Sighting of Ramadan crescent: Astronomical calculations vs. the naked eye

Every year with the end of the month of Sha'ban, Muslims around the world await the sighting of the crescent of the month of Ramadan in preparation for fasting and to revive the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), when he said in the Hadith "whenever you sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadan), observe fast, and when you sight it (the new moon of Shawwal), break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then observe fast for thirty days."Whenever the month of Ramadan approaches every year, Muslims wonder how and when to monitor and observe the crescent, its conditions, and its requirements. This is due to the different locations of countries in terms of latitude and longitude, the times of sunrise and sunset, and points of view on the interpretation of religious scripts regarding sighting the crescent.In his remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE the President of Qatar Centre for Space Sciences and Astronomy, Sheikh Salman bin Jabor al-Thani, said that according to the Sunnah, observing the crescent of the month of Ramadan starts from the 29th day of Sha'ban as people try to apply the Sunnah, which is to observe and try to see the crescent over the western horizon after or with sunset, as it becomes easier to see after sunset.On the conditions and circumstances that should be met for the validity of the crescent's observing and sighting, he explained that some things are preferably done for the sighting process, including assuring the birth of the crescent before sunset and a sufficient distance between the moon and the sun, so that the moon creates sufficient light, making it easier for the observer to see it.It is also preferable for crescent observers to be in an area free of environmental and light pollution, away from beaches, so that sea humidity does not affect the possibility of seeing it.Regarding the process of observing itself, Sheikh Salman said that observers should begin by focusing on the western side from the beginning of contact with the sun to the western horizon in order to take advantage of as much time as possible to try to see the crescent. There is nothing wrong with using binoculars, and using them is acceptable in validating the birth of the crescent. As for digital cameras, they are unacceptable because their capabilities far exceed the human eye.Sheikh Salman said that the existing or the mentioned difference between countries is not of a big significance as religion is supposed to make people's lives easier not harder, and Allah told Muslims to fast Ramadan for 29 days or 30 days according to the possibility of observing the crescent, which is also affirmed in several Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him).He said that some people deliberately create controversy among countries or sheikhs for media publicity by denying the crescent sighting while the Crescent Sight Committee is meeting on the investigation day, warning of the ensuing social rows.Sheikh Salman stressed that there is no disagreement among sheikhs or astronomers, calling on the public to listen only to the Crescent Sighting Committee.Arab and Islamic countries use binoculars to see the crescent at a time when other countries adopt astronomical calculations, he said, noting that seeing the crescent with the naked eye is highly recommended among Muslim fuqaha' (Islamic jurists) in accordance with the Holy Qur'an.Most Islamic countries depend the spatial visibility of the crescent on the 29th of Sha'ban in every possible place by committees composed of fuqaha', astronomers and ordinary citizens, he added, highlighting the inevitability of collective investigation of the crescent as the best way to ensure what is being seen is the crescent.He also noted that the duration of fasting hours in Ramadan vary from one country to another according to their latitude and longitude, highlighting the variance within large countries by area, such as Algeria and Saudi Arabia. There will be a few-minute increase in the duration of fasting hours during Ramadan coinciding the approach of summer when daylight hours increase, he said. (QNA)