Habib,
If they are using telescopes in addition to the calculations, then I am good with that.
You are right about weather not always permitting for sighting of the moon and that is precisely why, aside from other good reasons, it makes sense for the Ummah to decide to depend on Makkah's confirmation.
May Allah Ta'ala continue to guide the Ummah of Rasulullah and spread the gift of Imaan on his creation.
Jabou
-----Original Message-----
From: Habib Ghanim <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:24 pm
Subject: Re: first ramadam to be on thursday
Ameen sister Jabou
It is really not a departure as both visual and astronomical methods are used
including telescopes to verify the new crescent.
we know when to look for the new moon and that is very accurate so the naked eye
only confirms what we actually know
take for example the carribean nations in south america and tropical season
when it rains all the time . with clouds and poor visibility you can go for days
without seeing the new moon especially on cloudy or rainy days so this method
solves our problems of the naked eye despite the quoted sunnah of the sighting
during the prophet's (pbuh) time
actually today I was told by my scientist muslim neighbour that they are using
google earth to look for the moon in several locations as we write this =
Amazing really - who would have imagined that google earth method a few years
ago ?
cheers
Wasalaam
> Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:08:29 -0400> From: [log in to unmask]> Subject: Re:
first ramadam to be on thursday> To: [log in to unmask]> > > Brother
Habib,> > Thanks.> As I mentioned, I have no problem with the choice of Makkah
as the point of > reference for the moon sightings. Infact, I think that it is
something > befitting that should have been done long ago because it is a point
of reference for > the Ummah.> The slaughtering en masse also makes sense
because the pronouncement of > Allah's (SWT) name is what matters there so no
major departures from the sunnah.> Loud speakers make sense as aids to better
conveyance of what is being said.> Therefore, opposition to these above
mentioned items is a bit fanatical.> However, when it comes to the actual
sighting of the moon with the naked > eye, that is the sunnah of the Prophet and
even the Qu'ran mentions that. > Deciding to depend on mathematical and
astronomical calculations alone without > seeing the actual moon crescent is
another matter altogether. Innovation I say.> We already know that in the lunar
calendar we follow in Islam, some months > are 30 days and some are 29, and the
Prophet told us that during his time. > During Ramadan, actually sighting the
moon is what determines if we fast 29 days > or 30 days.> I personally think
that it is a dangerous departure.> Instead, what needed to be done was to have
the Ummah World-wide defer to > the Makkans whenever they inform us that the
moon has been sighted over there > with the naked eye and go with that as
opposed to going with calculations. > I remember that during the time that the
late Serigne Modou Lamin Bah was > imam of Banjul, if the moon was sighted in
Makkah, he would make the decision to > go along with that schedule.> > May
Allah guide the Ummah to the straight path and protect us from Bi'da.> May He
inspire and help us to keep our faith pure.> > Please remember us, the rest of
our compatriots and the Ummah in your > prayers.> > wassalaam,> Jabou> > In a
message dated 9/11/2007 10:46:51 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > [log in to unmask]
writes:> > Balal na la Ahha> yes indeed sister jabou> for several months since
jan 2007 all the muslim scholars that are > astronomers and mathematicians met
with some religious scholars in europe , south asia > and in the usa plus
experts from Africa ( capetown and cairo) to finalize > this method> > the key
is very simple and strategic one location was selected and which > city better
than mekkah> so when the new moon is born ( the know the exact time to the
seconds ) in > mekkah area alone before sunset then we start the new lunar month
the > following day but when the new moon is born after sunset then the next day
is the > first day- reasoning is that since each month is exactly 29.5 (and half
day) > so it means some months will be 30 days and some 29 only> there is no
half day - so it makes sense and yes it has been accepted by > the scholars> > >
remember when the microphone or loud speakers fist came about abot 60 years >
ago many indo pak muslims also refused to use them because it was not used in >
the time of the prophet (pbuh) and not sunnah > well with technonogy and science
advances Imams now use these loudspeakers > to give khutbas to big crowds of
worshippers so all can hear him deliver > his speech. and there is no debate on
this matter any more with the cell phones > and land lines -telephones have sms
/ims , cameras and even videos now to > almost mini computers > > we have the
same issues with mechanical slaughter of chickens versus hand > slaughter - now
machine slaughtered chickens are allowed as long as they are > supervised
properly to avoid mistakes and the tasmiah is said by the muslim > supervisors
during the process> > a classic example used was that during the prophets time
people performed > pilgrimage to mekkah on horses and camels now we us
airoplanes and cars and > boats. > > best regards to y'all in the south and have
a blessed month of Ramadan> Hajj Habib> > > > > Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 22:35:50
-0400> From: [log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: > first ramadam to be on thursday> To:
[log in to unmask]> > Habib,> > > Balal na la, balal ma ahhah.> >
Astronomical calculations instead of > actually sighting the moon? I have no
issues with the rest of the Islamic World > going along with the Makkans
sighting of the moon as the start and end of > Ramadan, but is the new standard
of going with astronomical calculations sunnah?> > > Jabou> > > > -----Original
Message-----> From: Habib Ghanim > <[log in to unmask]>> To: [log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 8:21 pm> > Subject: Re: first ramadam to be on thursday>
> > > > > > > > > > Thanks sister > Jabou > thank God the whole universe this
year starts on the same day ie 13 th > sept and > will celebrate eid on 13 th
october 2007> from now on we will all > noy look for the new cresent moon as the
new global > standard will use makkah > as the target for the whole world and
now based on > astronomical and > mathematical calculations only > we know when
eid will fall for 5 years now without > complains ( except the > bangladashis
and indo pakistanis) inshallah this is > a good move to unify the > ummah> >
balal ma ahhah > may we meet next years > ramadan in good health inshallah>
habib Diab ghanim> > > > > Date: Tue, 11 > Sep 2007 20:01:34 -0400> From:
[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: > first ramadam to > be on thursday> To:
[log in to unmask]> > Ramadaan > Mubarak.> May > Allah (SWT) accept our
fasting and forgive us our sins.> > Jabou > Joh> > > > > > > > > > -----Original
Message-----> From: SUNTOU TOURAY > > <[log in to unmask]>> To:
[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 > 1:19 pm> > Subject: first
ramadam to be on thursday> > > > > > > > > > > the main > > islamic news chanel
in U.k announce that ramadan will comence on > thursday the > > 13th of
september.> i wish every body a blessed ramadan. i am sure baba and > some >
sanyang kunda > folks will be happy that we will wait for another day > to start
> the fast .not > forgeting the darboe kunda crew .saloum,haruna and > lj darboe
> .God bless ,guys.> suntou.> > > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤>
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