Islamic Crescents' Observation Project (ICOP)

History of Islamic Astronomy: contributions, scholars, methods and institutions.
Astronomy in today’s Muslim societies: basic education, higher education, research and accomplishments.
Astronomical culture in today’s Muslim societies: general status, associations, museums and perspectives of revitalization.
Translation of (contemporary) Astronomical literature, website content and software.

Applications of Astronomy in Environment

Astronomy and Space Science serving the environment and monitoring potential or current problems.
Astronomy and Space Science serving agricultural and water projects and problems.

ICOP

Presentation and discussion of the report on activities during the previous period (2007-2009).
Presentation and discussion of the financial report during the previous period (2007-2009).
Election of the members of the Administrative Board and of the main committees.
Setting up a program for the next period (3 years).

Conference Location and Language

Conference languages are Arabic and English, with the support of direct translation between the two languages.

The conference will be held in The National Center for Documentation and Research in Abu-Dhabi, UAE.

Kindly click on this Google Earth file to see the conference location (NCDR) and the hotel location (Al-Manzel).

Video Recording and Satellite Broadcast

The conference activities will be recorded by video cameras.

Arrangements will be done with Aljazerah Satellite Channel to record the conference activities, to be broadcast on Aljazeera Mubasher channel later on.

Correspondence

Mohammad Odeh.

Address: P.O. Box 224, Abu-Dhabi, UAE.

Mobile: +971-50-8215336.

