THE CRESCENT MOON OF 2013

The arrival of the month of Sha'ban in the Islamic calendar offers a tired old subject of confusing when to end the month of Ramadan. In the Philippines, the beginning and end of Ramadan has traditionally been based on Hilal Sightings by the Supreme Council of Darul Ifta of the Philippines, headed by the Grand Mufti. This is the detection of the crescent new moon by the human eye without the benefit of optical aids. For some brothers and sisters in Islam, the sighting of the new moon in Saudi Arabia marks the end of Ramadan. For others, it is the moon sighting in their own country. For others, sighting of the new moon anywhere in the world triggers the end of Ramadan at their location.

In the Philippines, the issue of moon sighting has become moon arguing especially in the social networking sites, In this case, both sides are divided over the question that what is really the ‘new’ moon. Interestingly, both sides base their arguments on the Hadith: "Do not fast unless you sight the crescent, and do not break your fast till you sight the (following) crescent.” (Al-Bukhari, Vol. 3:130). Other brothers use the sighting in Saudi Arabia to end Ramadan also in the Philippines and argue that a sighting in Saudi is binding on Muslims in other areas as well because we only have same moon after all. However, the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w.), argues against a sighting being binding on distant places. Thus states that Kurayb, who traveled to Syria encountered the start of Ramadan there on a Friday, upon return to Medina, informed Ibn Abbas that he had seen the crescent-moon on the night of Friday, and that the people in Syria, including Muawiyah the governor, had fasted on Friday. Ibn Abbas replied that they (in Medina) had seen the crescent-moon on Saturday, and that they would not stop fasting until they either saw it again, or had completed thirty days. Kurayb asked, "Will you not suffice with the sighting of Muawiyah?” Ibn Abbas replied, "No, that is how the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded us.” Also, we need to consider that just as Muslims around the world will NOT pray simultaneously, rather each area will pray based on the MOVEMENT of the sun in their area. Thus, how could they start and END fasting simultaneously. The presence of numerous hadith on this issue only indicates that even the companions and their later contemporaries differed about the start and end of Ramadan, such difference did not cause disunity and confusion among them, and so there is no reason why it should for us Filipino Muslims.