The following questions were asked by Syad Ishtiaq Hussain Indrabi, Pakistan vice Consular (1992-1995), Manchester, U.K and answered by Mohummed Hanif, Director of Moon Research Centre, in the presence of Nasim Alam Rana (Chief Editor of Aina News) . This interview took place in September 1995.
Q1. Why is M.R.C interested in finding the solution to the Moon sighting issue?
A1. Nearly every Muslim today wishes that he/she celebrates Islamic festivals like Eid and Ramadan beginning on a same particular day in their town or city, but the policies adopted by different groups do not allow this to happen. In most towns or cities, the mosques run by different groups continue in a manner which shows no flexibility. Agreements are signed reluctantly and truce broken afterwards due to rigid policies. At the signing ceremony every group makes sure that the sentences of truce are written in such a way that the policy of their choice falls in to it.
If all groups in every town or city in Britain choose a single policy with a majority vote, then the unity can be achieved in that particular town or city, then the World Moon Sighting Committee will not be required. Thus, the wish of the Muslims in Britain will be fulfilled, with adoption of different policies (democratically) in different towns and cities. This system was tried and tested repeatedly in the past, but it failed to bring about any fruitful results. Ulama' - E - Kram were blamed for this failure of the system who believed that the policy adopted by their group alone was the right policy.
Note:
The majority of the groups wish that there was a central Moon Sighting Committee in the UK whose decision should be accepted by all groups but at the same time they are reluctant to accept the decisions made by the U.M.O. or another existing central moon sighting committee of Great Britain.
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Q2. What makes M.R.C believe that the proposed policy will succeed while the policies adopted by others prior to this have failed to bring about unity among Muslims in Britain during Islamic festivals?
A2. Moon Research Centre has adopted a policy of understanding and cooperation among Muslims, Muslim scholars and non - Muslims. It does not believe in interfering with the policies practiced about moon sighting by various religious groups which they have adopted after so much hard work and effort being put in to it by their own beloved leaders and friends. The Moon Research Centre has not put forward it's own policy, instead it combined the policies adopted by all groups to reach a solution which might be suitable for all the Muslim Ummah and which is also according to Qur'an and shari'ah. Every policy tried in the recent years has failed to bring about unity among Muslims, while the proposals put forward by the M.R.C has not been put in to practice yet. Therefore, it is vital to test them. If this method fails then other new ways could be found. After all, it is the duty of a Muslim to seek a comprehensive solution to this problem.
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Q3. For argument sake, if the world moon sighting committee in the form of Islamic Shariah court as part of the O.I.C. becomes a reality, what makes M.R.C think that the Islamic groups in Britain will obey and follow the decisions made by the committee?
A3. M.R.C. believes that a world moon sighting committee (W..M.S.C) in the form of Islamic shari'ah court, will not only solve the problem of crescent sighting but will also serve to solve the other controversial problems faced by the Muslims in the world. (Mufti Muhummed Munir-uzman Chishti, Rochdale, U.K, favours the policy of having a world shari'ah court which will help to solve the problems faced by Muslims due to different sects in Islam). As far as the Islamic festivals are concerned the decisions taken by the W.M.S.C. will be announced over radio and television network by every Muslim country in the world. For example, if the crescent of the moon is sighted in zone one, the radio and TV of every Muslim country including Saudi Arabia