Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim
(In the Name of ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL)
HILAL (Crescent Moon) SIGHTING (USA/Canada),
RAMADAN, EID-ul-FITR, EID-ul-ADHA, 1424 AH (2003-2004 CE)
23 Sep 2003
Revised 22 Jan 2004
**********************************************************************
ESTIMATED DATES: RAMADAN 1424 AH Mon 27 Oct 2003
***************** EID-ul-FITR 1424 AH Tue 25 Nov 2003 ($)
USA/Canada EID-ul-ADHA 1424 AH Sun 01 Feb 2004 (10 ZlHajj)
**********************************************************************
(Comments are added, below, for the rest of the World)
Dr.Mohib.N.DURRANI
North American Coordinator for Astronomical Information,
Consultant: Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
Consultant: Islamic Shura Council of North America.
Consultant: Islamic Fiqh Council of North America.
Consultant: Sharia Scholars Asson of North America (SSANA).
Email: Durrani@Hilal-Sighting.Com or mnd0@columbia.edu
HomePage: http://Hilal-Sighting.Com
It should be noted that ACTUAL SIGHTING OF THE HILAL (Crescent Moon) DETERMINES THE START OF AN ISLAMIC MONTH.
A. RAMADAN 1424 AH: Sighting Info for Eve of Sat 25 Oct 2003, Ramadan (for fasting) 1424 AH ?
RAMADAN 1424 AH: Sighting Info for Eve of Sun 26 Oct 2003, Ramadan (for fasting) 1424 AH ?
The following are the EXPECTED dates for Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Eid-ul-Adha
during the Islamic year 1424 AH, for USA/Canada, insha-allah (God Willing).
************ =============== ===============
ISLAMIC DATE Shared Day of SIGHTING
============ Islamic Month on evening of:
For USA/Canada: ************ =============== ===============
1 RAMADAN 1424 AH Mon 27 Oct 2003 Sun 26 Oct 2003
(for USA/Canada, and for countries west and south of Arabia.
For Dhaka, Agra, Peshawar and Tehran, Optical Aids may be necessay.)
This Islamic year, 1424 AH, most of the Islamic countries, and muslims in other
countries, are expected to start their fasting month of Ramadan on different
dates (if they follow Ikhtelaaf-ul-Mata'le, local sighting criteria).
It is IMPOSSIBLE for the Hilal (Crescent Moon) of Ramadan 1424 AH to be seen
anywhere in the world on the evening of Sat 25 Oct 2003 CE!!!
In fact, the Hilal sets BEFORE the Sun on the evening of Sat 25 Oct 2003
in many places: Sydney (Austrailia), Tokyo (Japan), Beijing (China),
Jakarta (Indonesia), to Dhaka (Bangla Desh).
Hence it is IMPOSSIBLE for the month of fasting (Ramadan) to start anywhere
in the world on the day of Sun 26 Oct 2003!!!
(For countries north & east of Arabia the following are expected:
************ =============== ===============
ISLAMIC DATE Shared Day of SIGHTING
============ Islamic Month on evening of:
************ =============== ===============
1 RAMADAN 1424 AH Tue 28 Oct 2003 Mon 27 Oct 2003
These later dates are expected for Bokhara, Istanbul, Sydney, Tokyo, Beijing)
B. SHAWWAL 1424 AH: Sighting Info for Eve of Sun 23 Nov 2003, Shawwal (for Eid-Ul-Fitr) 1424 AH ?
SHAWWAL 1424 AH: Sighting Info for Eve of Mon 24 Nov 2003, Shawwal (for Eid-Ul-Fitr) 1424 AH ?
For USA/Canada: ************ =============== ===============
ISLAMIC DATE Shared Day of SIGHTING
============ Islamic Month on evening of:
************ =============== ===============
1 SHAWWAL 1424 AH Tue 25 Nov 2003 ($) Mon 24 Nov 2003 ($)
(EID-ul-FITR)
(for USA/Canada, and for most of the world, the above dates are valid)
($) = Indicates slight probability of sighting, optical aids would help.
Optical Aids would be helpful in determining the sighting of the Hilal,
especially in the South and West of USA. There is a possibility that
Eid-ul-Fitr could be on Wed 26 Nov 2003 for USA/Canada!
It is IMPOSSIBLE for the Hilal to be seen on the evening of Sun 23 Nov 2003, anywhere in the world.
In fact, the Hilal sets BEFORE the Sun on the evening of Sun 23 Nov 2003
in most places pf the world: Makkah,Istanbul, Cairo, CapeTown, Algiers, ALL of USA/Canada,
Sydney, Tokyo, Jakarta, Dhaka, Agra, Peshawar, Tehran etc.
Hence it is IMPOSSIBLE for Eid-ul-Fitr to be on Mon 24 Nov 2003, anywhere in the world.
C. Zul-HAJJ 1424 AH: Sighting Info for Eve of Wed 21 Jan 2004, Zul-Hajj (for Eid-Ul-Adha) 1424 AH ?
Zul-HAJJ 1424 AH: Sighting Info for Eve of Thu 22 Jan 2004, Zul-Hajj (for Eid-Ul-Adha) 1424 AH ?
