Laws of fasting 5

Moon sighting part one

Is sighting the moon
obligatory?
The issue of sharing the
sighting of other city.
ALBAQARAH (THE COW 185)
• ‫شهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا َأوْ عَلَى‬ّ ‫شهِدَ مِنكُمُ ال‬ َ ‫فَمَن‬
َ‫سَفَرٍ َفعِدّةٌ مّنْ أَيّامٍ أُخَر‬
• therefore whoever witnesses the
month, he shall fast therein, and
whoever is sick or upon a journey, then
(he shall fast) a (like) number of other
days;
 ‫فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشّهْ َر‬
• SHAHIDA is testimony or witness:
• And in the English interpretations of the Qur’an : (four
opinions)
3. KNOWS THE BEGINNING: Any one of you who knows
that the month of RAMADHAN has begun, he must
start to fast-SARWAR
4. WITTNESSES THE MONTH: So let those who witness
it (the month) fast in it- QOLI/Mir Ahmed
5. WITNESSES THE MOON: Who ever observes the
moon
6. PRESENT IN HIS HOME: Therefore whoever of you is
present in the month, he shall fast therein, -SHAKIR
 TABATABAI ُ‫فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُم‬
• The witness of the month by the knowledge
of its coming.
• It happens by the knowledge of its start.
• It does not mean that the moon has to be
sighted, nor a person must be present in the
home town (in oppose to the traveling
person), for there is no evidence for such
claim.
• Yes the moon sighting can be an indication
for the entrance of the month.
 ALKHOEI ُ‫فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُم‬
• The real existence of this month is the cause
of the obligation in fasting it.
• The plenty narrations (about 30) indicate that
the new month emerges by the emerge of the
sun light on the moon in a way that it can be
seen or sighted. (Religious new moon)
• If such emerge occurs for a region then it is
enough for the entire earth, but since the
night does not cover the whole earth at one
time, then the unity of the night should be
observed in the sharing of the moon
sighting.
• The night sharing regions could be in the
sunset and the dawn.
 SABZAWARI ُ‫فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُم‬
• The criteria is the real existence or the
coming of the month, by moon sighting or
by any other measures of such was
possible.
Other scholars of TAFSEER:
SHAHIDA of the month means:
• SHAHIDA of moon, that means every one
must sight, if not then no fasting is
obligated.
• Being resident in the home town (Sh.
MAKARIM)
 Why moon has to be in a status
where it can be sighted?
• There are about 30 narrations (many of them are
authentic and correct), narrated by the Infallibles
(AS), which indicate the command of fasting and
breaking the fast (on EID) on the sighting of the
moon. (Vol. 10 WASAEL ALSHIA page 252-261)
• Based on that the scholars who follow AHLUL
BAYT (AS) unanimously agree that the moon
should be in a status it can be sighted with the
naked eye, or the possibility of its sighting with
the naked eye if the sighting was prevented by
clouds, dust, humidity, fog, smog, redness of
the sun, or the reflections of the city lights…...
The religious and the astronomical
start of the lunar month
• The astronomical new lunar month is
when the moon reflects the first
sunlight (crescent) from the portion
which faces the earth even if it was not
seen by the people of the earth with
naked eye.
• Religiously the lunar new month is
when that light (crescent) is in a way
the people of earth can sight it with
naked eye.
 New Moon
When the Moon is between the Earth
and the Sun in its orbit. It can not
be seen for the people of the earth,
because dark surfaces faces the
earth (the sunlight exists on the
other half of the moon which is not
visible to the people of the earth.
This typically marks the end of the
Lunar Cycle which lasts.

