Visibility of Ramadan's Crescent
1419 H

It is not possible to see the crescent on 18/December from anywhere in the Islamic World, it will reach the geocentric conjunction on 18/December at 22:42 UT. The Moon will set 11 minutes before sunset in Mecca, 7 minutes before sunset in Amman, and 5 minutes before sunset in Mauritania (The most western Islamic Country). While after sunset on 19/December, the crescent in the Middle East could probably be seen with difficulty by naked eye, and easily by telescopes. While in USA, it should be seen without difficulty by naked eye on that day. Thus, Ramadan must start on 20/December, if the actual sighting of the crescent is adopted.

Most people think that Saudi Arabia always adopt the actual sighting of the crescent as the basis to start Islamic months. But during the previous years, it was very clear to the public as well as to astronomers that most of the Saudi months were wrong if the actual sighting is the basis for starting the Islamic month. Fortunately, JAS received a telegram from The Highest Religious Council "Majlis al-Ifta' al-A'ala" in Saudi Arabia confirming that Saudi Arabia adopts the astronomical calculations and totally ignores the actual sighting. Below is a literal translation of this telegram.

"( To Jordan/ Al-Yadodeh/ M.Kh./ Al-Sook/ Mr. Hayel Mamdooh Abu-Zeid, dated January 21, 1998/Ramadan 23, 1418H.

We wish to thank you for sending us your greetings of Ramadan, and for reminding us of the date of the New Moon of Shawwal for the year 1418 H. We would like to remind you that determining the first day of the Islamic month is like determining the prayer times, and the aim of His Almighty from these times is to inform us not to take it as worship. It is adopted in Umm-ul-Qura Calendar that if the Moon's age at Sunset is 12 hours or more after the New Moon then the PREVIOUS day is the first day of the Islamic month, since the Islamic day starts at Sunset, and the night is before the daylight, as well as the time of fasting is in the civil daylight. May Allah accept your worship. May Allah bless this Ramadan. Thanking you for your good cooperation.

From: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/ Al-Riyadh/ The Higher Religious Council "Majlis al-Ifta' al-A'ala"/ Mohammad Bin Ehmead.)"

Mr. Hayel of JAS received other letters also, about the same subject, which were clearer than this telegram. The following example may make their system clearer: If for example 29th Dec is 29 Sha'ban, and the New Moon Phase occurs after Sunset in Riyadh, say at 11 pm on 29th Dec., then the next day (30th Dec.) at sunset (For example at 5 pm) the Moon's age will be 18 hours which is more than 12 hours, so that day (30th Dec.) is the first day of Ramadan, even though the New Moon was not even born at sunset on 29 Sha'ban (29th Dec.), and generally in such cases the Moon will set before Sunset!! Below is a copy of the telegram.

Just came from the official Jordanian meeting on 29 Sha'ban 1419 H (18 December 1998), in which Jordan declared that tomorrow (19 December 1998) is the first day of Ramadan !!

Well, the meeting started after the Maghreb Prayer. As usual the first claim came from Saudi, where we received a fax from Saudi said that they saw the crescent on 18 December 1998 after sunset, and so the next day (19 December 1998) is the first day of Ramadan !! Knowing that the crescent in Saudi set 11 minutes before sunset ! And it didn't reach the conjunction yet !! In addition, later on Qatar, UAE, and Iraq declared that 19 December is the first day too.

As Saudi, Qatar, UAE, and Iraq declared the start of Ramadan, so Jordan preferred to start it so as to make the Islamic nation as a one unity. So the crescent absolutely was not seen from Jordan. And for sure it was not seen anywhere on Earth at that day. But.... !!

It was "soooo" clear in the meeting that most of the official persons do not believe in the accuracy of the astronomical calculations, and they believed the claimed sighting in Saudi.

A talk between Jordan and Egypt lasted for five minutes, in which Egypt insisted on that Sunday is the first day, and the astronomers there rejected all the claims of sighting the crescent in the other countries.

Anyway this is not a surprise ! I was asked many times about Ramadan, and I always said, it must be on Sunday, but they will start it on Saturday !!!

What pleased us that several Islam scientists came to us after the meeting and informed us that they do believe the astronomical calculations.

Anyway, we as astronomers should give our calculations only, but the decision of the first day of Ramadan is for the Islam scientists.

JAS got the below E-mail from Mr. Saleh Al-Saab of the King Abdul-Azeez City for Science and Technology/Astronomy Department. In Saudi Arabia:-

Dear Br. Mohammad,

Ramadan Mobarak. Even though I believe there was no crescent, we joined the observation groups on Thursday and Friday but no body has seen it with me or with any other group (on Friday we were 18 men at the site using one telescope and several binoculars).

With Some hope I went to the site on Saturday 19/12 with three others using one telescope and two binoculars but we could not see the crescent which was seven degrees only above the Sun !!

According to the authority the crescent has seen by many people, but I am sure they had seen any thing but not the real crescent !!

Anyway we started fasting but I wish if we had a right beginning.

Best Wishes
Saleh Al-Saab

- Saudi:

It is clear from the above E-mail from the Saudi astronomer that the crescent could not be seen on Saturday from Saudi !