E-mail: conf@icoproject.org

Name of Participants

Name	Country	Organization
Mr. Abdallah Mokhtari	Algeria	State League for Scientific Activities and Technology for Youth
Mr. Abdel Malek Rabahi	Algeria	State League for Scientific Activities and Technology for Youth
Mr. Abdelmalek Boukhezzar	Algeria	State League for Scientific Activities and Technology for Youth
Mr. Amrane Tolba	Algeria	Ummel Bawaqi University
Eng. Ibrahim Daroui	Algeria	Ibn al Haytham Society for Science and Astronomy
Dr. Mohammad Khader Loucif	Algeria	Research Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics - Algiers Observatory
Mr. Wali Balkhear	Algeria	Ibn al Haytham Society for Science and Astronomy
Mr. Yassin Fodil	Algeria	Al-Shurooq Newspaper
Mr. Zinuldeen Zirwal	Algeria	Ibn al Haytham Society for Science and Astronomy
Mr. Taher Tujgani	Belgium	President of Scientific Council
Mr. Awang Salim Besar	Brunei	State Judiciary Department
Mr Hj Alibakar bin Hj Kassim	Brunei	Survey Department, Ministry of Development
Mr. Hj Murni bin Hj Abd. Rahim	Brunei	Survey Department, Ministry of Development
Mr. Shahrin Kadih	Brunei	State Judiciary Department
Dr. Ahmed Yehia el-Raffie	Egypt	National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences
Mr. Ayman Ibrahim	Egypt	The Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Dr. Mohammad Wisam Khadr	Egypt	Fatwa Secretary in Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah
Prof. Mosalam Shaltout	Egypt	National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics
Ms. Fadia Salmi	France
Eng. Martin Elsaesser	Germany	Munich Public Observatory
Prof. Mohammad Hawari	Germany	European Council for Fatwa and Research and Islamic Center in Achen
Prof. Susiknan Azhari	Indonesia	Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga
Mr. Aliakbar Nayyeri	Iran	University of Tehran
Mr. Alireza Mehrani	Iran
Mr. Kambiz Khaleghi	Iran	University of Tehran
Eng. Mohsen Ghazi Mirsaeed	Iran
Mr. Sayyed Rida Asfahani	Iran	Astronomical Researches and Studies Center
Eng. Seyyed Ghasem Rostami	Iran	Islamic Azad University
Mr. Seyyed Hadi Tabatabaei	Iran	Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics of Maragha (RIAAM)
Prof. Abed-Alqader Aabed	Jordan	University of Jordan
Dr. Awni Khasawneh	Jordan	AUASS
Ms. Basma Dhiab	Jordan	ICOP
Mr. Hassan Haidar	Jordan	Quds Press International - Amman Office Director
Ms. Hind Ghanem	Jordan	ICOP
Eng. Khalil Konsul	Jordan	AUASS
Mr. Muhannad Aulama Alhuseini	Jordan
Ms. Sanaa Abdo	Jordan	AUASS
Mr. Bashir Jarrah	Lebanon	Imam Awza'i College
Dr. Ibrahim Abu Shakra	Lebanon	Al Daa`wa College
Shaikh Khaldoun Aremed	Lebanon	Dar Al-Fatwa
Mr. Khaldoun Qawwas	Lebanon	Dar Al-Fatwa
Mr. Mohammad Ali Abdelrahman	Lebanon	Dar Al-Fatwa - Biqaa'
Shaikh Mohammad Qabbani	Lebanon	Lebanon Mufti
Eng. Mordi Ghadban	Lebanon	Azhar al Bekaa University
Mr. Abdalla Buzgaia	Libya	Manara for Islamic Teaching
Eng. Mansour Ashgefa	Libya	Libyan Center for Remote Sensing and Space Science
Dr. Azhari Mohamed	Malaysia	Department of Survey and Mapping
Mr. Kassim Bahali	Malaysia	Al-Khawarizmy Astronomy Complex
Prof. Mohd Zambri Zainuddin	Malaysia	University of Malaya
Dr. Saadan Man	Malaysia	University of Malaya
Dr. Abdul Hamid El Harama	Morocco	Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Prof. Driss Bensari	Morocco	President of Moroccan Astronomical Society
Eng. Jamal Eddine Abderrazik	Morocco	Moroccan Astronomical Society
Mr. Abdelilah Elamrani	Netherlands	Imams Society
Shaikh Abdulaziz Al-Baqqali	Netherlands	President of Imams Society
Mr. Galal Ali	Netherlands	Imams Society
Mr. Mohammad Ouakki	Netherlands	Imams Society
Mr. Abdul-Azeez Abdul-Rasaq Ishola	Nigeria
Mr. Qamardeen Muhammad	Nigeria
Mr. Simwal Jibril	Nigeria
Dr. Usman Jibril	Nigeria	Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affair
Mr. Aalih Al-Shuaibi	Oman	Oman Astronomical Society
Miss Abeer Al-Mozaini	Oman	Oman Astronomical Society
Mr. Ahmed Al Ruqashi	Oman	Royal Sultanate Court - Astronomical Observatory
Mr. Ali Al-Hana'i	Oman	Ministry of Education
Mr. Ali Al-Shibani	Oman	Oman Astronomical Society
Mr. Ammar Al-Rawahy	Oman	Ministry of Awaqaf and Islamic Affairs
Miss Asela Al-Fzari	Oman	Ministry of Education
