International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Sunday 02 February 2003 from Iran by ICOP members; Mr. Asadollah Khoddam Mohammadi and Mr. AliReza Mehrani.

Saturday 01 February 2003

• Indonesia:

  1. ICOP member, Dr. Thomas Djamaluddin said: "Reports from 45 locations in Indonesia said that hilaal failed to be seen, partly due to cloudy. Government announced that 1 Dzulhijjah 1423 is 3 Feb 2003, Eid al adha on 12 Feb. Only Muhammadiyah by using "wujudul hilal" announced that Eid on 11 Feb."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Muzakkin Thoha said: "On Saturday 1st February 29th Thul Qadah I followed a crescent observing group at Tanjung Kodok (112°21' long, -6°52' lat, 10m elev), East Jawa, Indonesia but the sky was cloudy and haze, then we hard be able to observe the cresent. However all of Indonesian official crescent observing group in some different location reported that the crescent CANNOT be seen. Alhamdulillah, since no one reported that the crescent can be seen The Indonesian government, officially the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced yesterday, that 1stThul Hijjah 1423 AH would fall on Monday, 3th February 2003, so the Eid al-Adha will fall on Wednesday 12th February 2003."

• Malaysia: ICOP member, Mr. Kassim Bahali said: "The western horizon was totally cloudy and raining. The hilal was not seen. 1st day 0f Zulhijah 1423 AH announced officially on Monday 3 Feb. 2003."

• Brunei: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir said: "Survey Depertment and Judges Department personell went to sight the crescent on 1/2/2003 as a formality only. As expected, the crescent was not seen. We also went to sight the crescent on the next day (2/2/2003) but the crescent was also not seen even though the crescent was almost one hour above horizon. This was because our western horizon was very cloudy."

• Saudi: ICOP member, Mr. Anwar Al Muhammad said: "On Saturday 1 February 2003, we tried to sight the new crescent of Tho Al-Hejja in the eastern area of Saudi Arabia “Al-Aujam- 26:33N, 49:47E”. We were sure that it could not be seen because it sets 4 minutes before sun set, but we want to show for the other people who do not know. To do so, we used a computerized 10” LX-200, and we aligned it at the night before and we checked its alignment and capability by directing it toward some stars (Enif, Deneb) and Saturn which we could see its ring at the day time. Exactly at 5:18 pm (4 minutes before sunset 5:22 pm) the telescope indicated that it is under horizon. Surprisingly, some people (about 3) in the nearby place claimed that they saw the crescent by the naked and they keep looking on it until 5:50pm (about 30 minutes after sunset). We keep the telescope to next day (Sunday 2 Feb), the western horizon was very clear and the crescent was very thin such that I could see it by naked eye but through telescope and its view finder. The observation events were:

  1- The apparent sun set: 5:22pm.
  2- The actual sun set from horizon: 5:22pm.
  3- First observation of the crescent in telescope: 5:50 pm.
  4- Disappearance of the crescent from the eye piece: 6:07pm.

  Simple question raises, if the crescent disappear from the telescope 10 minutes before it sets, how could it be seen yesterday?

• Jordan: ICOP member, Mohammad Odeh said: "No attempt for crescent observation was done since the Moon sets before the Sunset."

• Egypt: ICOP member, Mr. Omar Fikri said: "The crescent was not seen although it was clear sky."

• Morocco: Dr. Abdelkhalek Cheddadi said: "The Moroccan Awqaf Ministery declared that the crescent of Dhul-Hijja was not observed on Saturday evening (29 of Dhul-Qi'da). So 1st of Dhul-Hijja is Monday, February 3, 2003. Eid al-Adha will be on Wednesday, February 12. Kull aam wa antum bi khayr!"

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Mr. Usman Dukku said: "Five of us attempted sighting the crescent but we did not see it.The horizon was cloudy here in Bauchi."

• South Africa:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim Snr said: "The Hilaal was not sighted anywhere in Southern Africa on the evening of 01/02/2003. The official first day of Dhul Hijjah 1423 will correspond to Monday 03/02/2003, and Eidul Adha will be observed on Wednesday, 12/02/2003."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Hashim Salie said: "The Hilaal was not sighted in Cape Town or anywhere in South Africa on Saturday, 01 February 2003. The United Ulama Council announced that Eidul Adhaa shall be on Wednesday, 12 February 2003. The Majlisush Shura Al-Islami, Islamic Council of South Africa and the Muslim Assembly is delaying the decree for Eidul Adhaa, until such time that the date for the Wuqoof on Arafah 1423 is announced by the Saudi Arabian Darul Iftaa. May Allah accept our worship and efforts and the efforts and worship of our Hujaaj specifically. KOELLOE AAM WA ANTOEM BI KHAYR."

• Ireland: ICOP member, Mr. James McKenna said: "A small portion of the horizon where the sun set was behind low distant hills. A normal size writing pen held at arms lenght would be approximately the distance above the horizon obscured. The remaining horizon is sea." He mentioned that he couldn't see the crescent.

• USA:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Jim Stamm said:

     February 2003
     
     Time from new at sunset = 14 hours 09 minutes
     
     I was NOT able to see the crescent, even through a telescope.
     
     Location  = Tucson, Arizona (USA)
     Longitude = 110.9645 W
     Latitude  =  32.4204 N
     Elevation = 842 meters
     
     The sky was covered by banded cirrus clouds;  70% opaque, 20% 
     translucent, and 10% transparent.
     
