Some countries of the Islamic world differed in declaring the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan this year, which caused a state of controversy, as countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Emirates and Egypt announced Friday, Sha’ban 29, 1443 AH (corresponding to April 1, 2022) as the last Arab month, and Saturday was The first days of the holy month.

At a time when Oman, Jordan and Morocco announced that the beginning of Ramadan will be on Sunday, and Sha’ban will complete its period of 30 days, will this difference occur on Eid as well?

The problem of observing the crescent

To understand the matter, let us contemplate some important astronomical knowledge, as the moon revolves around the earth once every 28 days, and you can easily observe this cycle from your home, just go up to the roof of the house at the same time every day, and contemplate the position of the moon in the sky, you will find that it changes its place It is as if it jumps in the sky day after day, moving away from the sun, while the area of ​​the light falling on it also changes, so it moves from the crescent to the first square and then to the full moon...etc.

Now, let's suppose, theoretically, that we can turn back time day by day. This means that the moon will return to stand next to the sun completely, and according to astronomy, this is the moment of conjunction, and the beginning of the lunar month.

After the moment of conjunction, the moon begins to move away from the sun in the sky little by little, and we cannot see it easily at first because it is close to the sun, but after about 14 hours from the moment of pairing, naked eyes can see the moon in the sky after sunset.

The difficulty of seeing the crescent of Shawwal after sunset on Saturday 29 Ramadan 1443 AH (International Astronomy Center)

Exploring the crescent

In Islamic law, specialists from the legal bodies go out to search for the crescent of Ramadan after sunset on the day of sighting, which is the 29th of the Hijri month. It is easily visible, and the closer it is to the sun, the more difficult it is to see.

In the case of investigating the crescent of the current month of Ramadan, the moon stayed only about 17 minutes on average after sunset, which made it difficult to see it with the naked eyes and optical telescopes, but some other telescopes equipped with modern technologies can monitor the crescent in this situation by separating the sunlight from the moon and then showing The latter as a very thin gray thread but still noticeable.

Here, the competent religious authorities differ about the concept of "vision."

Hilal Shawwal announcement

In the case of the Shawwal crescent this year (1443), the same rules apply. If your country has determined the first of Ramadan on Saturday (corresponding to April 2,), this means that the search for the crescent of Shawwal will be after sunset on Saturday, Ramadan 29, in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Sudan, Libya, UAE and Egypt.

Here, we will find that the moment of the moon's conjunction with the sun will be at 21:28 in the evening, that is, after sunset, which means that there will be no crescent to see it.

Consequently, these countries will certainly announce that the Shawwal crescent will not be sighted, and that Ramadan this year will be 30 days, and Eid will begin on Monday, the first of Shawwal 1443 AH (corresponding to May 2nd).

The stay and age of the moon at sunset and the possibility of seeing the crescent of Shawwal 1443 AH on Sunday evening, corresponding to May 1, 2022 AD (International Astronomy Center)

The Hilal of Shawwal was confirmed in Morocco, Jordan and Oman

On the other hand, some countries that considered the first Ramadan 1443 AH to be on Sunday, April 3, 2022, will go out to investigate the Shawwal crescent on Sunday evening, corresponding to May 1, and in this case - according to a statement issued by the International Astronomy Center - the majority of countries will be able to: Seeing the moon and announcing the confirmation of the crescent of Shawwal, and the reason for this is that the moon will remain for a relatively long time after sunset.

For example, when seeing the crescent of Shawwal in Morocco, it is expected that the crescent will remain after sunset for about 49 minutes, and therefore it will be easily seen with a telescope, and can even be seen with difficulty with the naked eyes, so it is likely that the Kingdom will announce the confirmation of the crescent of Shawwal, and therefore The feast will start on Monday.

The same will happen in the Sultanate of Oman and Jordan. The moon remains for more than half an hour after sunset, and therefore it will be possible to spot it with a telescope easily, so it is likely that each of them will announce the confirmation of the Shawwal crescent, and therefore Eid will begin on Monday.

The conclusion, then, is that it is highly likely that all the countries of the Arab world will agree this year on the date of the first of Shawwal, despite the previous differences between them regarding the beginning of Ramadan.

The sighting of Hilal Shawwal is expected to be next Sunday evening in Morocco, Jordan and Oman (International Astronomy Center)

Seeing the crescent of Shawwal in Turkey

As for Turkey and some European countries, the matter is completely different from the countries of the Arab world, where the principle of establishing the Hijri month is based on astronomical calculations only, and there is no need for vision intervention. Eid al-Fitr for this year 1443 AH and the first of the month of Shawwal will be corresponding to May 2.

Astronomical calculations indicate that the moon on the 29th of Ramadan will be below the western horizon before sunset in the first place, which means that part of Ramadan has already entered the next day, and therefore the blessed month of Ramadan this year in Turkey will be 30 days, and Eid al-Fitr will be on day 2. May, in agreement with most Arab countries.

In general, the International Astronomy Center had announced that the system for sighting the crescent this year means that it is expected that the majority of countries that will investigate the crescent on Sunday will announce that the period of Ramadan is 29 days and that Monday is Eid al-Fitr, while it is expected that the Eid will be Tuesday in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Turkey and some European countries adopt the principle of astronomical calculations to determine the crescent of Shawwal (International Astronomy Center)

Do Arab countries unite in determining the method of establishing the crescent?

With each year, a fierce debate arises about the dates of the beginning of Ramadan, Shawwal, and Dhu al-Hijjah, and when the Arab countries differ from each other, the debate develops among the public to take on a political character.

A disagreement may arise between the public about right and wrong, but the reality is that there is no right or wrong in announcing the results of the crescent examination, but only there are different points of view about what the vision means.

In general, astronomy does not specify what the vision means, but rather provides the appropriate data to the people of legal jurisdiction.

But this controversy had drawn the attention of some specialists from Sharia boards and legal astronomers, who demanded that Muslims in the Arab countries, and the whole world, agree on a single mechanism to investigate the new moons, which proves the date of the beginning of the Hijri months, but these calls do not yet have sufficient support to achieve them.