When the sunlight or the sunray

moves towards the surface of the
moon facing the earth, then that
first appearance of the sunlight
which is visible for the people of
the earth in a way that they can
sight it with the naked eye, is
considered the first crescent and
marks the first day of the lunar
month.
The moon cycle: 29 1/2 days
 Astrologer (MONAJIM) vs.
Astronomer (FALAKI)
• Astrologer gives predictions based on the
observations of the movement of the stars,
planets and other celestial bodies.
• Astronomer is a scientist who makes the
predictions based on the scientific facts and
figures, mathematical calculations, and the
science of astrophysics of the celestial
bodies .
• The words of the great scholars mention the
Astrologer or MONAJIM and some times the
astronomer.
 When can the moon be sighted?
1. AGE of the moon: Time passed after New
Moon Birth. Sighting is possible at different
age in different months.
2. The age when it can be sighted varies based
on the speed of the movement of the moon,
geographical factors, seasonal factors, and
others. So, age cannot be a criterion for
sighting. It could be from smaller age (like 17
hours), to larger age (like 23 hours). The main
factor that makes the moon visible is the angle
between moon-earth-sun. When this angle
becomes about 9 degrees, the moon starts to
be visible. How much time it takes to get this
angle depends upon the speed of the moon in
its orbit.
The distance of the moon from
earth varies in seasons
 Three important facts
• If the age of moon was old enough
that it can be sighted with the
naked eye.
• If the moon was above the horizon
where it can be sighted with the
naked eye.
• If the time of moonset was after
the sunset in a way it can be
sighted with the naked eye.
 The ruling:
If these facts were proven by trustworthy
experts, professionals, scientists or
astronomers, and for some reasons it was
not sighted, and such predictions gave
certainty and satisfaction of accuracy, then
based the FATWA of almost all the JURIISTS
(MOJTAHID) contemporary and the past
ones, one must follow such predictions, and
the sighting is not required.
Reference: TAWDHEEH of all the JURISTS in
Persian, Urdu, English, and the laws in
Arabic. This can be found in the section of
moon sighting in the chapter of the LAWS of
FASTING.
 The FATWA regarding the
predictions of the astronomer
• 1741. The first day of a month will not
be proved by the prediction made by
the astronomers. However, if a person
derives full satisfaction and certitude
from their findings, he should act
accordingly. (laws of S. SISITANI
(MAP))
• Two conditions:
3. Knowledge or certainty
4. Satisfaction
 The scholars who support the
Prediction of the Astronomer:
• S. ALKHOEI (MAMH)
• S. KHOMENI (MAMH)
• S. GOLPAYGHANI (MAMH)
• S. SABZAWARI (MAMH)
• SH. WAHEED KHORASANI (MAP)-QUM
• SH. MIRZA JAWAD TABREEZI (MAP)-
QUM
• SH. NASIR MAKARIM (MAP) -QUM
• SH. FADHIL LANKARANI (MAP) -QUM
Moon sighting curve may not be
accurate????
The issue of sharing the sighting
• These narrations can be found in WASAEL ALSHIA
• http://www.rafed.net/books/hadith/wasael-10/v12.html#111
• These are four SAHEEH correct HADEETH authenticated by S.
ALKHOEI and many great JURISTS:
• ‫ سألت أبا عبدال ) عليه السلم ( عن هلل شهر رمضان‬: ‫عن عبدالرحمن بن أبي عبدال قال‬
‫ فان شهد أهل بلد آخر‬، ‫ ل تصم إل أن تراه‬: ‫يغم علينا في تسع وعشرين من شعبان ؟ فقال‬
‫فاقضه‬
• 1st narration: narration# [ 13347 ] 9 WASAEL: ABDURRAHMAN
IBN ABO ADBDILLAH said: I asked ABO ABDILLAH (Imam
ASSADIQ –as-) about the crescent of the month of Ramadhan
which is concealed from us on the night of 29th of SHABAAN
(what should we do)? So he (Imam (AS)) said: Do not fast (as
the first of the month) until you sight it, and if people of
different city fast (that day and you found out later) then make
up that day.
• 2nd narration # [ 13412 ] 3 in WASAEL: same as above but
narrated by ISHAAQ IBN AMMAR from IMAM ASSADIQ (AS):
• ‫ سألت أبا عبدال ) عليه السلم ( عن هلل رمضان‬: ‫ قال‬، ‫عن إسحاق بن عمار‬
‫ فإن شهد أهل بلد آخر‬، ‫ ل تصمه إلّ أن تراه‬: ‫يغم علينا في تسع وعشرين من شعبان ؟ فقال‬
‫أنهم رأوه فاقضه‬
• 3rd Narration # [ 13381 ] 13 WASAEL ‫ـ‬
• ‫ عن أبي عبدال ) عليه السلم ( أنه قال فيمن صام تسعة‬، ‫عن هشام بن الحكم‬
‫ إن كانت له بينة عادلة على أهل مصر أنهم صاموا ثلثين على‬: ‫وعشرين قال‬
‫رؤيته قضى يوما‬
• Narrated by HISHAAM IBN ALHAKAM, who narrates
from ABO ABDILLAH (IMAM ASSADIQ –as-) who said
about the one who fasted 29 days (of RAMADHAN) he
said: If he had just witness from people of a region
that they fasted 30 days on its sighting (the beginning
of the month of RAMADHAN was based on their
sighting), then he has to make up one day (and rely
on the sighting of the people of such region).
• That means that if a person had completed 30 days of
SHABAAN, and fasted 29 days of Ramadhan and after
that if he finds that any other region had started
Ramadhan after 29th SHABAAN, they he has to rely on
the sighting of that region and make up the fast of
that day.
• 4th Narration in WASAEL # [ 13447 ] 1
• ‫ عن أبى عبدال ) عليه السلم ( أنه سئل عن اليوم يقضى من‬، ‫عن أبي بصير‬
‫ ل تقضه إل أن يثبت شاهدان عدلن من جميع أهل الصلة‬: ‫شهر رمضان ؟ فقال‬
‫ ل تصم ذلك اليوم الذي يقضى إل أن يقضي أهل‬: ‫متى كان رأس الشهر ؟ ! وقال‬
‫ فان فعلوا فصمه‬، ‫المصار‬
• Narrated by ABO BASEER, that he asked ABO
ABDILLAH (IMAM ASSADIQ –as-) about making up (the
missed) day of the month of RAMADHAN? he (AS) said
: That do not make up unless if two just witnesses
from all of the people of SALAAT (i.e. Muslims) for
when was the beginning of the month? And he (AS)
said: Do not fast that day which is to be made up,
unless if the people of the regions make up, so if they
do such then you do so.
• In this narration Imam (AS) commands him to follow
the Muslims of different regions.

