Sighting the New Moon of Ramadan

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First of all, we would like to state that Muslims should strive and do their best to achieve their unity in all aspects, not only in the beginning and end of Ramadan and celebrating the `Eids. It is against the spirit of Islam to see Muslims in the same country divided in their rituals and their Islamic dates and events. The Islamic spirit is against division and disunity. That is why Muslims are not allowed to hold two congregational prayers in one mosque at the same time.
According to the view of the majority of scholars and jurists, if the new moon of Ramadan appears in the East first, people living in the West should abide by it, and vice versa, in order to agree on the day to commence fasting.

However, if this unity cannot be achieved nowadays, then Muslims in each country must be united and start fasting on the same day. The dilemma of Muslims in the West is that they are divided between their locality and their countries of origin. Some are inclined to follow their countries of origin or major Muslim centres. This, in fact, causes division among Muslims living in the West and they fail to achieve the least level of unity regarding their Islamic dates and events.

Moreover, this causes Muslims problems with the authorities in these countries and deprives them from some of their rights. For instance, Muslims cannot demand the day of `Eid as a day off if they do not agree on a certain day.

Here, we would cite the Fatwa issued by the European Council for Fatwa and Research regarding sighting the moon of Ramadan:

The beginning of Ramadan and Shawwal is decided as a result of sighting the moon, either by the naked eye or by means of observatories, when made in any Islamic country by sound legal means, in accordance to the prophetic saying in the authentic Hadith: ‘When you see the crescent begin your fasting and when you see it again break your fasting’, and in another narration:

‘Fast when you see it (the crescent) and break your fast when you see it’. This is on condition that the firm scientific astronomical calculations do not contradict the possibility of such sighting in any country.

If these calculations rule out the possibility of sighting, however, the sightings of individuals are rejected and refused as they may have occurred out of mistake, imagination or even a false and untrue claim. Moreover, the testimonies of individual witnesses constantly carry the element of imperfection, whilst astronomical calculations are sound and unequivocal, and the scholars have agreed that what is imperfect does not stand up to nor overtake what is deemed firm and sound.

The Council also affirms that by astronomical calculations, by no means is it referring to the prohibited and outlawed astrology, nor is it referring to the various calendars which have become widespread throughout Islamic countries, as many may believe. Rather, we mean by astronomical calculations, the fruits of the modern science of astronomy which is built upon sound arithmetic and scientific bases, which has advanced enormously and helped man to reach the moon and other planets, and in which Muslim scientists all over the world, have excelled.’

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