Every Ramazan or Bakrid festivities gets the soar moon-sighting controversies for Muslims. This is mainly due to the old-mechanism of sighting the moon and non-upgraded instructions through Ulemas. There is a need to improvise or upgrade the system for ruat-e-hilal (moon-sighting system).
Islam uses the lunar calendar, and observing the moon is a significant part of Islamic tradition. It establishes the beginning and conclusion of Islamic months, especially Ramadan and Shawwal.
As a result, depending on when the new moon is visible, the length of the Islamic months might vary by one or two days. On the 29th day of the current month, Muslims usually search for the new moon; if they see it, the new month starts the following day. If the moon is not visible, the current month is reckoned to have 30 days, and the following day is the start of the new month.
Because the moon determines when the month-long fast begins and ends, it is crucial to observe the moon during Ramadan. The beginning of Ramadan is signalled by the seeing of the new moon, and the beginning of the Eid holiday is signalled by the sighting of the new moon at the conclusion of Ramadan – Eid al-Fitr.
In order to find the new moon, moon-sighting is often done by skilled people or groups that scan the sky around dusk. The sighting is subsequently reported to the appropriate authorities or Islamic organisations, who use the sightings to proclaim the beginning of the new month or the conclusion of Ramadan.
Nonetheless, there has been debate about moon sightings for a long time among Muslims.
The conflicting viewpoints among researchers over the method of moon-sighting is one of the primary problems. Some academics support using astronomical calculations to establish the beginning of Islamic months, while others support the more conventional practise of physically spotting the new moon with the unaided eye.
The topic of regional variances is another form of dispute involving moon sightings.
The new moon may not be visible in some areas due to geographic variances and weather patterns, while it may be visible in others.
This may result in different locations starting or concluding Islamic months on various days, which could cause Muslim misunderstanding and strife.
Ramadan and Eid may occasionally be observed on different days by various Islamic organisations and localities, which can divide and confuse Muslims.
For instance, in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, different Islamic sects and creeds announced different dates for the start of the holy month of Ramzan on the days Pakistan and Saudi Arabia announced it, just to show sentimental solidarity and belittle the Indian authorities. This occurred during the decades-long armed conflict that began in 1989.
In India, the moon-sighting is not decided by a centralised or governmental body. Instead, separate regional committees or associations of Islamic scholars are in charge of deciding when the new moon will be seen in their areas.
Usually, these committees or groups are made up of seasoned astronomers and religious experts who have the skills and knowledge necessary to observe and identify the sighting.
In India, the Hilal Committee in New Delhi is a recognised Islamic body in charge of moon sightings. The date for the start of Ramadan in India was announced at a meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee in Hyderabad.
The local committees or organisations will then declare the beginning of the new month, the commencement of Ramadan, and the end of the month, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, once the moon sighting has been confirmed.
The neighbourhood and Muslim homes will adhere to the proclamation made by the local mosque, which largely depends on the firqa (sect) that mosque is adhering to.
In Jammu and Kashmir, conflicting announcements on the moon sighting for Ramzan on Wednesday were made this year as well.
According to Naseer-ul-Islam, the Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir, there was no proof from any area of J&K regarding the moon sighting for Ramzan, hence the first day would be on Friday, March 24.
Agha Syed Hassan Mousvi Al Safvi, the president of Anjuman-e-Sharian Shia, stated in a statement released in Srinagar that they had obtained confirmation of the moon sighting for Ramzan and that the first day of fasting will be Thursday, March 23.
In a statement, Mufti Muhammad Anayatullah Qasmi, the imam and preacher of Jammu’s Talab Khatikan major mosque, confirmed the moon’s sighting for the holy month of Ramadan.
As a result, the problem of moon viewing has frequently turned into “moon fights.”
Both parties disagree over what constitutes the “new” moon in this situation. It’s interesting to note that the Hadith, which states, “Do not fast unless you see the crescent, and do not break your fast until you sight the (following) crescent,” serves as the foundation for both sides of the debate. Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Verse 130.
The final clause of the hadith mentioned above, which argues that if the new moon cannot be seen with the naked eye due to clouds, sandstorm, haze or any other obstacles, the faithfuls should be ‘work(ing) out’ the best and the most scientific way possible to determine the moon’s position.
It is advised to wait another day before celebrating Eid or beginning the month of Ramadan if, for some reason, it is still not possible to make things work. The most reliable and significant Hadith that provides explicit guidance on how to identify a new moon’s position or appearance is this one.
Muslims must essentially “figure out” the new moon’s appearance timing according to the Hadith (if it is mature enough to be sighted with bare eyes). This indicates that, depending on the situation, we may begin fasting or celebrate Eid if we are confident that the new moon has already arrived and grown sufficiently mature.
During the early days of Islam, there was no other way but to sight the new moon with bare eyes. As a result, if the moon could not be sighted with bare eyes in an overcast evening, they had to wait for an extra day to make it sure that the new moon was already in the sky.
Please note, that on the 30th day, there is no requirement even to sight the new moon. That means, the emphasis is not on the mere sighting of the moon, but the confirmation of the moon being in the sky in a certain position (even if it is still hidden under the clouds)!
These days, through astronomy, it is possible to know the exact position and time of the appearance/sighting of the new moon long before the actual day of such sighting. Therefore, with the help of science, ‘working out’ or determining the actual position of the new moon is possible without even looking at the sky which, in turn, could serve as the basis for starting fast or celebrating Eid.
It does not contradict the above-mentioned Hadith or the instruction by the Prophet.
The ongoing ‘moon sighting’ controversies could easily be referred to as a hollow ‘moon fighting’ exercise.
To remove the controversy, Muslims can abide by Islam’s much revered ‘Qiyas’ system (instructions obtained from the holy Quran and Hadith) and use the methods of ‘Ijma’ (consensus) to resolve the issue once for all, preferably, by relying on a method which is scientifically embedded and less controversial and thereby, agree ahead of time, on fixed dates to observe three of their major events/festivals – Ramadan, Eid ul Fitr and Ei dul Adha.
The scientific approach is used in many nations, including Europe and China, to determine the lunar positions. Eid days (both Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha) are determined by the United Nations Headquarters in New York based on astronomical data and are added to its official holiday calendar at the beginning of the year. #hydnews #hydkhabar #livehyd
About The Author
Siddharth Anand 
Aafia Ayman