International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Sunday 25 March 2001 from South Africa by Mr. Hashim Salie of the Crescent Observers Society. The crescent was also seen on this day from .......

Sunday 25 March

• Brunei: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir said: "The crescent was only 4 degrees above horizon, so it was difficult to sight the moon, further more it was cloudy in our western horizon."

• Saudi: ICOP member, Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "It was dusty here so I did not try to see the crescent that was 7.5 degrees above the horizon at sunset."

• Algeria: ICOP member, Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "The Western horizon was hazy, that we have not seen Venus."

• South Africa:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Hashim Salie of the Crescent Observers Society said: "The hilaal for Muharram 1422 was sighted in Cape Town, from Signal Hill, The hairline like crescent was seen in a very bluish part of the darkening skies. We wish all Muslims a properous 1422 InshaAllah."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim Snr said: "On Sunday (25 March 2001) my group of five, equipped with binoculars, proceeded to a vantage sighting locality south-west of Cape Town (33:56 S, 18:28 E) and arrived there at 18h00. We had pre-prepared charts plotting the orbit of the lunar disc with sky positions and times. The western sky was scattered with cloud cover and very hazy on the horizon with about four patches of blue some 20 + degrees above the western horizon. There was a fair amount of upper atmospheric turbulance as witnessed by the ever changing cloud patterns. Apparent sunset was at 18h 50m 34s, and moonset was at 19h 26m 25s. The optimum sighting time-frame would have been from 19h11 to 19h16. Unfortunately, cloud cover obstructed our line of vision and we were not able to sight the Hilaal, either with binoculars or with the naked eye."

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Mr. Usman Dukku said: "The whole sky was hazey due to the seasonal Saharan dust carried by the northeast trade winds. Even the sun disappeared fifteen minutes before the actual sunset."

• Bosnia and Herzegovi: ICOP member, Mr. Kemal Sehbajraktarevic said: "Due to the cloudy weather over Sarajevo the crescent couldnt be seen. According to the (Moon calculator) the crescent over the Sarajevo will be insa Allah posiblle to seen at 26.03.2001. (tomorrow) Official first day of Muharrem in Bosnia is 26. March acording to the calculations but not to the actual sight of crescent."

• USA:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Regret to inform you unable to sight moon this evening of Sunday 25th, in Buena Park, California. Tried very hard but unsuccessful due to overcast and clouds."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "I LOOKED FOR THE CRESCENT ON THE 25TH OF MARCH, 2001 AT SUNSET, IN DAVIE, FLORIDA, USA. THE HORIZON WAS OBSTRUCTED BY CLOUDS AND CRESCENT OBSERVATION WAS IMPOSSIBLE."

• Trinidad and Tobago: ICOP member, Dr. Shirin Haque-Copilah said: "Unable to see crescent since there was a patch of clouds directly at the position where the crescent was expected."

Monday 26 March

• Brunei: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir said: "The crescent was first visible in the thodolite and then can be seen by naked eyes at 18:46 i.e 15 minutes after sunset. The crescent can be seen for ten minutes."

• Maldives:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Ahmed Salih said: "The Sun set behind a small island but upper limb could be seen until 3-4 minutes before setting time. Crescent was seen at 0627 about 12 minutes after sunset. Wishing all members a happy new year. Seen the crescent yesterday was tried but it was not visible. Perhaps it could be due to clouds at over the horizon, but this is doutful."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Muthasim Fahmy mentioned that he saw the crescent by naked eyes.

• Iran:

  1. ICOP member, Mr. Amir Hasanzadeh mentioned that he could see the crescent by naked eyes.

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Soheil Khoshbin Far mentioned that they could see the crescent by naked eyes.

  3. ICOP member, Mr. Asadollah Khoddam Mohammadi mentioned that he could not see the crescent due to the cloudy weather.

• Yemen: ICOP member, Dr. Mojahid Najem said: " it was raining in Sana'a,I could not see the crescent. Yesterday (Sunday) it was cloudy. and I coluldn't see the crescent also. Officially Yemen has started Muharam on Monday."

• Algeria: ICOP member, Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "The crescent was observed easily in spite of the haze which was on the western horizon. Happy new year to all muslims."

• Morocco: ICOP member, Dr. Hamid TOUMA said: "I am pleased to inform you that the first day of Muharram 1422 in Morocco was officially declared by the Moroccan Gouvernment in national TV for the tuesrday 27 March 2001. The Crescent was be visible on Monday 26 March 2001 just after the SunSet. It was goodly visible and it has 42 hours of life. As you know the New Moon was on Sunday 25 March 2001, at 1h 20mn (UT)in the morning (AM). And just after the Sunset on the same day (25/3/2001)the Crescent has only 17hours of live in the Maghreb, so it was very difficult to observe it. I would like to ask my friends in others contries if they are sincerly observe the Crescent on the Sunday 25 March 2001 juste after the Sunset. For the others contries who have declared the first Muharram for the Sunday 25 March 2001, I am afred that they have seen some things other then the Crescent in the Sky. It is impossible to observe the Crescent before Sunday 25 March 2001, so before the New Moon. I would like to take this opportunity to wish to you and to all members of ICOP and to all muslims in the World a good New Year 1422. Thank you."

• Kenya: ICOP member, Mr. Mahmood Essa said: "I am happy to report that the new crescent for Muharram was easily sighted this Monday evening and we thus completed 30 days of Dhul Hejjah. Tomorrow Tuesday 27/3/01 is the first day of Muharram 1422 in Kenya. I take this opportunity in wishing all ICOP members a Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Islamic Year."

• Nigeria:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Aminu Lukuman said: "I saw the crescent this evenning (26/03/2001) at about 6.55 p.m here in Lagos and according to our calculations this is perfectly okay. Therefore, today (26/03/2001) is the actual sighting of the crescent in Nigeria and is the beginning of the new islamic callendar year (i.e today is Insha- Allah, Muharram 1). Please do not be deceive, sunday (25/03/2001) is wrong to be regarded as Muharram 1 in Nigerian. Remember Thul Hejjah 1, in Nigeria was sunday (25/02/2001) february. Thanks and Happy New Islamic Callendar Year."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Usman Dukku said: "The western horizon was more cloudy than it was yesterday but the Saharan dust was less. The sun disappeared behind the clouds about half an hour before sunset.The crescent was extinguished by atmospheric extinction. Figures for crescent altitude are approximate since fingures were used in the estimation."

  3. ICOP member, Mr. Isiaq Alabi said: "The New year crescent was sighted here on the evening of Monday 26th, March. Happy New Year. Maa Salam."

• Germany: ICOP member, Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned it was cloudy.

Sunday 25 March:-

1. Nigeria

Monday 26 March:-

1. Brunei
2. Maldives
3. Yemen
4. Saudi
5. Egypt
6. Bahrain
7. Kuwait
8. Malaysia
9. Indonesia
10. Oman
11. UAE
12. Jordan
13. South Africa
14. Bosnia and Herzegovi

Tuesday 27 March:-

1. Iran
2. Kenya