• The fast of 30th SHABAAN which might be 1st

Ramadhan is not required if moon was not sighted, yes
if it was sighted in other Islamic regions then it needs
to be made up.
What is the criteria for following
other cities moon sighting
• These four authentic narrations were
understood and interpreted by our great
scholars and jurists (MOJTAHIDS) in four
different ways, based on their intellectual
analysis of the sharing region or sharing city
in sighting:
• Unity of the horizon and closeness of the
cities
• Unity of the continent
• Unity of the night
• Unity of the EARTH
 Unity of the horizon and
closeness of the cities
• That means that the cities share the horizon can
follow each other:
2. They share in the time of sunset
3. They share the vertical or horizontal lines in a way
that if the moon is sighted in a city it has to sight
in another if the clouds or mountains were not
obstructing.
4. These cities must not be very far (some say 880
km).
5. The western regions can follow the sighting in the
eastern regions if there was no obstructing factor
it would have been sighted.
 Unity of the horizon and
closeness of the cities
• Those who support this opinion:
2. S. SISTANI (MAP) -NAJAF
3. S. KHAMENAI (MAP)- TEHRAN
4. S. GOLPAYGHANI (MAMH)
5. S. KHOMENI (MAMH)
6. Sh. NASIR MAKARIM (MAP) -QUM
 Unity of the continent
• S. MOHAMMAD SAEED TABATABAI
ALHAKIM –NAJAF
• The west can follow the sighting in the
east
• The east can follow the sighting of the
west
• If they share the continent
 Unity of the night
• The cities of east and the west can
follow the sighting of each other if they
share one night.
• The reason for the concept of sharing
the night is that the moon is sighted in
the with the naked eye night, so if a city
does not share the night when the
moon was sighted, then that city can
not depend on that sighting.
 Unity of the night
• The first great scholar who supported this
concept with strong evidences was the
MASTER of JURISTS ALSYED ABO
ALQASIM ALHOEI (MAM)
• Then some of his strong students followed
him, those who support this concept:
3. SH. WAHEED ALKHORASANI (MAP)–Qum
4. SH. MIRZA JAWAD ATTABRIZI (MAP)–Qum
5. Sh. LANKARANI (MAP) -QUM
 Unity of the EARTH
• If any spot on the earth sights it, then it will be
enough for the entire earth.
• The concept says once the moon is out from the
shadow, then it is out for the entire earth, so on
any spot it is sight, then it is enough for the whole
earth.
• SH. AFAYAADH- NAJAF
• SH. BASHEER –NAJAF
• SH. BAHJAT-QUM
• This opinion must be supported by some types of
limits, other wise if taken absolutely then it has
few practical problems such as some parts of
earth might missed the whole day of EID.