Moonsighting and the beginning of Ramadan

by britishmisk

Every year in the UK we have this fitna of starting Ramadan and celebrating Eid on different days. One group for some reason have decided to follow this new found bida’a (innovation) of following Saudi Arabia for the moonsighting. Even though their fiqh council hardly ever check any astronomical calculations or even go outside to look to see if the moon is actually there. (See here)

The other camp are along the right lines in starting Ramadan as per sighting the moon in the UK. However most of the time they do not rely in actually going to check if the moon is actually there but rely on astronomical calculations. But here is my complaint:

The calculations state it was IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE MOON TO BE SIGHTED ON THE 21ST AUGUST IN THE UK.

This is according to the Greenwich observatory, see here: http://www.nmm.ac.uk/ramadan

As well as crescentwatch.org, the movement set up by Zaytuna Institute to bring back the true Sunnah of moonsighting.

What has happened to our ‘Ulema and communities today?! It’s bad enough we have come up with this idea of not following the true Sunnah but relying on maps and charts. I remember a few months ago the Imam of my Mosque when talking about fate and the future saying you should never hold a weather report to be 100% certain, only Allah knows the true outcome of the future. But when it comes to this we take it as 100% accurate.

I have still decided to however go with my local community and started fasting on Saturday like everyone else. Though I am not 100% happy about it and it has dampened the start of my Ramadan.

I just hope that someone from amongst our ‘Ulema here in the UK will one day soon stand up for the truth and rightly guided Sunnah and takes us back to the way of the Salaf.

For more information on this topic:

Cesarean Moon Births Part 1 by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Cesarean Moon Births Part 2 by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Short Lecture on Moonsighting again by our eminent Shaykh Hamza.