International Astronomical Center

• When to Observe ?
• Results of Observation
• The First Day in Different Countries
• The Accuracy of The Astronomical Calculations.
• Related Links.

The geocentric new Moon will occur Inshalla on Saturday 07 September 2002, at 03:10 UT. On this day, the program Moon Calculator by Dr. Monzur Ahmed -according to Yallop criterion- showed that crescent can be seen by optical aid from Western parts of Asia and from Africa, while it can be seen by naked eyes from parts of America Continents. According to the actual sighting of the crescent, the start of Rajab should be on Sunday (08 September) or on Monday (09 September) in the eastern parts of the world. Kindly click on the below icon to see the visibility parabola as plotted by the program Moon Calculator

- Results of seeing the crescent, and the first day of the month in different countries will be added here Inshalla as we receive the reports from ICOP's members. If you wish to be a member in ICOP, or to know more about it, kindly click here.

• Brunei: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir said: "We have tried to sight the new moon of Rajab on 7/9 and 8/9. On 7/9 it was cloudy and failed to see it. On 8/9, we tried again and the crescent was seen for a few minutes before it disappear behind the cloud."

• Singapore: Mr. Ibrahim Muhammad Ridhwan said: "In the following of Islamic calendar in Singapore, the month of Rejab, falls on Sunday,9 of September 2002. Frist of Rejab 1423 Hijrah. Ok that the news about the frist month of Rejab and Ass'salamu'alaikum to all the readers." He mentioned that the sky was partly cloudy.

• Iran:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. AliReza Mehrani said: "Despite using all the technical possibilities (12" LX200 and 8" telescopes, 20x120 and 40x150 binoculars) we could not observe the crescent due to the dusty condition of horizon. A report has been received that a professional Iranian astronomer in Zarand, Kerman has observed the crescent by means of a 40x150 binoculars. Experts are investigating the issue; and I will report the findings soon."

  2. Mr. Mohsen G. Mirsaeed was able to see the crescent, he kindly sent us this detailed report.

• Saudi:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Anwar Al Muhammad said: "Around sun set of Saturday, 7 Sep, I had tried to sight the new crescent of Rajab. But I could not. Although that the crescent was above horizon with at most 6.3 degrees at sun set in our town (Qateef-East of Saudi), and the crescent stayed at most 33 minutes after sun set, some people as usual claimed that they saw it by naked eye. I think we are in critical zone at this month, but it is difficult to see the crescent by naked eye."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Ismail Al-Abdulmohsen mentioned that the sky was hazy and no crescent was seen.

• Jordan: ICOP member, Mohammad Odeh said: "Two 10" computerized telescope were used to observe the crescent from Amman, and another third one from the top of Sharah mountains (1720 meters). However, the crescent was not seen from Jordan on that day due to either partly cloudy or hazy sky."

• Syria: ICOP member, Prof. Hasan Bilani mentioned that the sky was partly cloudy, and so the crescent was not seen.

• Algeria: ICOP member, Mr. Bankih Bankacem said: "The six members and friends of Amnir club have not seen the Rajab 1423 crescent from Bahmed Oumoussa station. The western horizon was partly cloudy."

• Morocco: ICOP member, Dr. Abdelkhalek Cheddadi said: "A statement of the Moroccan Ministery of Awqaf declared that the crescent of Rajab was not seen on Saturday evening, September 7. 1st of Rajab in Morocco is Monday, September 9."

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Dr. Sani Mustapha said: "The western horizon was cloudy today."

• South Africa: ICOP member, Mr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim Snr said: "On Saturday ( 7 September 2002 ), before apparent sunset, the various official Southern African Hilaal sighting groups gathered at vantage points to effect either a positive or negative sighting report. Although the actual naked-eye Hilaal sighting was impossible due to many criteria factors, it is the modus operandi of our sighting groups to try to establish sightings on the 29 th of each correctly marked Islamic lunar month. The 1st Rajab 1423 in Southern Africa (Zambia, East Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland) will correspond with Monday ( 9th September 2002 ).

• France: Moroccan ICOP member, Dr. Abdelkhalek Cheddadi said: "I'm in Paris, and I tried to observe the crescent from the Montmartre hilltop, on Saturday. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and partially rainy at sunset."

• Canada: ICOP member, Mr. Mohammad Farooq said: "In Hamilton Ontario. I tried to observe the crescent with binoculars and and naked eyes, but at sunset the western horizon was partly cloudy, and thus I was not able to see the crescent."

• USA:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "New Crescent observation in Opa Locka, Florida, USA on Saturday, 7th September, 2002 was impossible due to rainy clouds on the Horizon."