     Local sunset at   5:57 p.m. (MST)  01 Feb. 2003
     UT Time and Date of sunset = 00:57 02 Feb. 2003
     

  2. ICOP member, Dr. Mohib.N.Durrani said: "The skies were fully cloudy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA."

  3. ICOP member, Dr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "The New Crescent was not seen on Saturday, February 1st, 2003 in Opa Locka Florida, USA after Sunset. The skies were clear.

     The New Crescent was observed at 6:35 PM in Opa Locka, Florida, USA on Sunday, February 2nd, 2003 by myself, my sister and uncle.

     Groups:-
     Sultan Hafiz reported from Guyana, that attemps were made to observe the New Crescent by the members of Rose Hall Town Masjid and Rose Hall Town Islamic Center on February 2nd, 2003. Due to extensive rainy clouds New Crescent observation was impossible but other communities will see the New Crescent.

     Eid Ul Adah in the Entire Guyana will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 12th, 2003.

     Eid Ul Adah in the USA will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 12th, 2003 by millions of Muslims and on the day declared by Majlis Al Qadah Alala of Saudi Arabia.

• Trinidad and Tobago: Mr. Ali Abdurrahman mentioned that the crescent was not seen.

Sunday 02 February 2003

• Iran:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Asadollah Khoddam Mohammadi mentioned that he could see the crescent by naked eyes.

  2. ICOP member, Mr. AliReza Mehrani said:

     Time from new at Sunset = 27 hours 17 minutes
     Date: February 2, 2003
     Location: Adib Astronomical Society, Esfahan, IRAN
     Longitude: 51:41 E
     Latitude: 32:38 N
     Elevation: 1500 meters
     Time zone: +3.5
     Sunset at 05:20 p.m. (LT) (behind high mountains)
     Crescent first observed through 15x80 binoculars:
     Time = 05:40 p.m. (LT)
     Crescent first observed with the naked eye:
     Time = 05:50 p.m. (LT)
     Final observation with naked eye:
     Time = 06:15 p.m. (LT)
     Final observation with binoculars:
     Time = 06:15 p.m. (LT)
     

• Saudi: ICOP member, Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "Today it was easy to see the crescent by a small binocular and by the naked eye from my roof top." Br. Saleh added that none of the 6 Official Hilal sighting committess saw the Crescent on Friday or on Saturday. He mentioned to me that Majlis Al Qadah Alala asked the people to look for the Hilal on the 28 and 29th day of the Umm Al Qura Calendar.

• Kuwait: ICOP member, Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "On Sunday 2 Feb 2003 I was able to sight the crescent moon only wiht 20*60 binoculars fixed on tripod -with difficulty - our local sunset was at 17:25 & our moonset was at 18:23. I sighted the crescent at 17:40 (that's 15 minutes after sunset) until 18:00 (that 's 23 minutes before moonset) which means that it was hazy at the western horizon (due to very fine dust, humidity & haze).

• Bahrain: ICOP member, Mr. Fathi Mayoof said: "As expected, the crescent was seen by naked eye and binocular very easily"

• Syria: ICOP member, Prof. Hasan Bilani said: "The sky near the western horizon was cloudy."

• Algeria: ICOP member, Mr. Bankih Bankacem said: "The Dul Hija crescent was easily observed by four persents in Bahmed Oumoussa (Beni Isguen)."

• Kenya:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Mahmood Essa said: "I am happy to let you know that I was able to observe the Thul Hijujah crescent quite easily this evening of 2/02/03, so tomorrow 3/2/03, will be our first day of the month and thus inshallah, Eid al adha will be celebrated here in Kenya on Wednesday 12/02/03, barring those who usually follow Saudi Arabia."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Ali Darani said: "The Cresent for Dhulhajj was seen today 02/02/03 and we are commencing the said month tomorrow Inshaallah. However the present Chief Kadhi of Kenya made an advertised statement in November, 2002 vide our local media that for Ramadhan and Eid ul Fitr will be by local sighting (within Kenya) and for Eid - ul - Adha will follow Saudi Arabia."

• Nigeria:

  1. ICOP member, Mr. Usman Dukku said: "We sighted the moon easily here in Bauchi."

  2. ICOP member, Dr. Sani Mustapha mentioned that the crescent was seen by naked eyes.

• Germany: ICOP member, Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned that the sky was cloudy.

• UK: ICOP member, Mr. Mohammad Baig said: "We have snow and rain in UK. No efforts were made to sight the crescent due to the cloudy weather. The first of Dhul Hujjah is on 3rd of February. However, Eid-ul-Adha will be a split affair in UK as usual, as some will follow the events in Saudi Arabia rather than their own horizons."

• USA:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Sighted the crescent this evening of Sunday 2nd, to the left side of the Sunset, local time 5:33pm here in Buena Park, California. The top horn of moon was between 12 & 1, the bottom horn was between 7& 8."

  2. ICOP member, Dr. Mohib.N.Durrani said: "The Hilal for the month of Zul-Hajj 1423 AH was easily seen at many places from eastern USA/Canada on the evening of Sun 2 Feb 2003 CE. The Hilal was NOT seen yesterday evening on Sat 1 Feb 2003. This makes the 1st day of Zul-Hajj 1423 AH as the day of Mon 3 Feb 2003 CE for USA/Canada."

Sunday 02 February 2003:-

1. Saudi
2. Kuwait
3. Bahrain
4. Jordan
5. Syria
6. Egypt

Monday 03 February 2003:-

1. Indonesia
2. Malaysia
3. Brunei
4. Iran
5. Morocco
6. Kenya
7. South Africa
8. UK
9. USA & Canada
10. Guyana
11. Trinidad and Tobago