International Astronomical Center

JAS has received dozens of emails asking about what happened this month to declare the first day of Shawwal to be on Friday 07 January. We would like to mention clearly, that the crescent was IMPOSSIBLE to be seen ANYWHERE on Earth on Thursday 06 January. And to declare Al-Eid to be on Friday 07 January is absolutely wrong. JAS had attended the Jordanian official meeting in which the beginning of Shawwal was declared. As for Jordan, it behaved as a state of Saudi ! Where AS SOON AS SAUDI showed its intention that Friday is Al-Eid, Jordan directly declared so. Also, please don't direct your question asking about how Saudi saw the crescent on Thursday to JAS! Kindly, ask that 'blessed Saudi person' who saw the crescent while it was not born yet, and it set before the Sun!!!! All Muslims should be aware of that ridiculous continuous obvious faults.

The Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS) had received several emails from Muslims in different countries asking the AUASS to comment on the wrong beginning of Shawwal. Thus, the AUASS distributed an official statement to several news agencies. The statement appeared in different newspapers, and sites in the Internet. To read the statement, you have three choices:-

• Iran: ICOP member, Mr. Asadollah Mohammadi said: "This is my primary report before the sunset ( It is 3 hours to sunset). In Iran also we have the problem of Saudi Arabia and the announcement of Eid by this country. In Iran people believe that the first day of each month starts one day after the first day in SA (people who don't know astronomy!). So after the announcement of new moon by SA, people are declaring to anticipate in prayer of eid, on saturday. The south-west of Iran including Shiraz is cloudy ( clearly rainy and snowy). So I have no chance to search the new moon. (according to Yallop criterion, only in south-west of Iran the crescent may be seen by telescope). It is not officially announcement of the new moon (tomorrow will be announced). In iran, the people who see the crescent ( or think that have seen it !!) report to Imam-e-Juma`a of their cities. Consequently they report to the leader in Thehran and if the reports are enough, the leader announces the first day of month ( even if the calendar center of geophysics institute of Iran said that it is not possible to see the moon). I hope that all of Iran be cloudy so nobody claims the watching of new moon. I also congratulate the Eid to you and all muslims and I wish the people find the truth."

• Kuwait: ICOP member, Mr. Omar Fikry said: "When Saudi Arabia talks, no words, no comments, NO Astronomy!! Sorry." And he mentioned that it was cloudy over Kuwait on Thursday.

• UAE: ICOP member, Dr. David McNAUGHTON said: "Our TV has just announced that tomorrow morning (7th January) will be the first day of Eid. In other words, the Saudis are breaking their own rule - because today (6th) the moon set first, even at Mecca. The crescent will not even be visible *tomorrow* from most places in the Middle East. (There is perhaps a very small chance that it could just be visible, for a few minutes, from the mountains in the Yemen if the air is extremely clean there). The way I will put it tomorrow to my colleagues in the office, is to say that if it really was sighted on the evening of the 6th, then it should be very easy on the 7th because the 7th is the second day - with an extra 13 degrees migration! So I will take them outside tomorrow (7th) and challenge them to point it out at dusk. Actually, such is the level of confusion that there could easily be a contradictory announcement tomorrow, postponing Eid till Saturday. This has happened in the past."

• Palestine: Mr. Bassel Reyahi said "It is unfortunate that Saudi Arabia has done again, misleading Muslims in many parts of the world including many here."

• Egypt:
  • ICOP member, Mr. Mohamed Abd El-Rasoul said: "I want to assure that our JAS & ICOP members did not mistake in there observations, no one in Egypt has seen the crescent on Wednesday, and our Dar El-Eftaa declared that aid el-fetr will be Saturday, 8 2000. I've got many calls asking me what happened, of course I could not answer a word... I hope we all will gather upon just one determination specially about moonsighting..etc. I hope one of our Saudi scientists will explain us how and by any astronomical method they determined the beginning of Shawwal !!!"

