Moon Sighting

[Tabassum07]

Salaam,

Tell me, why is everyone following calculations to decide when Ramadan is? Why don't they use the Sunnah to see the moon by their eyes first and then decide?

I was looking at *removed* and it shows that the moon can't be seen in the US on the 29th of Shabaan, which would mean Shabaan would be 30 days and Ramadan should start on Thursday. But everyone, without any regard for the moon, is saying that Ramadan begins Wednesday.

The site also said that UK also made calcuations and would start on Wednesday, but the group Ahle Sunnah Wa Jamaah adamantly said they would only use the Sunnah for the moonsighting, and their group will start Ramadan in UK on Thursday.

Why can't everyone do the same?

Why? Why? Why??

 

[BrotherInIslam7]

I know .. We get frustrated about this same topic every year !

I believe ISNA too has unfortunately adopted the calculation method. That's when our humble Islamic center stopped following them.

But we do have a moon sighting body in Texas. I believe they are located in Austin. So InshaAllah we will do it the right way. I believe the masajid in Houston do the same as well.

Btw I believe that some organizations just follow Saudi Arabia. So as soon as it was announced that Ramadan starts there on Wednesday, many places made the same announcement.

 

[ShahnazZ]

The majority of the masajid over here are going based on Saudi moon sightings and as a result, the majority of the Muslims over here are going to fast tomorrow.

Ughh every year it's the same issue. From what I know, it's based on locality and we fast based on the moonsighting of OUR country and not Saudi Arabia. I have no idea what the justification is for following another country's moon sighting.

 

[samiha]

:salam2:

I pray this doesn't become an Issue on TTI. The scholars have declared by concenses that the beginning and end of Ramadaan begin with the sighting of the Moon. Now those who try to push in calculations and say they are the preferred and more authentic method for declaring the onset of Ramadaan are doing something which is incorrect. This fatwa has more information on that regard.

The website was removed, because some of what it promotes ... is a basis for further dispute and aggravation between Muslims, in a matter which has a difference of opinion, and a matter which should be respected. In certain articles of theirs they have discredited the testimony of Muslims in various areas based on their 'calculations' but in Islaam we have belief in the words of the trustworthy.

And the Issue of World vs Local Moonsightings, there is a clear difference of opinion. As was mentioned in Fiqh as-Sunnah:

Volume 3, Page 112: Different Locations
According to the majority of scholars, it does not matter if the new moon has been sighted in a different location. In other words, after the new moon is seen anywhere in the world, it becomes obligatory for all Muslims to begin fasting, as the Prophet said: "Fast due to its sighting and break the fast due to its sighting." This hadith is a general address directed to the whole Muslim world - that is, "if any one of you sees the moon in any place, then that will be a sighting for all of the people."
According to 'Ikrimah, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, Salim, Ishaq, the correct opinion among the Hanafiyyah, and the chosen opinion among the Shaf'iyyah, every "country" (or territory) is to take into consideration its own sighting and not necessarily to follow the sighting of others. This is based on what Kuraib said: "While I was in ash-Sham, the new moon of Ramadan appeared on Thursday night. I returned to Madinah at the end of the month. There, Ibn 'Abbas asked me: 'When did you people see the new moon?' I said: 'We saw it on Thursday night.' He said: 'Did you see it yourself?' I said: 'Yes, the people saw it, and they and Mu'awiyyyah fasted.' He said: 'But we saw it on Friday night. We will not stop fasting until we complete thirty days or until we see the new moon.' I said: 'Isn't Mu'awiyyah's sighting and fasting sufficient for you?' He said: 'No . . . This is the order of the Messenger of Allah.' " This is related by Ahmad, Muslim, and at-Tirmidhi.
About the hadith, at-Tirmidhi says: "It is hassan sahih ghareeb. Scholars act in accordance with this hadith. Every land has its sighting." In Fath al-'Alam Sharh Bulugh al-Maram, it is stated: The [opinion] closest [to the truth] is that each land follows its sighting, as well as the areas that are connected to it."

Thus those who follow Sau'di based on the view of the Majority of the scholars, then alhamdulillah for that, and those who believe that it is more correct of the two to adhere to local sightings then alhamdulillah for that. In any case there are scholars who back it, and as laymen we shouldnt over critisize either of these two legitimate ways of beginning and ending the month. This is my opinion and Allaah knows best.

However as a community, I encourage everyone to follow their community unless it is very apparant what they are doing is wrong and that they rely solely on calculations.

Here is a fatwa to elaborate below:

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: the fact that the moon rises at different times in different places is a well-established fact; no scholar disputes this. However, the scholars differ as to whether this matters or not.