For USA/Canada: ************ =============== ===============
ISLAMIC DATE Shared Day of SIGHTING
============ Islamic Month on evening of:
************ =============== ===============
1 Zul-HIJJAH 1424 AH Fri 23 Jan 2004 Thu 22 Jan 2004
10 Zul-HIJJAH 1424 AH Sun 01 Feb 2004
(EID-ul-ADHA)
For MAKKAH: **************** =============== ===============
ISLAMIC DATE Shared Day of SIGHTING
============ Islamic Month on evening of:
************ =============== ===============
1 Zul-HIJJAH 1424 AH Fri 23 Jan 2004 (*) Thu 22 Jan 2004 (*)
10 Zul-HIJJAH 1424 AH Sun 01 Feb 2004 (*) (It is IMPOSSIBLE
(EID-ul-ADHA) for the Hilal to be
sighted in Makkah
on Wed 21 Jan 2004)
It is IMPOSSIBLE for the Hilal to be seen on the evening of Wed 21 Jan 2004
from anywhere in the world. Hence 1 Zul-Hajj cannot be on Thu 22 Jan 2004
for anywhere in the world. Hence Eid-ul-Adha (10 Zul-Hajj) cannot be on
31 Jan 2004, anywhere in the world.
Some countries will see the Zul-Hajj Hilal on Fri 23 Jan 2004 with 1 Zul-Hajj as
Sat 24 Jan 2004. For them the day of 10 Zul-Hajj would be Mon 02 Feb 2004!
These countries would be Sydney (Austrailia), Tokyo (Japan), Beijing (China),
Jakarta (Indonesia), Dhaka (Bangla Desh), Agra (India), Peshawar (Pakistan),
Bukhara, Tehran (Iran), Istanbul (Turkey).
Even for Makkah (Arabia), Cairo (Egypt), Algeirs (Algeria) the Sighting for the
Hilal (if it was seen), on the evening of Thu 22 Jan 2004, would be "Very Difficult".
($) = Indicates slight probability of sighting, optical aids would help.
($$) = Indicates very slight probability of sighting AND WITH HELP OF
OPTICAL AIDS and clear skies on West Coast.
(!) = If the southwestern states of USA are clouded (when the Hilal sighting
is expected) the date of sighting could be delayed by one day.
(*) = IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT since some of the Muslim Countries had
announced, for many years, the start of the months of Ramadan,
Shawwal, and Zul-Hijjah on a day earlier that those based on
astronomical information (in my opinion), hence,
IT IS POSSIBLE that EID-UL-ADHA COULD BE ANNOUNCED to be ONE DAY EARLY,
for Makkah, on Sat 31 Jan 2004, from Saudi Arabia.
This information may be of help for arrangements of Eid Prayers.
It is to be noted that the Islamic Shura Council of North America has adopted
the ruling that for Ramadan, Shawwal, and all months (except Zul-Hajj), the
opinion of Ikhtelaaf-ul-Matale (local sightings within USA/Canada) would be
adopted.
The following is the change from 2003 CE:
=========================================
(The announcement from Makkah will be followed.)
Eid-ul-Adha (1422 AH - 2003 CE and onwards) will be determined from
the announcement from Kabah! (Personal note from Dr.Mohib Durrani:
This announcement from Makkah could be in contradiction to astronomical
information.)
The following is the change from 2001 CE:
=========================================
"Previously, for Eid-ul-Adha the announcement made from Makkah was followed.
There was a special conference scheduled at mid 2000 to re-evaluate the
position for Eid-ul-Adha. At that conference, ISNA decided that ALL the
Islamic months would be based on AUTHENTICATED sightings in USA/Canada."
The Shura Council of North America includes the following four major
Islamic Organizations in USA and Canada:
1. Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
2. Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)
3. The Jamaat of Warithuddin Muhammad
4. The Jamaat of Imam Jamil Al-Amin
It should be noted that HILAL (Crescent Moon) SIGHTING IS ONE DATE EARLIER,
in the evening, than the date for the common shared day. The Islamic Date
starts from the start of the night (after sunset) of the previous shared date.
May Allah (Subhana wa Tala) accept our fasts and our Hajj, amin.
Please continue to pray for the welfare of the Muslims and of all.
Your brother in Islam,
Mohib.
===========================================================================
THE FOLLOWING IS THE CORELATION BETWEEN COMMON DAYS (DATES) FOR THE
ISLAMIC AND GREGORIAN CALENDARS:
SHABAN Sighting was on evening of Fri 26 Sep 2003 from south/west in USA/Cnda.
SHABAN 1424 AH 1 5 10 15 28 29 (30)
SEP/OCT 2003 CE 27 1 6 11 24 25 (26)
Sa We Mo Sa Fr Sa (Su)
Nisf-Shaban -- | -- Nisf-Shaban
Night of Fr 10 Oct -- | -- Morning of Sa 11 Oct
0. SHABAN 1424 AH: Sighting Info for Eve of Fri 26 Sep 2003, Shaban 1424 AH ?
SHABAN 1424 AH: Sighting Info for Eve of Sat 27 Sep 2003, Shaban 1424 AH ?
[Note: There was a 8" SC telescopic sighting (with naked eye and binocular) of the
Hilal by a world-class amateur astronomer (Jim Stamm) from Tucson Arizona on
the evening of Fri 26 Sep 2003!]