Ramadan moon sighting vital
Cleric: Ramadan moon sighting vital
By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent
Published: August 23, 2008, 23:47
Riyadh: The Senior Ulema Board in Saudi Arabia has rejected any attempt to
make Muslims depend on astronomical calculations to decide the beginning
of Ramadan.
In a press statement, Shaikh Abdul Aziz Al Shaikh, the grand mufti of
Saudi Arabia and chairman of the Senior Ulema Board, stressed that the
beginning and the end of lunar months should only be determined on the
basis of sightings and not by any other means.
"Shariah does not accept astronomical calculations based on mathematical
computing as the basis for the beginning and ending of Ramadan," he said.
The fatwa announced by the grand mufti came after a series of meetings
held by the Senior Ulema Board in which it discussed the possibility of
depending on both the moon sighting and astronomical calculations.
Dismissed suggestions
The board members concluded that the sighting of the moon should be the
basis of the month's beginning, although three of its members supported
the idea of depending on astronomical calculations.
Al Shaikh cited a Hadith of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) 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."
Al Shaikh warned, "If anyone doubts our moon sighting, fasting and
feasting, it shows his weak faith and defective perception."
The grand mufti added that it is obligatory for Muslims to start fasting
when any Muslim known for his honesty and healthy eyesight claims to have
sighted the new moon.
"This is the practice in the kingdom," he said, dismissing suggestions
that Muslims may depend on astronomical calculations to begin fasting in
Ramadan and celebrate Eid.
Check for full details:
http://www.gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi_arabia/10239512.html
That would make far too much sense Timbo!
Well I hope they see it on 30 August and see it again on 30 Sept because I have booked my holidays.
Surely a better solution for the nation would be to have the Eid holidays as state holidays declared in advance as close as possible using astronomical calculations.
The actual religious dates can be observed by the moon but if the state holiday was declared in advance it would be much easier
It's got nothing to do with the calculations potentially being wrong (which is highly unlikely, but whatever). It's because the Prophet says "when you see", so that is what Muslims do - wait until they see it.
Hadith of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) 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."
Muslim should follow the teaching of The Holy Qur'an and Hadith of Prophet(SAW). Thats why even in this time of sophisticated astrological calculation, mulsims rely on sighting of moon than rely on the calculations. The calculations can be right or wrong according to the methods/person.
That the first "man" to spot the moon at the beggining of Ramadan is awarded 5000QR by the Islamic Ministry (sorry dont know the full name, the one in Al Saad"... Is this true??
Thanks for posting. I asked a few days ago on QL why they relied on physical sightings rather than predicting it scientifically, but no-one was able to answer.