Eid Mubarak, for the rest of the world!

By: Qwaider

On:Monday, September 29, 2008 9:41:11 PM
In:Thoughts
Viewed: (8288) times

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I've talked about this a MILLION times already. Ok, here's my pre Eid rant once again...

While almost half the Arab world celebrates Eid on Tuesday, the rest is going to have it on Wednesday! AGAIN!

(Of course this is beyond ridiculous)

It's EID in Qatar, Saudi, UAE, Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine and believe it or not, Libya (who claim it's based on Astronomical calculations) [The list is growing (Arabic)]

While the Fiqh Council (FCNA) of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) have presumptively declared Wednesday as the first day of Eid

Which means, the mosques, cities, states and neighborhoods are going to be divided... Yet again!

Update: Countries, and date of first day of Eid (Multiple sources)

September 29, 2008 (Monday)	September 30, 2008 (Tuesday)	October 1, 2008 (Wednesday)	October 2, 2008 (Thursday - not final/waiting sighting):
Nigeria (Northern)	Bahrain Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya (calculated) Saudia Arabia United Arab Emirates Yemen United Kingdom Turkey (Calculated) Switzerland Denmark Kazakhstan Greece Ireland Russia Germany Italy Norway Austria Canary Islands Bosnia Sudan Somalia Djibouti Kenya Uganda Ethiopia Tanzania Afghanistan Bulgaria Kosovo Macedonia Slovenia Romania Serbia Hungary Ukraine China Brazil.	Egypt Philippines (corrected) Australia Indonesia Malaysia Norway South Africa Maldives Singapore Thailand France Algeria Tunis USA (contested) Atlanta, GA Eid on Tuesday California Parts of LA Parts of San Francisco Alabama (Tuesday) South Carolina (Tuesday) Michigan - Tuesday Texas - Tuesday New York Washington - Seattle-Tacoma - Tuesday Canada (contested) Toronto - Tuesday Tajikistan Uzbekistan Syria Spain Finland Iceland Netherlands Poland	India Pakistan New Zealand Mauritius Iran Oman Sri Lanka Bangladesh

Update 2:

According to Phases of the moon tables by NASA, The new moon is born at SEPT. 29th at 8:12 UTC which is like 10 hours before the sighting took place in Saudi, which gives the idea that someone has actually indeed seen it a lot of credibility (since the moon is almost 10 hours old at the time of the sighting)

Update 3:

Apparently, this has confused the offecials at the Empire state building, so they will be shining thier lights in green for the second year in celebration of Eid al fitr Tuesday AND Wednesday

This is a good time to remind everyone with the system I've been trying to advocate for a while:

Ramadan, Shawwal, Eid Al Adha is to be declared ONLY in Mecca. During the night hours in Mecca, based on sightings from all over the world (but most accurately, areas that have been covered by darkness at the time, in other words, nations to the east of Mecca)
Once a sighting is confirmed, Mecca announces the beginning/end of Ramadan or any other Lunar month (as ThulHijja).
No other sightings are considered EVEN if confirmed (because the lunar calendar will go out of sync)
People will start the fast and have the first day of Eid on the same solar calendar day.
Mecca may chose to use astronomical calculations OR actual confirmed sightings (because even though calculations are 100% accurate, they don't take into account natural phenomena like reflection, where the moon WOULD BE SEEN by reflection in the upper atmosphere in a phenomena similar to desert mirage), or daylight sightings like during an Eclipse.
All the rest of the Muslim and Arab world will follow the ruling (You don't want people in Australia (far east) to start fasting one day late because by the time it was confirmed (in north America for example) it was already day for them

Happy Eid to everyone, hopefully, one day, within our lifetime we're going to celebrate one Eid in one day

Eid Mubarak

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Memories....

#1
Hani Obaid
Said
On: 9/29/2008 11:00:48 PM

Visitor of the day, the affable, prodigious Hani Obaid! Do I have to pickup a dictionary to find out if it's a compliment or insult :P

Happy Holidays Qwaider!

Will you take Wednesday off ?

#2
muhammad arrabi
Said
On: 9/29/2008 11:06:37 PM

10 hours is not enough to see the moon. ISNA/ICNA uses the most accurate calculations based on Astronomical data based on the past ~100 years.

