1st of Rabiut-Thani 1430 = 28th of March 2009 in UK

[Colonel_Hardstone]

Asslamo Allaikum,

Due to massive campaign in Britain by Ulama and others (Islam Channel ads etc.) to urge the Muslims to revive the Sunnah of sighting the moon, it was sighted on Friday the 27th of March 2009.

Today (Saturday the 28th of March 2009) is the 1st of Rabiut-Thani 1430.
This blows away the theory of those who claim that moon cannot be sighted in this country.

Since Saudia has no systems and mechanisms for moon sighting (other than Ramadhan) this also blows away those who claim to follow the Sunnah via Saudi sighting.

P.S: Despite best attempts moon was not sighted in Pakistan as Asian Ulama (unlike Saudees) also follow this monthly Sunnah.

[NNoor]

So in the case of months other than Ramadhan, does the sighting in one country suffice for all others or not? Or is it that it could be rabi al awwal in one country and rabi al thani in another?

[Colonel_Hardstone]

So in the case of months other than Ramadhan, does the sighting in one country suffice for all others or not? Or is it that it could be rabi al awwal in one country and rabi al thani in another?

Ramadhan or no Ramadhan, the answer is the same.

Its best to follow local moonsighting and if that isn't possible to follow closest place(s).

Please read the Fatawa below on the subject.

http://www.wifaqululama.co.uk/fatwas.html

P.S: Saudi Arabia is neither close to UK nor closest Muslim country nor on similar latitudes nor on several timezones. It makes no sense to follow them

[NNoor]

Too many fatwas for me to read on that page! Which one specifically, please?

Also, theoretically speaking if there was a unified islamic state spanning multiple time zones, how would the calendar work out? Would it still be based on local sighting, or would it be allowed to adopt the solar calendar for logistical purposes, while using the lunar for religious dates?

Thanks.

[daywalk3r]

UK:-


Not Seen/Partly Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Maqsood Fazel said: "Tried to observe from 6:50 to 7:15pm, partly cloudy but NOT SEEN, even used Celestron 15x70 binocs!"

Seen: ICOP member Mr. Abdurrashid Ayoubi from Kettering said: "The moon was 28 hours old when seen very clearly between the clouds. All in UK should start the new month of Rabi Thani tomorrow Saturday 28 March 2009 InshaAllah."

Seen: ICOP member Mr. Suliman Gani from London said: "Over 15 of us sighted the hilal from the roof of Balham Masjid without any difficulty. Mashallah."

Seen: ICOP member Mr. Qamar Uddin said: "This is a combined report from ICOUK members from different parts of UK. I am pleased to inform ICOP members that on Friday 27 March 2009 after sunset, the youngest crescent moon (Hilal) has been sighted in many places in UK, including York (Sutton Bank), Birmingham, Oxford and London. We also received negative reports from other towns (e.g. Edinburgh, Batley etc) due to cloudy sky conditions. Therefore, the Ulama have decided that the month of Rabiul Awwal 1430 AH will have 29 days and the month of Rabiul Thani (or Rabiul Akhir) 1430 AH will start from Saturday 28 March 2009, Insha-Allah. Please see below a list of observer names, together with a couple of photos. May Allah rewards them all for reviving the Sunnah of this months Hilal sighting in UK.
Qamar Uddin, Report Submitted: 28 March 2009, 12:30 hrs GMT.

London (South): Shaykh Sulayman Gani from Balham Mosque (plus 20 observers).

London (East): Maulana Shoyaib Nurgat and Br Abdul Aziz from Masjid-e-Umar, Walthamstow (plus 10 observers), Br Nagman from Madressa Targhibul Qur'aan (plus 8 student observers); Br Yakub from Upton Lane.

London (North): Br. Abdul Karim and Ustaad Salah Khan from Woodgreen (negative sighting/cloudy)

Birmingham: Ziaur Rahman from Handsworth Park (with mobile phone photos supplied).

Batley: Mufti Zakaria Akudi (and many others, but negative sighting/cloudy).

Edinburgh (negative sighting/cloudy): Wahid Irshad from Campus)

York Qamar Uddin, Hatim Salih, Dawood Wilkinson, Qutub Uddin, Zaidan Ali, Abdur-Rahman Alajlan, Sami Alresaii, Fayez Almutairi (negative sighting/cloudy).

Oxford: Dr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti (plus 2 observers) on the way from Oxford to Banbury."

http://www.icoproject.org/icop/rat30.html


Ziaur Rahman from Birmingham, UK reported: Seen
Alhamdulillah! i have made a positive sighting of the hilal of rabiul akhir 1430AH @ 1910hrs. I spotted the hilal outside the handsworth leisure centre in handsworth park, birmingham. along holly lane looking towards grove lane. the quality of the camera on my phone was poor and was unable to take a proper picture. however i will go back and see if i can get a picture identifying the hilal.

Dr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti (MCW member) Oxford UK reported: Seen
Positive sighting in Oxford. The three of us sighted the Rabi' al-Akhir crescent on the way from Oxford to Banbury at the end of the 29th day of Rabi' al-Awwal (Friday, 27 March 2009). We sighted the crescent at 19.10 (position: approximately 270 degrees West; altitude around 8 degrees). The horizon was partly cloudy on the western horizon and the orientation of the crescent was 180 degrees. This positive sighting means that the first day of Rabi' al-Akhir in the UK is tomorrow, Saturday, 28 March (beginning from today's Maghrib).

Aziz Raje (MCW member) Walthamstow, London UK reported: Seen
Alhamdolillah, we have news of positive sighting on the 29th of Rabi ul Awwal (Friday 27th March). 10 of us were on top of the roof in Masjid e Umer, Walthamstow, London, including the Imam, Mowlana Shoyaib after Maghrib Salah at 18:45. It was partly cloudy at first and the Horizon was also partially red near the 250 / 280 degrees West to South West. At 18:55 all of us had a clear view of the Hilal of Rabi ul Awwal with naked Eye. It was around 265 / 270 degrees West. We also had positive sighting reports from Croydon, Forest Gate and Ilford. Wifaq ul Ulama have therefore announced that the 1st day of Rabi ul Thanil 1430 in the UK will be on Saturday 28th March Insha Allah.

Modoris Ali (MCW member) Birmingham UK reported: Seen
I had seen the crescent moon at 6.55pm after performing Maghrib prayer at the Mosque at Plant Street Mosque on Friday 27 March, Cradley Heath. People at the Mosque also seen the moon, I helped them to recognise the moon, where the moon was. The moon appeared very thin.

http://www.moonsighting.com/1430rbt.html