Reports & Articles

POLICIES ADOPTED IN BRITAIN BY MUSLIMS IN CELEBRATING ISLAMIC FESTIVALS

Why is there a difference in sighting the moon crescent?

Muslim and non Muslim astronomers and Muslim scholars have discussed in detail the problems associated in sighting the crescent and numerous conferences have taken place in the UK, U.S.A and certain Muslim countries regarding this issue. A number of formulae or policies have been adopted of which nine are at present being acted upon by the majority of the Muslim population in the UK.

These are described below :-

(1) If any authentic news of the crescent sighting is received from UK or any Muslim country, then it will be acceptable for the next day to be the 1st of the next Islamic month. (This statement is not based on observatory information, due to disbelief in observatory, but the crescent is only seen with the naked eye -- stated by Maulana Muhummed Yaqub Miftahi, Central Moon Sighting Committee of Great Britain, London (formaly lived in Blackburn), U.K) To read more and full article please visit www.aslam21c.com.

Note :-

A number of Mosques in the UK are applying this formula. It is based on an argument that the prophet (messenger) S.W.W. asked us not to use "Hisab" (calculation) for checking the authenticity of claims. Taking into consideration another saying of Prophet S.W.W. some Muslim scholars have solved the problem by stating that if authentic news of crescent sighting from one place reaches the people of another place then it will be compulsory for them to act on it. Similarly, If the crescent is sighted in the east then it will become compulsory in the west to act upon it and vice versa.

(4) UK Ruyiate Hilal Committee (Meeting held on 11 December 1997 at 8:15pm at Tooting Islamic Centre, London).

The Committee decided to follow the formula recommended by the International Islamic Conference of 1984, such as:

i. The determine the 1st of lunar calendar the new moon after its birth should remain on the local horizon even for a short time after the sunset, on the 29th of current month.

ii. If it is not sighted locally, we have to find out whether it was sighted in any Muslim country.

iii. If no such news are received, we have to complete 30 days of the current month.

(Reported by Dr. Mahbub Ahmad, Secretary on 17 December 1997)

(5) On the birth of the moon, after sunset, if the moon is on the horizon according to the UK Royal observatory and information about sighting of crescent is received from UK or nearest Muslim countries, then it will be acceptable for the next day to be the 1st of the next Islamic month.

Note :- Some of the Muslim population in the UK is applying this formula.

(6) On the birth of the moon, after sunset, if the moon is on the horizon according to the UK Royal observatory and any authentic news of the crescent sighting is received on the last day of the Islamic month from the U.K or any Muslim country, then the next day will be accepted as the 1st of the next Islamic month.

Note :- In 1984 ambassadors of all Muslim countries and religious parties signed an agreement to use this formula. The majority of the Muslim population in the UK (we believe) is still applying it. The agreement was broken by certain groups after only two years. The reason for this was that, it was found that the information received from Saudi Arabia and some other states about the crescent sighting was being given even before the birth of the moon according to the Saudi Arabian Royal observatory and UK Royal observatory. The crescent sighting information received from Pakistan and some other countries was sometimes reported 2 or 3 days later. So some religious leaders regarded the news of crescent sighting from Saudi Arabia as being incorrect. But one religious group who wholly believe in whatever Saudi Arabia announces therefore entirely disagreed with the UK Royal observatory information. This caused the unity to break down after only two years.

(7) UK ISLAMIC MISSION

On the birth of the moon (before sunset) if the moon stays on the horizon for at least 12 minutes after sunset according to the UK Royal observatory and any authentic news of the crescent sighting is received on the last day of the Islamic month from the U.K or any Muslim country, then the next day will be accepted as the 1st of the next Islamic month. (Stated by Chaudhary Abdur-Rahim, U.K Islamic Mission).

Note :- This policy is used by U.K Islamic Mission in preparing an Islamic calendar and also acting on it in many parts of Great Britain.

(8) According to the Royal observatory, On the birth of the moon after sunset, if sighting of crescent is possible with the naked eye then the next day will be the 1st day of the next Islamic month. (Alama Zafar Mehmood Frashwi, Vice President of Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jammat, U.K)

Note :- According to this formula sighting of crescent is only possible after 16 hours have elapsed, this is based on the moon being 8 degrees away from the conjunction, a straight line drawn from Earth to the Sun. In other words where conjunction means, an alignment of two celestial bodies in the solar system, usually the sun and a planet, in our case the moon, that occurs when the angular distance between them as seen from Earth (i.e. the angle Moon - Earth - Sun) becomes zero. Also it had been calculated that the Moon travels 1 degree in approximately 1.98 hours anti-clockwise. With the moon being 8 degrees away from the conjunction, it is acceptable that it can be seen with the naked eye. Some religious leaders believe this is in line with the Qur'an and Hadith.

This formula is adopted by majority of the mosques in Rochdale, three major mosques in Manchester and by some mosques in other towns and cities in England and Scotland.

(9) According to the Royal observatory, On the birth of the moon after sunset, if sighting of crescent is possible with the naked eye and If any authentic news of the crescent sighting is received from UK or nearest Muslim countries, then the next day will be the 1st day of the next Islamic month. (Maulana Samir-ud-din of Burnley,U.K)