In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.
The picture in the home page is one of the proofs of the divinity of the Holy Quran. Read the reason in
http://deentech.com/MI_IC_Picture_in_the_home_page_is_a_miracle_why.aspx . You might visit the URL
http://www.bilal-prayer.com/Quran_en.html also.
You are invited to read –
http://deentech.com/Allah_Exists.aspx ; and
http://deentech.com/MI_IC_Evidence_that_the_Holy_Quran_supersedes_the_Holy_Torah_and_the_Holy_Bible.aspx . As of now, only one religion is approved by God Almighty – Islam.
Muslim calendar is based on moon sighting. There are Traditions regarding this aspect. Two Traditions regarding the beginning and ending of the month of Ramadan are found in
http://www.searchtruth.com/searchHadith.php?keyword=start+fasting+Ramadan&translator=1&search=1&book=&start=0&records_display=10&search_word=all ===
(1) Narrated Ibn Umar: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "When you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can't see It) then regard the crescent (month) of Ramadan (as of 30 days)". (Book #31, Hadith #124) [Sahih Bukhari]
(2) Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet or Abu-l-Qasim said, "start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwal), and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha'ban." (Book #31, Hadith #133) [Sahih Bukhari]
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With advances in technology could the Muslims rely on such and decide about the start and end of Ramadan? In particular could astronomy be relied upon? In
http://www.moonsighting.com/moon.html we find the following:
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We calculate where the crescent moon sighting is possible for every lunar month. Visibility of the New Crescent Moon is calculated using the criteria, developed after decades of research by Khalid Shaukat, of Moonsighting Committee Worldwide (MCW). Development of the criteria included several thousand authentic observations, collected over a period of 150 years in different locations of the world. These visibility calculations jive with the observations every month since 1993.
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Every technocrat hopes that his / her technology is infallible. The only thing that is infallible is God. We have quoted two Traditions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, above which requires actual sighting of the moon. One could be tempted to follow technology if the observations jive with the calculations every month since 1993. We report the fact that the calculations did not jive with observation for the Ramadan of 1424H.
Moonsighting.com claimed that moon could not be sighted anywhere in North America on October 25, 2003 and thus Ramadan must start from October 27, 2003 only. However the moon was sighted on October 25, 2003 and some of us observed the first fast on October 26, 2003. However this fact is not reported in moonsighting.com.
http://www.moonsighting.com/1424rmd.html ===
October 25, 2003 (Saturday):
Taalib Abdul-Malik (Moonsighting.com member) from Damascus, Syria reported: As expected nothing seen here outside Damascus, Syria. Mostly clear sky.
Riyaad (Moonsighting.com member) from Trinidad reported: We did not see the moon tonight (Oct 25) and the Central Moonsighting Committee of Guyana (CMCG, representing the majority of Islamic organizations and scholars here and holding a Hemispheric Moonsighting position) has announced that Ramadan in Guyana will be observed from Monday Oct 27.
Muhammad Hafiz (ICOP & Moonsighting.com member) from Opa Locka, Florida reporetd: No Hilal was observed after sunset on Saturday, 25th October, 2003 in Opa-Locka, Florida USA .
Hadi Jaafar (Moonsighting.com member) from Fort Collins, CO reported: I tried to sight the moon here in Fort Collins between 6 P.M. and 6:20 P.M. local time tonight with a pair of binoculars. The moon could not be seen. Sky was clear, Venus visible. Just for fun, please find attached two pictures of Venus taken at around 6:15 with an 8*42 digital camera binocular.
Paul Burnham from Chino Valley, AZ reported: As predicted, negative results were obtained in attempting to sight the new moon from Chino Valley, AZ on the 25th October.
Javad Torabinejad (ICOP & Moonsighting.com member) from Richmond Utah reported: AsSalaamuAlaikum; This evening (Saturday, 25th of October), using a pair of 7X50 binoculars, I tried to sight the moon in Richmond (Utah) with no success. There was no problem sighting Venus, however.
Anwar Karim from American Samoa (Moonsighting.com member) reported: Unfortunately, it was rather cloudy in the lower horizon. We could not see the moon. We will try again on Sunday night.
October 26, 2003 (Sunday): …
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At that time – October 26, 2003 – there were many news reports about the sighting of the moon on October 25, 2003. Unfortunately we are unable to give the URL of such reporting. We do give indirect evidence from a source, which cannot be questioned – as from the following quote:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/overview/history.htm ===
GlobalSecurity.org is the leading source of background information and developing news stories in the fields of defense, space, intelligence, WMD, and homeland security. Launched in 2000, GlobalSecurity.org is the most comprehensive and authoritative online destination for those in need of both reliable background information and breaking news. GlobalSecurity.org, is well-respected, trusted and often-referenced in the media, both domestically and internationally.
Along with its rapid growth in audience and traffic, GlobalSecurity.org has developed a reputation as a trusted source of military information. It is a frequently visited destination for other news organizations as they build their own coverage of developing events.
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The indirect evidence is given below:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/ramadan.htm ===
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. Ramadan for the year 1423/ 2002 began on November 5, 2002 for all of the United States. The last day of Ramadan was December 4, 2002. Ramadan for the year 1424/ 2003 began on 26-27 October 2003 for all of the United States. The last day of Ramadan was 24-25 November 2003. Ramadan for the year 1425/ 2004 begins on 16 October 2004 for all of the United States, and the last day of Ramadan is 14 November 2004.
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Notice that the Ramadan for 1424/ 2003 has two start days one being October 26 indicating that moon was indeed sighted on October 25, 2003.
We have taken the pains to record this event because just one counter example is enough to show the falsity of a theory. God had demonstrated that calculations could not be relied upon in the year 1424 and thus the Muslims need to physically sight the moon.
From a theological point of view, the need to physically sight the moon is explained in
http://hilalsighting.org/Refutation_l.html We hope the administrator of moonsighting.com would modify the web page referred here and include the fact that at least during the month of October, 2003 the actual sighting of the moon did not jive with his calculations.
Allah SWT knows best.