Eid on Nov
3 Means You Missed the Last Day of Ramadan
By Mohammad G. Nadvi
President
Ulema Council of N. America
Would you like to miss the
last day of Ramadan?
By celebrating Eid on Thursday, Nov.3, 2005 you
indeed did miss the last day of Ramadan. The Shawwal
moon was not seen in N. America anywhere on Wednesday,
November 2. All experts are unanimous on this.
Some Muslims might say that not only ISNA, but
ICNA, Shariah Council, and other groups also declared
Eid al-Fitr on Thursday.
Some Muslims might say: I had already fasted 30
days by Wednesday, Nov. 2. Why should I fast 31
days?
When the moon was not seen in Medina, Ibn Abbas
(RA) asked Kuraib to fast 31 days, as only moon-sighting
determines the end of Ramadan (Blugh-ul-Maraam).
ISNA, Fiqh Council ignored the shahadah rules
for sighting the Eid moon. ISNA Fiqh Council itself
had earlier agreed that naked-eye sighting in
N. America was IMPOSSIBLE.
Only Salamah surmised (without any supporting
observational data) that the moon could be seen
in the southern US states. For him, it was an
opportunity to prove his wild guess.
For Durrani, every claim, however spurious, has
been credible for decades. One wonders on what
grounds he rejected Oct. 3 (for Ramadan), Oct.
31 and Nov. 1, 2005 claims of Shawwal moon-sighting
but accepted the Phoenix claim?
ISNA muftis must now explain which Fiqh principles
they used to accept only one witness (the second
and the third in Phoenix cannot be counted as
the real witnesses). All Fuqaha specify the Ghalabat-al-Yaqeen
rule for ending a fasting month. Some might require
only two, but the majority requires a larger number,
50-500 from a town to abandon fasting after the
29th day of Ramadan. How could ISNA FC justify
that only one witness from a whole continent was
enough?
The Phoenix observer later “corrected”
his written statement: He said the Hilal was visible
to him till 5:51 pm (and not 5:41). It makes his
claim more doubtful. If he could see it for nine
minutes then how could his large group, including
the Imam, not see it?
Obviously, the ISNA Fiqh Council and its consultants
proved again that they are INCOMPETENT for determining
the Ramadan and Eidain dates and not credible.
They also bear the responsibility of all those
MUSLIMS who DID NOT FAST ON THE LAST DAY OF RAMADAN
as a consequence of their faulty decision.
It is amazing how ISNA consultants found NO fault
with this account.
1. Why did everybody in the “large”
group NOT SEE what only one could see?
2. How a 29-day-Hilal could be visible within
4 minutes of the sunset?
3. Why was it visible only for “a few seconds”?
4. Why was the Hilal upside down - extended from
7 to 2 on a clock?
5. Why did the second witness not provide details
to corroborate the claim?
6. Why did the third person (Imam) abandon his
claim of sighting?
7. Why nobody from Phoenix to Pacific coast could
see this moon again?
From his description of the observed object as
“illusive” the witness himself appeared
doubtful. The unfortunate tragedy lies with the
two experts who accepted it. Note that there was
no second witness’ statement in support
of this faulty evidence.
ISNA experts have to answer all these questions
with solid observational data to back their recommendation.
Chicago Hilal Committee fiasco:
The Chicago Hilal Committee added to the chaos
created by ISNA. Earlier in the evening they had
rejected three witnesses. Two witnesses appeared
before the Ulema Committee and affirmed that they
saw a crescent moon fifteen minutes AFTER the
sunset for another 5-6 minutes. They accepted
the two witnesses as “credible”.
In Chicago, the moon had set eight minutes after
the sunset. How could anyone see its crescent
15-20 minutes later when there was no moon above
the horizon to see?
The faulty reasoning of the Chicago Hilal Committee
was that the “witnesses are known persons,
and are “Adil”. Therefore, the Committee
should ignore the calculations and go for the
Islamic requirement of “Adil”, Muslim
witnesses.
How Islamic is their acceptance of a grossly wrong
testimony?
The Chicago Committee’s decision opened
the floodgates. Masaajid and Islamic centers that
for years insisted on a credible sighting, changed
to Thursday Eid by mid-night.
ICNA shares the blame equally for the blunder.
It used to be cautious and often differed with
ISNA. The ICNA representative in the National
Shura Council voted “No” along with
the Warith Deen group. However, later ICNA Executive
overruled and fell for the “unity”
argument.
Muslims should fast for the missed day of Ramadan.
ISNA, ICNA, Chicago Hilal Committee, Jamiatul
Ulema, Shariah Board, etc. all were misled by
faulty moon-sighting claims and declared Eid al-Fitr
on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005 - the last day of Ramadan.
How was it possible that only one person in Phoenix
and three in Chicago could see a moon that was
NOT SEEN from the East coast to West coast of
N. America anywhere else? Muslims who celebrated
Eid on Nov. 3 should make up at least one day
as a kaffarah for the missed day of Ramadan and
ask for Allah’s forgiveness.
www.moonsighting.net
www.omarafzal.com
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