- Jordan:

15 members of JAS gathered today Saturday 19 December 1998 to observe Ramadan's crescent from Amman / Jordan. Our location was Marj Al-Hamam, which is the most western area in Amman, from where we were able to see the Dead Sea and Palestine !

From that area if we were at the sea level, then the Sun had to set at 16:35 local time, but as its elevation is 946 meters above the sea level, the Sun set at 16:37.

The crescent set 40 minutes after sunset. So we tried to see it by naked eyes, binoculars, and telescopes, BUT we did NOT see the crescent. The sky was clear, with a very soft haze patches above the horizon, which could be the reason for not seeing the very thin crescent

We wonder if we as an astronomical society was not able to see the crescent on Saturday after sunset, then how could who claimed sighting the crescent on Friday be able the see it by NAKED EYES 24 hours before our observations !! We DO congratulate him for his superb vision which enables him to see objects beyond the horizon !!

- South Africa:

Dr. John Caldwell of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) sent us this E-mail: "Observers Dave Laney and John Caldwell (SAAO) Location Kloof Corner 440m altitude close to all the usual crescent observing lookouts (Signal Hill 350m, Greenpoint 0m, etc.) Weather was bad one hour before sunset and got worse. A storm blew in from the west (the crescent direction) with high wind and damp thick mist at our altitude. We had to abandon our location about 20 minutes before sunset or get soaked and frozen. No possibility of visibility from km around, in our opinion."

- Morocco:

We received the below E-mail from Dr. Hamid Touma, in Rabat:-

Concerning the crescent of Ramadan, In my town, Rabat, it was foggy the night of 19-20 December 1998. But the Moroccan TV mentioned that some people has seen the crescent in south Morocco.

Sincerely yours,
Dr. TOUMA Hamid

- USA and Canada:

JAS received the below E-mail concerning USA and Canada:

The National Shura Council represents the four major Islamic Organizations in North America:

1. Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
2. The Ministry of Imam Warithuddin Mohammad
3. The Islamic Jamat of Imam Jamil Al-Amin
4. The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA).

The National Shura Council of USA/Canada has decided that RAMADAN 1419 AH starts on the day of Sunday 20 December 1998 for USA/Canada.

There were authenticated sightings of the Hilal in USA/Canada, at: Phoenix Arizona, El-Paso, Texas, and California.

RAMADAN KARIM TO ALL and may Allah (swt) accept our fasts, our Tarawih prayers, our Qayam ul Lail (Tahajjud) prayers, our Iteqaf, etc., amin.

Dr. Mohib Durrani

Dear Odeh,

Please put the following on your net, and ask the people to be part of the moonwatch on Dec. 19 and 20 even if they start fasting on any other day.

Omar

Dear Brothers and sisters in Islam,
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah

For all those who are interested in a moonwatch on Saturday, Dec. 19, 1998 please note the following information.

• Conjunction December 18 - 22:42 GMT plus 2 hrs. equals
• Conjunction December 19 - 00:42 LST (a.m.)
• Sunset December 19 - 16:38 (6:27 to 16:38 = moon is 15 hrs. 56 min. old)
• Moonset December 19 - 17:18 )moon is up 40 minutes) "Not Visible with Naked Eye"
• Sunset December 20 - 16:39 (plus 24 hrs. = moon is 39 hrs. 57 min. old)
• Moonset December 20 - 18:10 (moon is up 1 hour 31 min.)

Please record the required details for BOTH evenings. Scan the skies in the direction of sunset, over an area up to 30 degrees South and 30 degrees North of the actual point of sunset. and 10 to 20 degrees above the horizon. It must have become sufficiently dark enough after sunset (approx. 20 to 30 minutes) in order to be able to see the white crescent of the new moon. It may be very slim, just a sickle shape line. Your detailed information is very crucial for determining the accurate beginning of Ramadan.

Dr. Omar Afzal
Chairman Committee for Crescent Observation Intl.

The Kuwaiti astronomer's explanation of the beginning of Ramadan 1419 on Saturday, Dec. 19, 1998 is very interesting. See the news from Al-Watan of Kuwait (date 12/14) and today's al-Qabas as a news item from KUNA.

• Ramadan begins on Sat. 19 Dec. in Kuwait.
• Ramadan crescent will not be seen on Friday in Kuwait.
• Friday, Dec. 18: IT IS NOT even the NEW MOON in Kuwait or any place in the Middle East. It will become NEW after passing Chicago, USA. The moon will set 10-15 minutes BEFORE sunset in Kuwait, Mecca, Cairo, etc.)
• In Kuwait a crescent moon may be seen in the second evening after the first day of fasting. (It is extremely doubtful that a crescent moon can be seen in Kuwait, Mecca or Cairo on Sat. Dec. 19 evening. Try for yourself.
• As a matter of fact, the earliest a crescent moon will be seen on Saturday evening would be in the Carribean, Mexico, southern and southwestern USA.
• Will it be not interesting if 'several witnesses' ('Udul' ??) testify from many Middle Eastern states that they have SEEN a crescent moon on Friday evening (8 hours BEFORE the birth of the NEW MOON), and their testimony is authenticated by these governments?
• Let us see how the Muslims react to this news of Friday sighting.