Miss Fatma Al-Maamari	Oman	Ministry of Education
Mrs. Hanan Al-Siabia	Oman	Oman Astronomical Society
Mr. Harib Al Sulaimani	Oman	Royal Sultanate Court - Astronomical Observatory
Dr. Kahlan Al-Kharousi	Oman	Oman General Mufti Assistant
Mr. Khalid Al Jabri	Oman	Royal Sultanate Court - Astronomical Observatory
Mr. Malek Al-Dohani	Oman	Oman Astronomical Society
Mr. Marwan Shwaiki	Oman	PDO Planetarium Director
Eng. Mohammed Al-Hajri	Oman
Mrs. Moza Alberaki	Oman	Ministry of Education
Dr. Saleh Al-Shidhani	Oman	Sultan Qaboos University
Mr. Saud Al Kharusi	Oman	Royal Sultanate Court - Astronomical Observatory
Mr. Suleiman Hilal Al Busaidi	Oman	Royal Sultanate Court - Astronomical Observatory
Mr. Farahat Laabar	Qatar	Aljazeera Satellite Channel
Shaikh Abdulaziz Bin Saleh Al-Hmead	Saudi	Supreme Court
Dr. Abdullah Almisnid	Saudi	Qassim University
Eng. Abdullah Bashir	Saudi	Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS)
Dr. Abdullah Mnea'	Saudi	Royal Court Consultant and member of Council of Senior Scholars
Mr. Adel Bukhamsin	Saudi
Mr. Ahmad Aal-Ridwan	Saudi	Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS)
Dr. Ali Al-Shukri	Saudi	King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)
Mr. Faisal Al-Sultan	Saudi
Prof. Hassan Basurah	Saudi	King Abdulaziz University
Mr. Hassan Matooq Al-Qudaihi	Saudi	Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS)
Mr. Kahled Mnea'	Saudi
Dr. Khaled Al-Zaag	Saudi	Prince Sultan Complex for Excellent Students
Prof. Maher Nofal	Saudi	Taibah University
Mr. Mohammad Omair	Saudi	Islamic Sighting Council in Qateef and Dammam
Mr. Muhammad Aal-Ridwan	Saudi	Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS)
Prof. Muhammad Al-Habboubi	Saudi	King Fahad University for Petroleum and Minerals
Mr. Naser Aal-Ridwan	Saudi	Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS)
Mrs. Rabab Al-Qudaihy	Saudi	Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS)
Dr. Saad Al-Khathlan	Saudi	Vice President of Saudi Juristic Society
Prof. Saleh Al-Marzouqi Al-Baqmi	Saudi	General Secretary of Fiqh Council - Muslim World League
Mr. Saleh Al-Saab	Saudi	Head of National Center for Astronomy - King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
Mr. Sharaf Al-Sufiani	Saudi	Jeddah Astronomy Society
Mr. Tawfiq Al-Jassas	Saudi	Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS)
Mr. Waleed Al-Hashim	Saudi	King Faisal University
Mr. Younis Al-Omrani	Saudi	Ministry of Education
Dr. Yaseen Almleaky	Saudi	King Abdulaziz University
Shaikh Othman Mbow	Senegal	President of Dar Al Ummah
Eng. Mohamed Rasheed Mohamed Farook	Sri Lanka
Shaikh Mohsen Asenger	Sweden	Chairman of the Islamic Cultural Center of Stockholm
Eng. Ahmad Zaitoun	Syria	Syrian Amateur Astronomers Association (SAAA)
Dr. Firas Murad	Syria	Syrian Amateur Astronomers Association (SAAA)
Prof. Jalal Uddin Khanji	Syria	Ebla University
Eng. Yahia Sattoof	Syria	Syrian Amateur Astronomers Association (SAAA)
Dr. Ekrem Kelesh	Turkey	The Presidency of Religious Affairs The Republic of Turkey
Mrs. Humeyra Nur Azlek	Turkey	The Presidency of Religious Affairs The Republic of Turkey
Mr. Abdelaziz Khalidi	UK	Iqra Satellite Channel
Mr. Ahmad Ramadan	UK	Director of Quds Press International
Mr. Aziz Raje	UK	Wifaqul Ulama
Eng. Qamar Uddin	UK	ICOP - UK
Mrs. Mezabin Gani	UK
Shaikh Mohmed Shoyaib Nurgat	UK	Wifaqul Ulama
Shaikh Suliman Gani	UK
Mr. Tamkin Riaz	UK	Iqra Satellite Channel
Shaikh Yakub Munshi	UK
Mr. James Stamm	USA
Dr. Mohibullah Durrani	USA	Columbia University
Eng. Syed Khalid Shaukat	USA
Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah	USA	Executive Director of Fiqh Council of North America (ISNA)
Mr. Abdel Rehman Mohd Yousif	UAE	Bhuth
Mr. Abdul Hameed Jaffar	UAE	Omar Bin Al-Khattab School
Mr. Eisa Almazam	UAE
Mr. Hassan Hariri	UAE	Dubai Astronomy Group
Dr. Ibrahim Kursany	UAE	Bhuth
Mr. Johan Bekker Maree	UAE	Bhuth
Eng. Khalfan Al-Noaimi	UAE	President of Emirates Astronomical Society
Eng. Mohammad Odeh	UAE	ICOP
Eng. Moustafa Shaat	UAE
Mr. Naser Awawdeh	UAE	Omar Bin Al-Khattab School
Prof. Nidhal Guessoum	UAE	American University of Sharjah
Eng. Sakher Abdullah	UAE
Mr. Samer Al-Hakawati	UAE	Emirates Astronomical Society
Mr. Yasir M. Al Muqbel	UAE	Bhuth

