SOO MAAL Posted October 31, 2005 Thursday 'certain to be first day of Eid' By EUNICE del ROSARIO THURSDAY is sure to be the first day of Eid Al Fitr, according to calculations made by a leading Bahraini astronomer. Bahrain University physics professor Dr Waheeb Alnaser said the crescent moon of Shawal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar, would be "born" at dawn on Wednesday at 4.26am. The moon, he added, would not be visible on Tuesday, making Wednesday the 30th day of Ramadan. Dr Alnaser said the fact that he could pinpoint the moon's exact location in the sky - by plotting its course based on scientific calculations - should make unreliable moon sightings to determine the start of the month a thing of the past. He urged Muslims to pay closer attention to the movement of the moon to better understand the birth of the crescent of Shawal. "Greater understanding of the heavens and the scientific calculations involved would lead to an even better appreciation of the way the Islamic calendar works," said Dr Alnaser, who is also the Bahrain Astronomical Society vice-president. "I am requesting Muslims in Bahrain and around the world to rely on science to determine when the crescent moon will be born. "This is a time when science and Islam really complement each other." The Islamic calendar is a strict lunar calendar, which means that every year the dates on the Muslim calendar creep up by approximately 11 days compared to the solar calendar. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and Shawal is the 10th - the first three days of Shawal are known as Eid Al Fitr. Muslims around the world try to spot the new moon to determine when both months will begin. In the Islamic calendar, the new month should start when the sun, earth and moon are in one line - which is known as a conjunction or the birth of the new moon. "It is a process that combines science and technology with religious tradition," said Dr Alnaser. "The Quran teaches Muslims to study the heavens - and specifically the moon - to mark time." Over the centuries, Islamic scholars have made numerous contributions to the science of astronomy. Today, scientists can calculate where and when the new crescent moon may be most visible, but Islamic scholars say the actual sighting is still necessary. However, Dr Alnaser warned it would be a mistake to declare Wednesday as the first day of Eid. "Based on scientific calculations, Thursday is Eid and it would be a mistake to break the fast on Wednesday because it is still going to be Ramadan," he said. "I have proven how accurate scientific calculations are and one example is this year's Ramadan, when I said it would begin on October 4. "GDN readers have understood the two criteria that we must take into consideration to declare when Ramadan will begin. "The first condition is the birth of the moon and the second is that the newborn crescent should then set before the sunset." Taking these two criteria into consideration from the beginning of Ramadan, the Shawal crescent moon will be born only at 4.26am on Wednesday. "In Islam, we are still bound by the sighting of the moon and since we know that the length of the moon is either 29 or 30 days, this means that Bahrain's moon sighting committee will be sitting on Tuesday," said Dr Alnaser. "This is according to Islamic rules and the committee is forced to do it because it is tradition. "But speaking as an astronomer, why should I sit on Tuesday when I know that the crescent moon will be born on Wednesday?" He urged the moon-sighting panel in Bahrain to be very careful when they sit on Tuesday to look for the crescent moon. "They need to read about science and chase the movement of the moon from now to understand that there will see no moon in the skies on Tuesday night," he said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SOO MAAL Posted November 1, 2005 Eid Al-Fitr Thursday -- Al-Ajeeri REL-KUWAIT-EID Eid Al-Fitr Thursday -- Al-Ajeeri KUWAIT, Oct 23 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Astronomer Dr. Saleh Mohammad al-Ajeeri said on Sunday that the first day of Eid Al-Fitr will be on Thursday, Nov 3. Al-Ajeeri told KUNA that the crescent of Shawal will be born dawn on Wednesday, November 2, at 04:25 am. The crescent will disappear the same day six minutes after sunset in Kuwait and eight minutes after sunset in other GCC countries. The astronomer added that the moon will not be visible on Wednesday, which will be then the 30th day of Ramadan. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SOO MAAL Posted November 1, 2005 Eid Al-Fitr to be on Thursday in Kingdom Riyadh, Nov 1, SPA-- The blessed Eid Al-Fitr will start on Thursday in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Wednesday will be Ramadan 30, the Judiciary Higher Council announced. In its statement issued tonight, the Council congratulated Muslims on this occasion. --SPA 2316 Local Time 2016 GMT Happy Eid to all nomads CIID MUBARAK kula caam wa antum bi khayr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faarax-Brawn Posted November 1, 2005 ^Not to put water on the Astronomers' work, but isnt it that you can only fast for thirty[30]Days?? :confused: If the moon is not sighted caawo,Most of us will be fasting 30days & Eid must come,regardless, as we cant fast more than 30 days. Eid Wanagsan Calaa ya itixaal :cool: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacpher Posted November 1, 2005 Thanks SOOMAAL for sharing. May this be the first Eid Muslims unite in celebration. I hope it's not early to wish everyone EID SACIID. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