#3
Qwaider
Said
On: 9/29/2008 11:12:31 PM

Hani,
I'm taking tomorrow and Wednesday off since tomorrow is the first day of Eid ul fitr (for me) Since I'm one of the people who likes to show solidarity with my roots. Besides, I celebrate eid more with my family back home than the nonexistent, fragmented community over here
As for Wednesday, that's my birthday :)

Not true Mohammad
The Moon IS born on the 29th at 8AM UST. So based on calculations the moon IS already born (the number is from NASA). Which means that for people like us with 8 hours offset that's 16 hours until it's 8PM over here. There's a chance that we could see it here in north America using any elevated observatory.
Which casts doubt over the "most accurate" part

Besides, what a better occasion to show "unity" than this one when people are ALREADY celebrating eid (in the east and west)

#4
Qwaider
Said
On: 9/29/2008 11:23:15 PM

Oh by the way, the reason FQNA "disqualified" this moon is because it would rise and set before sunset. Therefore EVEN if people saw it, it's still not the right moon

#5
hamede
Said
On: 9/30/2008 12:22:08 AM

[Since I'm one of the people who likes to show solidarity with my roots. Besides, I celebrate eid more with my family back home than the nonexistent, fragmented community over here]

ya me 2 tuesday,kul 3am wa antum be 5air and, happy birthday.

#6
TripleM
Said
On: 9/30/2008 12:25:50 AM

Man you're getting better and a better on statistics and surveys....I'm afraid that you're becoming a statistics geek (KiDDiNG)
anything about Egypt???

Happy Feast

#7
Qwaider
Said
On: 9/30/2008 12:27:18 AM

Egypt is Oct1st

#8
jessyz
Said
On: 9/30/2008 1:39:19 AM

Eid Mubarak to you and the family.
I wish we would all follow Mecca too at least in Ramadan because we follow it in Eid Al Adha anyways because of Hajj. In 2006 my husband fasted 31 days because he started Ramadan in one country and ended it in another, it was so funny.

#9
chika
Said
On: 9/30/2008 1:48:49 AM

kol sana o ento salmeen enshallah :)

#10
far7an
Said
On: 9/30/2008 1:50:42 AM

كل عام و انتو بالف خير

بلا مجلس فقه بلا بطيخ

tomorrow it is!!

#11
Qwaider
Said
On: 9/30/2008 1:59:24 AM

Jessyz
NOOOOOO, over here they DON'T FOLLOW even for Eid al Adha. I swear!

Chicka
Oo into salmeen

Far7an
و انتو بألف خير
يا الله ما احلى اسمك الجديد.. بيجنّن
and for me, Tomorrow it is

#12
afaf
Said
On: 9/30/2008 3:59:27 AM

i am having eid tomorrow with or without them...
eid mubarak inshalla...

#13
Batoul
Said
On: 9/30/2008 7:26:51 AM

This is sooooooo ridiculous 3njad! NJ cant even decide to choose one of the days. I announced if any of my friends come over, I'm going to kill them lol.. Khalas, i'm fasting. 7elo 3ani.

#14
Batoul
Said
On: 9/30/2008 7:27:19 AM

kel sineh wo inta salemmmmm!

#15
Muhammad Arrabi
Said
On: 9/30/2008 11:07:17 AM

Salam,
yes, NASA tells you when the moon geometerically passes the phase compared to Earth. ISNA has astronomical calculations on when is this phase "observable" from Earth. Observable angles and phases of moon are complicated to predict. This is why mathematical models were not very accurate for a while. But the current system used by ISNA/ICNA is considered to be most accurate, and I'm serious, it does rely on about 100 years of observations. It was "Tested" for the past 10 years, and it proved to predict observable new moon very well, and I think this is why lead ISNA/ICNA to use calculations.

I'm glad that here in Bay Area, CA, most people like to follow MCA (Muslim Community Association). MCA is a huge mosuqe that is run as a democracy. You sign up to become a member, and you vote every 2 years to elect an executive committee. The committee, along with the advisory board, makes decisions for the community. They have long decided to follow ISNA/ICNA on any US-wide decision, including Eid & moon-sighting. While few small mosques in the area are praying Eid on Tuesday, most of the muslims here will pray on Wednesday.

another nice thing about MCA: we don't have a permanent imam. the Juma committee invites 2 imams every friday to give juma khutba.

anyways... kol saneh wa inta salem.

