Sunday, Aug 24, 2008
Riyadh: The Senior Ulema Board in Saudi Arabia has rejected any attempt to make Muslims depend on astronomical calculations to decide the beginning of Ramadan.
In a press statement, Shaikh Abdul Aziz Al Shaikh, the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia and chairman of the Senior Ulema Board, stressed that the beginning and the end of lunar months should only be determined on the basis of sightings and not by any other means.
"Shariah does not accept astronomical calculations based on mathematical computing as the basis for the beginning and ending of Ramadan," he said.
The fatwa announced by the grand mufti came after a series of meetings held by the Senior Ulema Board in which it discussed the possibility of depending on both the moon sighting and astronomical calculations.
Dismissed suggestions
The board members concluded that the sighting of the moon should be the basis of the month's beginning, although three of its members supported the idea of depending on astronomical calculations.
Al Shaikh cited a Hadith of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) which says, "You start fasting when you see [the moon] and stop it when you sight [the next moon] and when it is hidden by clouds, complete [30 days of] fasting."
Al Shaikh warned, "If anyone doubts our moon sighting, fasting and feasting, it shows his weak faith and defective perception."
The grand mufti added that it is obligatory for Muslims to start fasting when any Muslim known for his honesty and healthy eyesight claims to have sighted the new moon.
"This is the practice in the kingdom," he said, dismissing suggestions that Muslims may depend on astronomical calculations to begin fasting in Ramadan and celebrate Eid.
By Mariam Al Hakeem
Gulf News 2008. All rights reserved.
