Editor's Pick

MOON SIGHTING

3 October 2006, 18:00 PM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Sayeed A. Chaudhury, Gulshan, Dhaka
The sighting of the new moon has been creating confusion & uncertainties resulting in inconveniences, controversies & troubles for the Muslims at large. Even this year at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, it was announced so belatedly at 7: 15 on Saturday evening that some people had already left for the Tarabi prayers in the mosques. Some sections of people even disregarded the announcement & started fasting a day earlier than the rest. Now even some political parties are blaming others for the confusion. So why can't a mechanism be developed that can rid us of this problem for good, to the satisfaction of all concerned. There is a general perception that the new moon has to be sighted by someone & has to be corroborated by others. But in this modern day and age, isn't this somewhat out-dated? The last few days had been fully overcast over the whole of Bangladesh when the moon was supposed to rise, so how could anyone see the thin sliver of the moon? It was practically impossible. Can't we depend on the almanacs? After all, the early Arab Muslims were very good in astronomy & they were the ones who refined this art into an exact science. Obviously, our Moon Sighting Committee depended on calculations when it announced on Saturday that the first day of Ramadan would be Monday without sighting the moon.

Around the world there are countries where they started Ramadan 2 or 3 days earlier. In one country, Iraq for example, a section of people started the fasting one day while another section a day later. Even in our small country there are pockets of small areas where the people are doing the same. The countries on the west of us and also on the east had started their Ramadan earlier. We may be the last country to officially start the holy month. Isn't it ridiculous that 30th Shaban or 1st Ramadan is on different days in different countries & even in the same country? I am afraid it will be the same situation regarding the day of Eid-ul-Fitr also & subsequently the beginning of other Islamic months. Can't our Ulemas get together, or better still, can't the OIC or some leading Islamic university arrange some modalities to sight the moon or base the sighting of the moon on calculations far ahead of the actual happening? A foolproof, universally recognised & accepted procedure will be in keeping with the modern-day advances, realities & circumstances. This will stop the absurd & troublesome situation prevailing in the Muslim world in this very important matter.

After all, Islam is a justly balanced, sober & practical religion and if we keep pace with the modern times, I believe it will not be against religious conventions & edicts.

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