Secondly: the question as to whether different times of moonrise is something that matters is a theoretical question in which ijtihaad is permissible. Those who have knowledge of science and religion differ on this matter, and this difference of opinion is permissible; the one who has the correct opinion will have two rewards, one for being right and one for making ijtihaad; the one whose opinion is wrong will still be rewarded for his ijtihaad.

The scholars’ differences on this matter may be described as one of two: some of them thought that the differences in the times of the moon’s rising was of significance, and others thought that it was not. Both groups cite evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and maybe even quote the same text, such as the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “They ask you (O Muhammad) about the new moons. Say: these are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for the pilgrimage…” [al-Baqarah 2:189] and the hadeeth, “Fast when you see it [the new moon] and stop fasting when you see it…” The difference is one of interpretation of the texts, as each group has its own methods of deriving evidence.

Thirdly: the committee has looked at the issue of confirming the new moon by calculations and what was said on this matter in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and they have studied the opinions of the scholars on this matter. They decided unanimously that astronomical calculations do not count when it comes to confirming the new moon for shar'i purposes, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fast when you see it [the new moon] and stop fasting when you see it…” and also: “Do not fast until you see it [the new moon] and do not stop fasting until you see it…”, and because of the evidence that is derived from these ahaadeeth.

The Standing Committee on Scientific Research and Fatwas (al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa’) thinks that the Muslim students’ union (or any other group representing the Muslim community) in countries where the government is not Islamic should take the place of an Islamic government in the matter of confirming the new moon for the people living in those non-Islamic countries.

On the basis of the above, this union has the choice of two options: either to consider the differences in times of moonrise to be of significance, or not to do so. Then they should inform all the Muslims in their country what their opinion is, and the Muslims have to follow what they have been told, so as to unite the Muslims in their fasting and to put an end to disputes and confusion. Everyone who lives in those countries should try to sight the moon in the place where they are living, and if one or more trustworthy persons sight the moon, they should fast according to that and tell the union to spread the news. This is at the beginning of Ramadaan; at the end of the month there has to be two witnesses to see the new moon of Shawwaal or the completion of thirty days of Ramadaan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fast when you see it [the new moon] and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is cloudy then complete the month with thirty days.” And Allaah knows best.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/109

I hope everyone has a great Ramadaan inshaAllaah and that Allaah allows each and every one of us to get the most out of this month.

wasalam

 

[Tabassum07]

Oh well. I'm still curious whether anyplace in the US starts Ramadan on Thursday, or if everyone's going for Wednesday?

But we do have a moon sighting body in Texas. I believe they are located in Austin. So InshaAllah we will do it the right way. I believe the masajid in Houston do the same as well.

Ah, akhi, I'm in Houston no longer.. It's been a few months since. But alhamdulillah, my parents got immigration visa in record time, and so I'm with my family in Minnesota now. Houston was a pretty place though.. and so much halal food!!
So what did the moon sighting body decide??

 

[BrotherInIslam7]

Ah, akhi, I'm in Houston no longer.. It's been a few months since. But alhamdulillah, my parents got immigration visa in record time, and so I'm with my family in Minnesota now. Houston was a pretty place though.. and so much halal food!!
So what did the moon sighting body decide??

:salam2:

Yes, the halaal food in Houston (especially on Hilcroft) is really awesome. I don't find the city pretty though. Minnesota is too much of a frigid zone, can't imagine living there. Anyhow..

This is what hilalsighting.org says :-

There were no confirmed naked-eye Hilal sighting reports from anywhere in USA and Canada on Aug 11, 2010. Hence we compelete 30 days of Shaban and Ramadan 1431H starts on Aug 12, 2010 (Thursday). Ramadan Kareem

But our mosque declared 1st of Ramadan tomorrow. I don't know who they are following honestly. I am a bit surprised.

Wasalaamalaykum waa rahmatullahi

 

[muslimda3ee]

:salam2:

let me raise a questions:

If you were educated in Islam to a point of being a scholar, where would you prefer to reside? who would you want to be among? where would you want to be buried?

We follow the Sunnah and jama'a, so if there is a general consensus by most of the muslims, than we should follow that and leave it up to Allah to sort everything out.

A scholar told you do this, and you with your intellect, accept his opinion because you know he is upon the truth, than it will be on the scholar if there is anything wrong.

wa Allah ya'lam

ramadhan mubarak, and I am very pleased/thankful that I made it to this point.

personally, I don't trust these so called web sites, you just don't know who is behind the scene.