  • ICOP member, Dr. Ahmed Fathy (Helwan Observatory) said: "I was out of my work for 10 days after I observe the new Crescent from Qena (800 Km Southern Egypt). As the last time for Ramadan I was in this City named Qena and our group consists of 12 persons. Over six groups we didn't see any crescent in Egypt. No one in Egypt had seen the crescent on Thursday, and our Dar El-Eftaa declared that El-Aid will be Saturday, 8-1-2000. I can't understand how the Scientists in Saudi Arabia observe the new Crescent. Our observation for Egypt was between full cloudy in some places and no Crescent in the others."

• Sudan: ICOP member, Dr. Muawia Shaddad said: "Please do not let what happened in Jordan depress you. Over the last many many years, 20 years or more, and many many times the so called Ulama and Sheikhs have let us down in our own countries, sometimes as if we are a colony of SA. Sometimes all the way with you until they receive the message the SA saw the impossible and immediately a 180 degrees change. I believe its about time that all of us move to the offensive, I mean everyone including AUASS. It is high time we attack their ignorance. You think that after August Solar eclipse they should know better. This reminded me of an incident which happened in 1987. I was in a meeting with the so called Ulama and Sheikhs and the usual problem of the impossible SA sightings. I was using the fact that at the start of Sha'ban (I think) there was a annular solar eclipse and that in SA the sun was still eclipsed while setting, still SA came with a sighting (we had an official statement from SA). One of the top Ulama and a Professor said to me ( in defense of SA), 'From the sharea’a point of view we do not know what eclipsed the Sun.' Do keep the good work you are doing and happy Saturday Eid. "

• Morocco: ICOP member, Dr. Hamid TOUMA said: "I don't know how the observers in your regions (East and Algeria too) have seen the crescent. As you know the new Moon was be yesterday 6 January at 18h14mn (UT) and we must stay in minimum 14 hours the crescent will be born and 20 hours to see it. In the case of the current Ramadan logically the Aid Al Fitre in your region will be tomorrow. I propose to the ICOP coordinators to contact all Islamic country and introduce it. For the future the ICOP must play an institution of information for the observation of the crescent for each beginning Islamic month. We must send a letter or fax to the religious Ministry of each Islamic country to explain them the principal objective of the ICOP, and we propose them that we are able to inform them about the observation of the crescent for each Islamic month."

• UK: ICOP member, Dr. Monzur Ahmed said: "On the evening of 6th Jan 2000, the new moon had not even been born. For example, in Makkah at sunset, the moon was 3hrs 22mins BEFORE conjunction! Also the moon had set 9 minutes before sunset. No matter how mature and trustworthy the Muslims are, such a crescent 'sighting' BEFORE CONJUNCTION is clearly impossible. What is the value of a 'sighting' when the object being sighted does not exist? To ask us to accept such clearly bogus sighting is an insult to our intelligence."

• USA: Dr. Omar Afzal, the president of the Committee for Crescent Observation Intl. said: "These Muslim 'leaders', some Muslim governments and their Qudaat, etc. make the whole world laugh at us. The Muslims always cry that the world does not care about them. How can anyone care to listen to 'lunatics'. Eidain are our most celebrated holy days, and we cannot tell the world when we are going to do it. Who are the culprits? Muslim eye-witnesses who are ignorant, and refuse to learn basic fact:
  1. There is no crescent moon to see before the birth of the new moon.
  2. There is no moon to see if the moon has already set BEFORE the sunset.
  3. If a moon is 'SEEN' the whole world will see it the same way we see the sun everyday in 24 hours.

  Thursday (Jan. 6,2000) evening the Committee for Crescent Observation Intl. received claims of 'seeing a moon' also from: England: (Before the birth of the New Moon, moon set before sunset) US New Jersy, Maryland, Virginia, Florida (2), Kansas (2)=Total 9. These witnesses were "Imams", "presidents", prominent members, etc.

  *Five "SAW" a moon BEFORE the SUNSET for 3-10 minutes.
  *One saw it from sunset for another 15 minutes before it 'disappeared'. (He could 'see' a moon another five minutes AFTER the MOON had already SET).
  *Two "SAW" the moon high above their head to the right of the sun.
  * One was 'NOT SURE'.