#16
deemco
Said
On: 9/30/2008 12:52:19 PM

Hey Qwaider, kol 3am o inta o Mai b alf khair! :)

#17
laila
Said
On: 9/30/2008 12:55:10 PM

Basing the decision on whether to announce Eid or not based on several citings is a good idea, nice one :) especially since (in sympathy with hani) the muslim community here (west) is fragmented and you end up going to work/school on eid day (yes I am feeling sorry for myself). So we might as well celebrate virtually with friends and family back home!

Eid Mubarak to you and the Mrs :) hope you have a good one!

#18
sam
Said
On: 9/30/2008 5:47:11 PM

Kol 3am winta bekhair Q....i am celebrating eid today ..but my parents insist in doing it tomorrow..thanks to the hamilton mosque and the isna...but i think the mosque is sticking to wed because they have reserved a hall at the convention center so this will screw up their plans..ah well...i too think we need to stick to the sighting in mecca...we only have one moon...i would understand if we were on jupitor...but gosh...grow up people! but i guess allah wanted this to happen for some reason...o well...:o)

#19
SimSim
Said
On: 9/30/2008 9:34:49 PM

elmohem kol 3aam w eljamee3 b5eer :D

#20
Muhammad Arrabi
Said
On: 9/30/2008 11:15:28 PM

Salam,
Explanation where Oct 1st comes from:
http://www.isna.net/events/Special-Announcement/FCNA-ANNOUNCES-EID-AL-FITR.aspx

The Moonsighting Committee Worldwide
http://moonsighting.com/mcw.html

ISNA define new moon as calculated from Makkah, which is usable for all of the world. The European & US Fiqh Councils have adopted this criteria.

#21
Qwaider
Said
On: 9/30/2008 11:43:15 PM

I disagree with this explanation. And I've seen it before and it's not even worth considering because they're picking and choosing

It's a shame that there are Islamic bodies like ISNA that blew the unity of the Islamic world just because they want to show some character. It's truly shameful.

They've known that Muslims will be torn by this yet, they had too much ego to change their mind. Even if they were right. ... EVEN IF they were right! And they're not right!

I checked Starry Night software, and I was able to see the moon in WASHINGTON State at our longitude. Above the horizon. Which means all that stupid software they use is doing is giving false data.

Either way, Eid is today, if people want to celebrate it tomorrow, that's their business! Happy Eid Y'all

#22
ياسمين حميد
Said
On: 10/1/2008 1:57:28 PM

Happy 2nd day of Eid Qwaider, and Happy birthday!

#23
MM
Said
On: 10/1/2008 4:23:47 PM

This is all about politics and the need to show some character or be different just to be different. There is one moon people!! If someone sees it then the rest should follow. Yeah, good luck having Iran and other countries follow Mecca..on anything!!!

#24
sifta
Said
On: 10/2/2008 9:52:48 AM

Eid Mubarak!

Your table of countries is very interesting. Thanks for the effort in documenting this.

BTW, 10 hours is too early to see the moon, even with a telescope, even for a late spring Moon in Mecca (where the birth would be seen in the Northern Hemisphere). In the autumn it is not plausible. The documented record for an early sighting of a lunar crescent, with a telescope, is 12.1 hours after New Moon; for naked-eye sightings, the record is 15.5 hours from New Moon.

See the investigation on this topic by Shk. Hamza Yusuf: http://www.zaytuna.org/articleDetails.asp?articleID=100

According to moonsighting.com, the first first photo snapped of this year's Shawwal moon (taken in New Zealand on Sep 30 ~ 8pm local time). It is just a sliver of light. You said that you saw the moon 10 hours prior at like +40 latitude?

#25
Qwaider
Said
On: 10/2/2008 5:33:18 PM

Eid Mubarak to you too.
I didn't see it with naked eye, I was using starry night. Which showed the moon over the horizon at ~1%.
On a clear night, at an ELEVATION the moon could be seen.
But either way, even if it wasn't seen, it's enough that half the Muslim world is gearing to celebrate for the rest to be united. EVEN if they were wrong! That's the true spirit of unity. It's not about one day more or one day less. It's about celebrating with the global neighborhood

#26
KJ
Said
On: 10/4/2008 4:23:46 PM

Funny how the moon skipped Syria and headed to Jordan

#27
Ali
Said
On: 10/12/2008 1:36:07 PM

Hmm unless I am losing my memoery, I am pretty sure we celebrated Eid here (NZ) on Wednesday and so did Oman.

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