facilities and scientific progress
I am very positive we can achieve this if many of us take interest in the matter and start discussing, exchanging ideas and start knocking at the right doors with petitions and appeals. It is such a big shame that even Muslim Bodies like Muslim league, Muslim Mashuwarat, Jamate Islami Hind, Jamiate Ulamae Hind and Personal Law Board, have all failed to achieve this at Govt. level for the past 5 decades in spite of their political clouts with the ruling parties. We can do this with or without the co-operation of the Govt.,. What we need is a small group of religiously spirited experts and a bit of funds to make TV stations agree to make continuous announcements
I do understand that some odd groups in our Ummah may not accept the findings of such a Central Committee that I have proposed. This is immaterial because it is up to the groups concerned to fall in line or not as there is no compulsion. But I am positive 90% of the rural Muslims will accept the decision and welcome a measure of this nature
P.A.Mohamed Ameen.
FASTING IN ISLAM:
P.A.Mohamed Ameen
There is enough medical literature to support the benefits of fasting but many seem to be not knowledgeable about the spiritual aspects from the Islamic point of view.
Prophet Muhammad said as follows” God does not want a person to a person to fast and forsake food, drink and sex if he ( she) does not give up lying and falsehood.
The reason give in the Quran for fasting is very simple, it says “ SO THAT YOU MAY ACQUIRE TAQWA” The Arabic word Taqwa means a self correcting faculty within the human person.
It is there to warn you even before even you have actually gone off the course and help you come back if you happen to have strayed.
Of course ONLY IF YOU WANT, TAQWA is auxiliary and facultative, that is why the Quran says “ SO THAT YOU MAY…..In Islam’s scheme of autonomy and answerability, there is nothing automatic: NEITHER GOOD NOR EVIL; NEITHER REWARD NOR CONDEMNATION
The grace and mercy of God is there but ONE HAS TO STRIVE AND DESIRE.
Being hungry and abstaining from pleasure of sex is no pleasure in itself except when it is for the sake of GOD ALMIGHTY.
Other Islamic rituals are different from Islamic fasting.
People can show off going to Haj or paying charity but how can you show off suffering from hunger. It is easy to tell a lie that you fast but eat secretly.
Fasting helps to crystallize and heighten one’s closeness to one’s Creator. It is different from ascetic experience as in other religions. The denial (food and sex)is not an end itself.
The same food and the same sensual pleasure become permissible as soon as the sun goes below the horizon. Voluntary hunger and intensive disciplining produces a unique bringing together of feelings and attitudes and demolish all barriers of ego and inequality.
Dignity of a person enhances due to hunger. Fasting is meant to enable man to be closer to his Master and prepare him to take the challenges and responsibilities that face him beyond the cocoon of his ego.
Ideas borrowed from Ismail Faruqis writings
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