  CFCO observers from all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, etc. confirmed "NO Moon SEEN" in clears skies. If those who believe they saw a moon anywhere in the world on Thursday try to SEE it again on Friday evening they will find out that what they "SAW" on Thursday was NOT MOON. They MAY NOT SEE A MOON from Saudi Arabia to Lawrence, Kansas (USA) even Friday evening. Those who missed their last two days of Ramadan in Arab countries by celebrating Eid al-Fitr on FRIDAY should ask Allah's forgiveness and fast two days to compensate for the missed days of Ramadan. The correct dates of Eid al-Fitr based on the "Ahilla" of the Quran and the Sunnah is Saturday only for N. America, and Sunday, Jan. 9, 2000 for the rest of the world. May Allah accept our obedience to Him. Amin."

  Later on Dr. Omer sent the below email also: "Some Muslim brothers are willing to go to any length to celebrate Eid on the last day of Ramadan. For this year, they say:

  1. Yemen, etc. 'SAW' (though Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc. DID NOT SEE) a moon on Dec. 7 (Tuesday) and started Ramadan on Wednesday. Hence Thursday, Jan. 6 completes the month to 30 days and a Hadith tells the month cannot be more than 30 days. (Three major fallacies:
     1. In Yemen (or any country) A MOON COULD NEVER be SEEN before the Conjunction.

     2. If you start Ramadan on Sha'ban 27 for any reason your month will not be completed after 30 days; 3) If a moon was "SEEN" then it will be ALWAYS SEEN on 30th evening. If NOT SEEN on 30th day then the Shuhud made a mistake at the beginning of Ramadan.

  2. Joined to this group is a small group of "Modernists". They say that the Moon is SETTING 8 minutes AFTER the Sun in New York, etc. today. Hence Eid on Friday. Fallacy: The Moon setting AFTER the sun does not mean it is 'VISIBLE'. In some months a moon sets an hour after the sun and you CANNOT SEE it. This group should tell openly that they DON'T CARE ABOUT what the Qur'an says, how the Messenger (S) and his companions did, and how the Ummah practiced for the last 1400 years.

  3. The third group gets 'Mythical' arguments like:

     1. Allah orders the moon to bow down to Ka'ba one or two days BEFORE it becomes "New".

     2. "...Lack of Longitude; 2. Shortage in Latitude, 3. Proximity to lunar position. All these conditions are present in Hijaaz. The shortage of Longitude alone can cause one day's difference, and it is possible to have an addition of one more day by the remaining two conditions."

  May Allah give them 'Hidaya' and 'common sense', so that they abstain from what amounts to celebrating Eid on the last day of Ramadan by the criterion of "Ahilla (visible crescents) being the "Mawaaqeet". Amin. Shawwal moon will be insha-Allah SEEN by anyone who wants to see it in southern US on Friday, Jan. 7 evening, and in the rest of the world on Saturday. Saudi Arabia and Egypt etc. are also expected to have Eid on Saturday (though a moon will hardly be "SEEN" there on Friday. Indonesia, Turkey, etc. also have Eid on Saturday. The largest number of the Muslim Ummah that lives Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, etc. will have Eid on Sunday after 'actual sighting of the Shawwal crescent on Saturday."

Thursday 06 January

Although it is quit useless to talk about the visibility of the crescent on Thursday 06 January, we will mention some reports.

• Malaysia: ICOP member, Mr. Kassim Bahali said: "Totally cloudy sky. The Hilal was not sighted. New moon not happened yet. All 26 location have failed to sight the moon."

• Egypt: ICOP member, Mr. Mohamed Abd El-Rasoul said: "I have tried in my city (Balteem in Kafer El-Shiekh Egypt ) to see the crescent but the sky was totally cloudy."

Friday 07 January

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on 07 January from Iran, by Mr. AliReza Mehrani.

• India: ICOP member, Dr. Sultan Ismail said: "Eid-ul-fitr in Chennai (Madras) and many parts of India is being celebrated, Insha Allah, on Sunday the 9th January 2000."

• Bangladesh: Mr. Fazlur Rahman Sarker said: " The Moon Sighting Committee of Government of Bangladesh frantically tried but failed to locate the Moon . The reports from all over Bangladesh indicate that nobody has seen any Moon in this evening. Finally, the Moon Sighting Committee have declared that Shawwal Moon would be seen on January 8 and Eid-al-Fitre would be held on January 9."

