False sightings - a bane of the Muslim Ummah for years - is "not very relevant", says Jibali (Wall Street Journal 1/7/97).

The Islamic way is to go only by the witness, even if false, as long as "he tried to be accurate".

One is amazed by how a sane Muslim can make such a brash statement after going through the Qura'n and the Sunnah.

In recent years several articles have appeared stating that an Islamic month begins only by direct or indirect sighting. Using calculations or any other method for ascertaining the crescent, or questioning any claim by a Muslim is invalid.

Islam has two major holidays, Eid Ul-Fitr (Post-Fasting Festival) and Eid Ul-Adha.

The word Eid itself is an Arabic word, whose root connotation is 'that which comes back, time after time, and rejoicing.' Its particular usage in Islam, for the two major holidays, is because these two days are meant to be days of rejoicing.[1]

The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "They are days of eating, drinking, and remembrance of God." [Reported by Bukhari in his Sahih, an authoritative collection of the sayings of the Prophet.]

In this same spirit, the Qur'an mentions:

The nights of both Eids, i.e. the nights preceding the Days of Eid, are auspicious occasions which should be observed with reverence and worship.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said that these nights are great occasions of Ibadat and of gaining the proximity and special Mercy of Allah Ta'ala. These holy nights, should therefore not be allowed to pass by in idleness.

Full advantage should be taken of these opportunities by offering obedience and Ibadat unto Allah Ta'ala to the best of our abilities. Istighfaar (seeking forgiveness for sins), Tilaawat (reciting the Quran), Nafl Salaah, Durood, etc. should be profusely offered on these holy nights.

"Eid is on Tuesday. What d'you mean, we're having our on Wednesday. How come? Hey that's when our mosque is doing it so don't ask me!"

How many of us have had this kind of chat year in year out? Why do we have Eid on two separate days? Why can't the ulema agree to have it on one day? What are the arguments and debates behind the scene? Who's to blame?

The following saying of the Prophet (SAW) should make this clear: "Fast after sighting the moon and end the moon after sighting it. If it is cloudy then complete thirty days of shaban." (Bukhari)

This is an attempt to present a clear perspective of the science of moon-sighting and to clarify some of the common misconceptions about moon-sighting.

Main Factors for Crescent Visibility

Most people associate visibility with the age of the moon. The age of the moon is simply the time lapsed since the new moon. Crescent formation depends upon the angular separation of the moon from the sun as seen from the earth. As time passes from the instant of new moon, the moon moves slower than the sun appears to move (because of rotation of the earth). This causes the angular separation between the sun and the moon and the formation of the crescent. This may be explained better with the help of the following figure.