Conference Program

Kindly Click Here to download the conference program.

Conference Photos

Kindly Click Here to see the conference photos.

Watch The Conference Talks

Kindly visit our videos page or the conference video album to watch the conference talks

Conference Resolutions

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the Emirates Astronomical Society (EAS), the Islamic Crescents' Observation Project (ICOP), and the National Center for Documentation and Research (NCDR) organized the second Emirates Astronomy Conference titled “The Role of Astronomy in the Islamic Society: Applications in Islam, Education, and Environment” in Abu Dhabi from 30 May to 01 June 2010 CE (16-18 Jumadal Al-Akhera 1431 AH). The conference was attended by dozens of scholars and experts and over 150 participants from 26 countries (Algeria, Belgium, Brunei, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, UAE, and USA).

The participants hailed the high level of the conference and applauded the participation of the scholars (of Astronomy Fiqh, and Jurisprudence) from the Muslim world and from the West. The conference participants discussed and adopted the following recommendations:

Organize the third conference on the same theme in two years, and workshops between astronomers and jurists/fuqaha to continue the progress that has been made on the issues under consideration.

Continue the discussions on the Islamic calendar with the aim of achieving greater agreement and reaching a formulation that is both acceptable to all and applicable as widely as possible, and submit to the relevant institutions and authorities what has been produced.

Request the relevant authorities not to call for attempting to observe the crescent on the 29th of the Islamic month if astronomical calculations show that the moon has not reached conjunction or has set before the sun.

Reject the testimonies of crescent which the established astronomical institutions reject definitively, even if they are claimed after conjunction and with the moon setting after the sun.

Include astronomers who have expertise in crescent visibility in the official committees that determine the beginning of Hejric months.

Continue and strengthen the studies of prayer times at high latitudes and publicize these studies for the benefit of Muslims of those areas in particular.

Collaborate with educational institutions in the aim of introducing chapters and modules on astronomy applied to Islamic issues in the curricula.

Conduct a wide survey to assess the level of astronomical knowledge in Muslim societies at large (schools, clubs, etc.) and work on remedying any deficiencies that will be uncovered.

Encourage and collaborate with the media in introducing regular newspaper and magazine columns and TV programs on Astronomy in place of Astrology, especially what relates directly to Islamic needs.

Strengthen the relations between the organizing parties of the conference and the astronomical, scientific, and official institutions of the Arab and Muslim world(s).

Publish the proceedings book with high scientific standards at the earliest and distribute to libraries so as to make it a prime reference on the subject for all researchers.

Publish a summary article about the conference in newspapers and magazines.

Post the main recommendations and results of this first conference on ICOP’s website and on partner websites.

Send a letter of grateful thanks and regards to His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, for his kind sponsoring of this conference and related activities.

Memorandum of Understanding Between Islamic Scholars and Astronomers

Glory to Allah, who stated beautifully in His Holy Book: “It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her, that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time) (Yunus/10:5) and stated: “They ask you about the crescents, say: they are timings for people and the pilgrimage" (The Cow/2:189) ; And prayer and peace on the best human, God's mercy envoy of the worlds, Mohammed ibn Abdullah, seal of the prophets and messengers, and on his companions and those who followed him until the day of judgment.

A group of Islamic scholars/jurists and Muslim astronomers and scientists held side meetings at the 2nd Emirates/ICOP Astronomical Conference held between 15 and 17 Jumada II, 1431 H, i.e. May 30 to June 1, 2010, to discuss a number of important issues in the field of Islamic Astronomy . The two sessions of consultation consisted of meaningful dialogues aimed at clearing up a number of misunderstandings, as well as discussions aimed at reaching agreements and finding mechanisms for collaborative action on issues such as how to establish the start of crescent-based months, how to construct an acceptable Islamic calendar, and what reasonable solutions can be proposed on the prayer times for Muslims living in regions of high latitudes.

The scholars and the scientists reviewed the current situation of the nation with regard to the above topics, discussed the specific problems and the difficulties raised by people and authorities in various places, and considered the recommendations of the previous conferences and symposia. The first stressed the importance of implementing the previous sound recommendations and solutions proposed by the past and present councils, conferences and symposia, and encouraged experts to exert their efforts to address any current issues that need further research and study. With Allah’s help and guidance, these consultative meetings culminated in reaching important points of agreement, which the two groups vowed to publicize and implement, namely:

The insistence to consider today’s astronomy as a systematic and rigorous science, one which has nothing to do with astrology or any other speculative ways.

The field of Islamic Astronomy deals with applications in the life of Muslims, such as prayer times, new crescents, and calendar. On these issues, the following points of agreement were established:

Regarding prayer times: based on the up-to-date papers presented at the conference and what has been reached in previous astronomical conferences and Fiqh councils, the bulk of the topic has been studied and scrutinized, but some issues have remained in need for further research and study, such as the prayer times at the high-latitude regions and some fine-tuning of the altitude of the Sun at Fajr.
One the visibility of the new crescent:
- The determination of the times of conjunction, sunset and moonset are very accurately obtained by astronomers.
- The models and criteria of crescent visibility have been substantially developed in recent years, with some Muslim astronomers having made important contributions (e.g. the Odeh criterion), and these have been adopted by the specialists, so that we now can rely on these calculations in scrutinizing the testimonies of witnesses (when the crescent is above the horizon).
Regarding of the construction of an Islamic calendar, the research has settled on two proposals: the unified calendar (Abdurrazik and Shaukat) and the bizonal calendar (Universal Hejric Calendar (UHC), Guessoum’s proposal and others), and the discussion is ongoing among specialists around these. It is hoped that the Um al-Qura calendar will be further developed so as to become close to one of these two proposals.