• Pakistan: ICOP member, Mr. Omer bin Abdul Aziz said: "No moon sited because of clouds.... It was unanimously decided by the Crescent Observation committee, that the Moon was not sited anywhere in Pakistan. So, tomorrow is the 30th of Ramadan."

• Mauritius: ICOP member, Mr. Hamade Aubdoollah said: "We have been observing the crescent from the western coast. The sky in the west was very cloudy with some patches of clear sky. Even the setting sun was not seen. We have been observing with 10x50 binoculars. No crescent was seen. However the authorities declared that they have received confirmation that certain people, about 30 miles away, in the North have seen the crescent and have declared that today, Saturday 8th January 2000 is Eid."

• Iran:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. AliReza Mehrani said: "I, together three members of ATCA (Adib Teaching Center of Astronomy, of Esfahan Municipality), succeeded to observe the crescent in the dusk of Friday January 7th 2000. We were settled somewhere in 50 kms East of Esfahan in the:

     Latitude: 32 42' N
     Longitude: 52 20' E
     Elevation: 1500 m
     Time Zone: 3.5 h

     It was a desert open in three directions: East, South and West. The sunset was at 17:09. Mr. Abbas Ahmadian was the first who saw the crescent at 17:25. He says " that the crescent was actually discontinuous comprising three parts. I first saw the middle one then the ones in the sides ". Miss. Laleh Azizi saw the phenomenon one minute later, i.e., at 17:26. Mr. Ali Forughi and I observed it at 17:38 and 17:39, respectively. So far I have not seen such a very narrow crescent. Due to its narrowness, it could be invisible with slight dust in the west horizon. During the forty-minute observation, Ali and I could just see the crescent for a few seconds (I saw it for 15 seconds and he did for 5 seconds). But the other two saw the crescent for a few minutes. Ali and I could not see the crescent for a long time for two different reasons: Ali's binocular was 7x50; and due to its little magnification, the binocular chased the crescent very late. Mine was 12x70. The two people who had seen the crescent earlier informed me of its location continuously; but my trial to observe it did not lead in success. In the last moments, I suddenly succeed to see the crescent by a slight change in the focus of the binocular; and I realized the beauty of its narrowness. In order to see such a crescent, I had to focus it with high accuracy. Although I controlled the situation of focus several times during the observation, I got the suitable result just at the end. As far as I found out from my friends and valid scientific centers in Iran, we were the only group who succeeded to observe the crescent in the country. The crescent had a specific feature that had attracted all my attention, i.e., its angular separation from the Sun. The calculations of a professional astronomer in Iran, Mr. Sayyad, indicate that the angular separation this crescent from the Sun during the sunset in Esfahan (lat: 32 40' - long: 51 40') is 8.88 degrees. Epoch 2000 software designed by Meade Co. accepts the figure, too. But the figure is 8.065 degrees according to Moonc52 (by Dr. Monzur Ahmed) and THE SKY (ver 4 lev 4) software. In both cases, we have surpassed the present record in Iran regarding the least angular separation of the new Moon. The previous record belongs to Mr. Mohammad Ghazi Mir Saeid as 9.64 degrees. But if 8.065 degrees separation is correct, we are in the first place all over the world. The present figure of the least angular separation of the new Moon is 8.53 degrees that belongs to Mr. James Stamm from U.S.A.

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Asadollah Khoddam Mohammadi said: "The officials of Iran announced that the moon has been seen on the evening of 7 Jan. and Saturday, 8 Jan. is the first day of Shawwal. In Shiraz the sky was cloudy so didn't search for the new moon."

• Saudi:
  1. Mr. Anwar Al Muhammad said: "I tried to sight the first crescent of Shawwal on Friday 7th Jan. 2000 but no way because the weather was too cloudy on that day. By the way we did not break yesterday (thursday) because we know that crescent sets 10 min earlier to sun in our area. In contrast, we tried to observe the old crescent of Ramadan yesterday morning before sun rise from east but we could not because it was cloudy too."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Saleh Al-Saab mentioned that the sky was cloudy over his location (Anezeh).

