Blog: The end of Ramadaan and the sighting of the moon

As Muslims around the world have been fasting during the holy and purifying month of Ramadaan, all Muslims look forward to the end of the fasting period, the celebrations of Eid-ul-Fitr for the peace reached with Allah and with humanity, the creation of Allah according to Islamic teachings and beliefs. Islam means surrender, submission to the Creator of the Worlds through and in the achievement of peace. Islam was sent not only to certain tribes or people, but to the whole of humanity in a spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood, in a spirit of sharing, especially with the orphans, the poor and the needy. But before Muslims can celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, the sighting of the moon with one’s plain eyes is important in spite of the fact there are scientific calculations which specify the exact time as to the appearance of the moon.

Non-Muslims often ask themselves, rightly, why Muslims must see the moon before celebrating Eid-ul-fitr when scientific ‘advancements’ are accurate in predicting the exact time of the ‘birth’ of the moon. In reality, in the times of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), Arab intellectuals already knew the astronomical calculations for moon sighting but the Prophet still insisted that the moon had to be visible to the naked eye. In Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Book of As-Saum, Hadith number 1909 (page 86), as narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Holy Prophet said : « Start observing Saum (fasts) on seeing the crescent moon (of Ramadaan), and give up observing Saum on seeing the crescent-moon, and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha’ban. » Sha’ban is the eighth month of the year in the Islamic calendar. Muslims can fast for 29 or 30 days before Eid. They are not allowed to fast on the day of Eid, but they can replace missed days after Eid

As narrated by Ibn ‘Umar in Hadith number 1913 (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, page 88), the Holy Prophet said « We are an illiterate nation; we neither write nor know accounts. The month is like this and this, i.e., sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of 30 days. » The term « illiterate » here means that most Arabs were ordinary people and not intellectuals versed in calculations about astronomy. The Holy Prophet did not want a few intellectuals to have a monopoly on the sighting of the moon. The sighting of the moon with the naked eye is Sunna and this practice has been going on for over 1400 years. Literally, Sunna means « road » or « practice ».

The real problem is found in the fact that in the same city or region, various Muslim organisations tend to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on different days. In the same city, Eid is often celebrated on three consecutive days simply because of competition between the Hilal committees, meaning the committees which announce the sighting of the moon. Such competition is regarded as divisive and not allowed in Islam : « And be ye not as those who separated and disputed after the clear proofs have come unto them. » (Qur’an, Al-Imran, Chapter 3, Verse 105).  Also, many Muslims want to follow Saudi Arabia even though they are not living in the Arabian region.  Others tend to follow their country of origin when whey should unite in the region they are residing as prescribed (Qur’an, The Cow, Chapter 2 Verse 185).

It is worth noting that in Islam, Muslims follow the lunar calendar which is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar calendar. This gives Muslims around the world a chance to fast during all seasons. Otherwise, for example, some will always fast in the long days of summer while some will always fast in the shorter days of winter. The cycle of the lunar calendar meets the starting point of the solar calendar every 33 years. The adoption of the lunar calendar is regarded as scientific and fair.

EID MUBARAK