Zil Hajj moon sighted in Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities announced that the month of Zil Hajj would begin on Thursday. Accordingly the Day of Arafat would fall on October 3.
In Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will convene on Thursday, September 25 to sight the crescent for Zil Hajj, 1435 AH.
According to the press release issued on Tuesday, the meeting of central committee will be held at Pakistan Meteorological Department’s Camp Office at Met Complex in Karachi, while the Zonal and District Committees will hold their meeting at their respective places on the same date and time to decide the sighting of crescent of Zil Hajj.
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Asslamo alaikum There are many genius and intelligent commentators on the credibility of moon sighting authorities of KSA on the basis of astronomical calculations without comprehending the truth that this science in still in the womb and is not reliable. I am +75 years old and have experienced numerous incidents when these calculations were proved wrong. The latest one being that, excepting a few one, most of the astronomical sites had thumbed the moon visibility for Ramdhan in USA and even in KSA In the evening of Jul 27, 2014. That is why ISNA (Islamic Society of North America, the most powerful organanization governing the religious affairs of North America) and it's followers and even KSA Ummul Qura Calender had predefined the start of Ramdhan on Jul 28, 2014, but it happened no where in the world. While ISNA sticked to the calculations without caring or bothering for moon sighting results, KSA obeyed the actual moon sighting by delaying the start of Ramadhan to Jul 29, 20014 and correcting their Calender accordingly. I am asking the world of critics as to why KSA did not start from Jul 28, 2014 in spite of astronomical support? And secondly where does the authenticity of genius calculations stand?
The others blame that KSA keeps on waiting for and also avails of the visibility of moon in the countries west of Saudi Arabia. This is yet another lie. The Court announces the result just by Isha prayers and this time for first Dhilhajj they did not take more than half an hour to announce the moon sighted.
KSA moon sighting committees and finally the court consist of religious, scientific and social scholars. We depend upon them and do not want anybody creating doubts In our minds in this respect.
I request the intelligent and Islam lovers to kindly be merciful and get off the back of Saudi Arabia and mind their own business to look after their own countries problems. Best regards
I wonder, In this time and age of information, howcome there is no one to question the credibility of the saudis? Who are the ones who saw the moon? Was there anybody else in the same region who saw the moon? Was it seen elsewhere in neighboring countries? As per the visibility curve it was absolutely not posssible to sight in any country around Saudia.
@BTW:
You have a valid point, but pre set calendar cannot be same for entire world. It has to be pre set for each country or region, based on scientific calculations and visibility curve of the moon in that specific region.
Here is the reason why. Saudi rule says that if moon was not sighted (or chance of sighting) they will wait till there is a chance (or actual sighting) in countries west of Saudi Arabia, They will wait till Fajr time in Saudi Arabia. Based on today's sunset and Fajr time in most of Saudi Arabia that gives them about 10 hour 40 mins. Alaska time is 11 hours behind Saudi time. So if moon was pre mature when it was sunset in Saudi Arabia (which it was this year) and it matured enough to be visible (scientifically or actually) 11 hours later in Alaska, Saudi Arabia can still announce new month.
However this year it was still not possible to see in Alaska or other places in the same time zone. First visibility was only possible in Polynesian Islands.
There are many other factors. For example some organizations that support fixed calendar, follow "moon birth" and not moon age or chance of scientific visibility. Science tells us that moon has to be of a certain age in hours, and be above horizon certain degree to be visible by human eye. We are not factoring in climate here.
Other some organizations calculate fixed calendar, but based upon actual chances of visibility (age of moon, degree on horizon and Human sight factors). You can see moon visibility curve on many sites.
Now there is a problem with these two fixed calendar calculation methods as well. With both of these fixed calendar methods. New months starts at a specific global time (usually GMT). Now at that specific moment, many countries are already into next date. What to do then?
So whatever method one chooses it has to be regional. Fixed (both Moon birth or first Moon visibility chance) or Actual sighting method.
There is total consensus among Muslims on prayer times. We pray according to local Sun sighting or position (sun could be behind clouds but we know where it should be). We can do the same with moon sighting.
@AKRAM: The new moon wasn't born until 09:14 on the 24th of September in Mekkah, so it could not be seen until the evening of the 24th.
@BTW: The moon has to be sighted by the naked eye. If it is not sighted, then we must complete 30 days before the new month begins.
Just curious - KSA may not follow a pre-set calender, but moon does, governed as it is by well-understood laws of gravity. Thus its being in a particular position or phase at a particular time is entirely pre-calculable. So why should any sighting be required to announce any important day? And why should any change in pre-set calender be necessary if its properly calculated? So actually a pre-set calender should be followed sans dependence on sightings.
It is a misconception that saudi Arabia follows a pre set calendar. I have been living in saudia and have seen the government actually change the calendar after sighting of the moon.and there is a moon sighting committe also.
Moonset in Makkah tul Mukarmah is 6 minutes later than Sunset so it can be seen
Ahhh, once again no chance of any moon sighting in Saudi, or even any country in west of Saudi Arabia. Why do they lie every time. Saudis follow pre set calendar. They have been for years.
Haj e Akbar