• Kenya: ICOP member, Mr. Mahmood Essa said: " This evening I looked for the Hilal with the naked eye but it was not visible. Mainly there was a clear sky but with some passing cloud . Its 8.45 pm at the moment local time ( 17.45 GMT ) and we have no news of the crescent having being sighted. Thus at the moment it looks as though we will continue fasting tomorrow, Saturday 08/1/2000 and will Insha Allah celebrate Eid on 9/1/2000."

• Jordan: The sky was cloudy in Amman.

• Syria: ICOP member, Dr. Jalal Khanji mentioned that the sky was cloudy.

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Mr. Alabi Isiaq said: "There was no moon-sight here on Thursday (06/01/99), though official Eid-days are Thursday (06/01) and Friday (07/01), while some people celebrated their eid-el-fitr on Thursday, more people celebrated eid on Friday. Inshaa-Allah, our Islamic group Zumratul-Jamiu Mumin Society of Nigeria (ZJMSN) would not break (fast) until either we sight the crescent or the fast completes 30 days."

• South Africa:
  1. ICOP member, Dr. John Caldwell of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), said: "(1800 meters)(sunset behind distant hills) (pointing established night before with sun and star and verified afterwards with star)(clear near moon from 19:51 to 20:04 but not visible)(dark cloud patches near moon from 20:05 onwards with variable coverage but not visible even though there were significant gaps to look through, especially before 20:10 and after 20:20 it was largely in clear zones)."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Ebrahim Isaacs said: "The Hilal has been sighted in South Africa. Tomorrow is eidul fitr for us."

  3. ICOP member, Mr. Hashim Salie said: "The crescent was seen moving through large open patches in the clouds by at least 14 members of the Society, and also other non members. Eidul Futr in South Africa shall be in 8 Jan 2000. On another point, (when I was in Saudi) I saw the waning crescent on Wednesday morning at 06h30 Saudi Time from the road level bridge on the roof of the Holy Haram just outside Marwah. I've noted this to the people around me and they all saw the crescent. Suddenly a man started to shout "Maa sha Allah" on the top of his voice, insisting that it is the crescent for Shawwal that he is seeing. Immediately he inquired to go to where the Mahkamah Sharee-ah is. I noted to him that it is in fact the last visible "pld" crescent if Ramadaan!!!! I think I failed too convince him that it was so!!! I'll fill you in later KOELLOE AAM WA ANTIEM BI KHAYR."

  4. ICOP member, Mr. Moh'd Yusuf Martin said: "The crescent was seen by members of the Crescent Soc. and Eid was declared by the Muslim Judicial Council on Saturday, 08/01/2000."

• Tunisia: Mr. Mohamed Khadraoui said: "I was on high altitude (about 150 meters over sea level) with a binocular 7x50. there was a large patch of clear sky of 2 degrees height from the horizon I saw the Sun passing through), the 22 hours crescent wasn't seen in the 10° East GreenWich."

• Morocco:
  1. ICOP member, Eng. Mounir El-Mokhtari said: "I tried to observe the crescent in Tangier (north of Morocco) but I couldn't see it even with binoculars. At 20:00 GMT, the Moroccan Ministry of Islamic Affairs announced that Eid El Fitr is on Saturday 8 January 2000."

  2. ICOP member, Dr. Hamid TOUMA said: "I am pleased to send you this e.mail to inform you that The Moroccan Government has just announced in national TV that tomorrow will be Aid AL Fitre in Morocco, the crescent was be observed in south Morocco. I take this opportunity to tell you AID AL FITRE Mabrouk wa kouli amine wa antoum bi khair. Thank you.
     P.S. I have just spoken by phone with Mohammad Arshed BAIG from UK about the observation of the Crescent in Morocco."

• UK: ICOP member, Mr. Mohammad Baig said: "London was cloudy Surprise surprise! No reports of sighting not even a false one. We contacted Morocco and they confirmed sighting therefore Eid in the UK is on Saturday. UK is united for the first time in 16 years. Morocco confirmation (for our town at least) came from ICOP members there - Mounir Mokhtari and Hamid Touma - thanks to these brothers and Mohammad Odeh to make it possible. THIS is how ICOP is envisaged to play a major role world wide on this subject."