The importance of striving for the construction of a valid and accepted Islamic calendar, one which can be implemented in organizing Muslim life in its various avenues.

The insistence on the fact that astronomical information be sought and received from the established astronomical references, institutions which the Islamic Crescents Observation Project will be one of the main parties. Once these institutions have been identified and recognized, their recommendations and results will be adopted by the various bodies of Islamic jurisprudence and the authorities supervising Muslims in Islamic countries and in the West, particularly the Organization of Islamic Conference (through Organization of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and the Islamic World League.

Scholars and Astronomers/Scientists who took part in these meeting and agreed to this Memorandum of Understanding:

Dr. Akram Kelesh / Turkey / Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkey.
Dr. Zulfiqar Shah / USA / Executive Director of the Fiqh Council of North America.
Dr. Saad bin Turki Al-Khathlan / Saudi Arabia / Vice President of the Fiqh Association of Saudi Arabia.
Prof. Saleh bin Zaben Marzouki Baqmi / Saudi Arabia / General Secretary of the Fiqh Council of the Islamic World League.
Shaykh Tahir Altujgani / Belgium / Chairman of the Scientific Council of Moroccans living in Europe and Vice-President of the Association of Imams in Belgium.
Dr. Abdul Hamid Al Haramah / Morocco / Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).
Shaykh Abdul Aziz Al-Baqali / Netherlands / Chairman of the Imams Society in the Netherlands.
Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Saleh Al-Hamid / Saudi Arabia / Member of the Supreme Court.
Dr. Abdullah Bin Sulaiman Al Manea / Saudi Arabia / Advisor of the Royal Court and member of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars.
Sheikh Osman Mbao / Senegal / Director of the Islamic Center “Dar al-Ummah al-Islamiyya”.
Shaykh Dr. Kahlan Al-Kharousi / Oman / Assistant to the General Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman.
Prof. Mohammad Al-Hawwari / Germany / Member of the Islamic Center in Aachen and member of the European Council for Fatwa and Research.
Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Wesam Khadr / Egypt / Secretary of Dar Al- Fatwa”.
Sheikh Mohsen Asinger / Sweden / President of the Islamic Cultural Centre in Stockholm.
Prof. Jalal al-Din Khanji / Syria / Member of the Administrative Board of the Islamic Crescents Observation Project (ICOP).
Mr. Hassan Al-Hariri / UAE / Member of the Administrative Board of the Islamic Crescents Observation Project (ICOP) and Chairman of the Dubai Astronomy Group.
Prof. Hassan Basurrah / Saudi Arabia / Head of the Department of Astronomy at the King Abdul-Aziz University.
Dr. Khaled Al-Zaag / Saudi Arabia / Director of the Buraida Observatory.
Eng. Khalfan Al Nuaimi / UAE / Consultant of the Islamic Crescents observation Project (ICOP) and President of the Emirates Astronomical Society (EAS).
Dr. Saleh Shidhani / Oman / Secretary of the Islamic Crescents Observation Project (ICOP) and professor of astronomy at the Sultan Qaboos University.
Mr. Saleh Al-Saab / Saudi Arabia / Chairman of the Center of Astronomy at the King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology.
Eng. Mohammad Odeh / UAE / President of the Islamic Crescents Observation Project (ICOP).
Prof. Mosallam Shaltout / Egypt / National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (Helwan Observatory).
Prof. Nidhal Guessoum/ UAE / Vice President of the Islamic Crescents Observation Project (ICOP) and professor of physics and astronomy at the American University of Sharjah

ICOP Brief Video

ICOP Members; Basma Dhiab, Basher Saleh and Hind Ghanem had prepared the below video about ICOP. This video was shown in the opening session of the 2nd ICOP/Emirates conference.

ICOP Brief from ICOP on Vimeo.

The First Emirates/ICOP Astronomical Conference

Kindly visit the page of The First Emirates/ICOP Astronomical Conference to have an idea of the high scientific level of the conference, in that page you can watch some of the talks presented in the conference, also if you are interested you can get the conference proceedings book.