  2. ICOP member, Dr. Ahmad Raza Khan said: "The crescent of Rajab (1423 AH) was NOT visible (either with naked eyes or with a binoculars) on Saturday Sept. 7th, 2002 evening in Wayne, Nebraska (USA)."

• Trinidad and Tobago: Mr. Lars Johnson said: "This Saturday, 7th September 2002, which we marked also as 29th Jumad-ul-Akhir 1423, members of our Jamaat, the Islamic Resource Society (IRS) of Queen Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, saw the crescent moon which marked the beginning of the month of Rajab 1423. The time was 6:39 p.m. (10:39 UDT) and three members of the IRS were present. All of us saw a clear crescent, in shape extending between what would be the positions of the numbers from 4 o'clock to 8 0'clock on a watch face. Even though the western sky was hazy (apparently "permanent" atmospheric pollution-haze) near to the horizon, this sighting was accomplished with the naked eye. This reporter saw the crescent fiest, and pointed it out first to IRS Council Member and Jurist Ahmad Balewa, and then Asim Luqman. We kept the crescent in view for a couple minutes, leaving the viewing location, a 3rd story loft in out downtown Headqurters Center at 6:41 p.m. We wish to extend our grateful thanks to Allah for His bounties too numerous to list here, and among those bounties, the inspiration He gave to Br. Monzur Ahmad, producer of the computer program MoonCalculator. We had no special equipment to use, not even the magnetic compass that I generally use to help pinpoint the direction. However I had previously observed the location and direction of the setting sun. MoonCalc's data for Sept 7th indicated that the relative azimuth betwen Sun and Moon would be approximately two (2) degrees. This made it easy to pinpoint WHERE to look, once the sky had become dark enough for the faintly illuminated crescent to be seen, even though it only became visible some 28 minutes after sunset, very close to where the setting sun had gone down."

Sunday 08 September 2002

• Brunei: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir said: "We have tried to sight the new moon of Rajab on 7/9 and 8/9. On 7/9 it was cloudy and failed to see it. On 8/9, we tried again and the crescent was seen for a few minutes before it disappear behind the cloud."

• Iran: ICOP member, Mr. Asadollah Khoddam Mohammadi mentioned that the crescent was seen by naked eyes.
• Kuwait: ICOP member, Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "On Sunday 8 Sep. 2002 I sighted the crescent 5 minutes before sunset. Venus was seen even one hour before local sunset."

• Kenya: ICOP member, Mr. Mahmood Essa said: "I am happy to let you know that I was able to observe the new crescent for the month of Rajab, this evening, Sunday 8/09/02. Thus tomorrow Monday 09/09/02 will be our first day of Rajab."

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Mr. Usman Dukku said: "It was cloudy here in Bauchi."

• Germany: ICOP member, Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann said: "Crescent seen quite easily already about half an hour before sunset."

• USA: ICOP member, Mr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "The New Crescent was observed in Opa Locka, Florida, USA on Sunday, 8th September, 2002 at 8:00 PM. Its altitude was well above the obstructing rainy clouds on the horizon which obstructed its view on Saturday, 7th September, 2002. Its high altitude and late setting clearly showed that it is a second day Hilal."

The OFFICIAL First Day in Different Countries

Saturday 07 September!:-

1. Syria

Sunday 08 September:-

1. Brunei
2. Saudi
3. Kuwait
4. Jordan
5. USA
6. Guyana

Monday 09 September:-

1. Singapore
2. Iran
3. Morocco
4. Kenya
5. South Africa
6. Zambia
7. Zimbabwe
8. Mozambique
9. Angola
10. Namibia
11. Botswana
12. Lesotho
13. Swaziland

To know about the accuracy of the astronomical calculations, then please click here

• Related Programs:-
  • Accurate Times (By Mohammad Odeh).
  • QiblaCalc.
  • Moon Calculator (MoonCalc).
  • Prayer Times (By Dr. Tariq Muneer).
  • Prayer Time Calculator.
  • SalatTimes (Topocentric new Moon, prayer times, and Qiblah direction).

• Astronomical Research Center.
• Astronomy and Islam, by Dr. Monzur Ahmed.
• Astronomy for Islam, by Khalid Shaukat.
• Crescent Observers' Society (South Africa).
• David McNaughton (Islamic Page).
• Dr. Mohib Durrani's Page on Islam & Astronomy.
• Five Millennia Catalog of Phases of the Moon (NASA).
• Hilaal Sighting in Saudi Arabia & Its Implications Worldwide.
• Islamic Calendar.
• Lunar Crescent Visibility, by the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO).
• Umm Al-Qurah Calendar (The Saudi Official Calendar).