• Canada: ICOP member, Mr. Mohammad Farooq said: "On Friday January 7, 2000 the western horizon was cloudy and I was therefore unable to see the crescent. The Imam of the Hamilton mosque declared Eid ul Fitr yesterday for Friday January 7, 2000. This kept the tradition for the last twenty years that the Hamilton Mosque celebrates Eid ul Fitr based on the black moon (new moon). EID MUBARIK TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE ICOP AND THEIR FAMILIES."

• Trinidad and Tobago:
  1. ICOP member, Dr. Shirin Haque-Copilah said: "The sky was cloudy with few breaks in between. The crescent moon was seen naked eye (by a group of 6 of us) before telescope was set up. By that time, the clouds covered up the moon and it did not emerge before setting."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Lars Johnson said: "Ssalaamu Alaykum. I only came upon this site tonight. Sorry that I didn't know about it before. However I can confirm that a good number of persons saw the crescent in Trinidad on Friday 7 January, after Maghrib.

     In out mosque, which had fasted from Thursday 9th December 1999, 'Eid was declared on Saturday. However, it was gratifying to be able to utilize the printout I had generated from Dr. Monzur Ahmed's "Moon Calculator" to correctly predict the location of the crescent. It was very faint, and given the skyline of Port of Spain, several persons congratulated me on being able to see it and point it out to them. As I told them, that just was one value of there being Muslim astronomers like Dr. Ahmed.

     We had looked at the skyline after breaking fast, and I offered the comment that it was still too bright to see the crescent. Then after Maghrib salaat, I went again to the best available vantage point, armed with my pocked compass and the MoonCalculator data sheet, and, ALHAMDULLLAH, I saw the crescent, and as I said pointed it out to several persons nearby.

     It was noteworthy that using the compass before Maghrib I had predicted the location of the Crescent, relative to certain buildings in the distance, which cou off the horizon up to about 3 to 5 degrees in my estimation (some ate taller than others. Anyway, the crescent appeared just where I had expected it to. How I wish we had the expertise and equipment to provide more accurate data for your project!

     Well Allah knows best, and with His help we will all do our part in this effort. Maa salaama."

• USA:

  1. Dr. Mohib Durrani said: "The Islamic Shura Council of North America has decided that Eid-ul-Fitr would be on Saturday 8 Jan 2000. Eid Mubarak. The Islamic Shura Council of North America consists of the four major Islamic organizations:
     1. Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
     2. The National Movement of Imam Warith-ud-Deen Muhammad
     3. The Jammat of Imam Jamil Al-Amin
     4. The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)"

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Mohammed Mehdi said: "In Minnepolis, western horizon was mostly cloudy. Unable to seen look for the moon."

Saturday 08 January

• Kenya: ICOP member, Mr. Mahmood Essa said: " We sighted the hilal in Mombasa (Kenya) this evening and Insha Allah will celebrate Eid tomorrow. We have completed 30 days."

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Mr. Alabi Isiaq said: "The crescent was sighted immediately after Magrib by many people at about 19:07. In shall-Allah, we would observe our (Zumratul Jamiu Mumin Society of Nigeria, Lagos) Eild-El-Fitr tomorrow as Shawwal 1."

Thursday 06 January:-

1. Nigeria (And on Friday!)

Friday 07 January:-

1. Nigeria (And on Thursday!)
2. Yemen (30 days of Ramadan)
3. Libya (30 days of Ramadan)
4. Saudi
5. Kuwait (Followed Saudi)
6. UAE (Followed Saudi)
7. Bahrain (Followed Saudi)
8. Qatar (Followed Saudi)
9. Jordan (Followed Saudi)
10. Palestine (Followed Saudi)
11. Sudan (Followed Saudi)
12. Iraq
13. Algeria

1. Indonesia
2. Malaysia
3. Mauritius
4. Iran
5. Egypt
6. Syria
7. Lebanon
8. Tunisia
9. Oman
10. Morocco
11. South Africa
12. UK
13. USA

Sunday 09 January:-

1. Bangladesh
2. India
3. Pakistan
4. Kenya

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