On Spotting The Moon

On Spotting The Moon
By Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti

Sh. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti on Moonsighting.com:

*Eid-al-Adha: *The Astronomical New Moon is on Saturday December 31,
2005, at 3:12 Universal Time, i.e. Friday, December 30, 10:12pm Eastern Standard Time - 7:12pm Pacific Standard Time. On Saturday, December 31, it will be about 22 hours old and about 6 degrees above the horizon on west coast of USA. This moon can be seen in South Africa, South America, and Polynesian Islands, but not in Asia, Europe, or Middle East. In USA, it will be very difficult to see. Telescope or binoculars may be needed to see it in USA. Therefore, first day of Zul-Hijja is expected to be on Sunday, January 1, 2006 in South Africa, Americas, and Polynesian Islands, and elsewhere on January 2, 2006. Accordingly, 10th Zul-Hijja (Eid-al-Adha) will be on Tuesday, January 10, 2006, Insha'Allah in South Africa, Americas, and Polynesian Islands. Elsewhere 10th Zul-Hijja (Eid-al-Adha) should be on Wednesday, January 11, 2006. < www.moonsighting.com >

*Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti (MCW member) from Oxford, UK:
Not Seen* Negative sighting.
At the end of the 29th day of of the preceeding lunar month (Saturday, 31st December) at a poor moonsighting site, a group of us could not sight the new crescent. The horizon was clear. Although the moon set only 6 minutes after sunset and it was definitely below the horizon, we nevertheless attempted the sighting in order to perform the religious duty [ta'abbud] of physically going out to spot the moon on laylat al-ru'ya on the way to Maghrib. By the time of Isha', we have received no news of a positive sighting from anywhere East of our position. Indeed, we received news from Morocco that professional observers there could not sight the moon ['adam thubut] in spite of clear skies.
The religious authority there have declared that they will be completing [istikmal] 30 days for the month of Dhu l-Qa'da and that the 1st of Dhu l-Hijja is on Monday, the 2nd of January. By following Morocco, the 10th of Dhu l-Hijja in the UK should also be on Wednesday the 11th of January.

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