How Eid has already been declared in USA

Dubai: There is a possibility the Shawwal moon may not be sighted on Wednesday and subsequently many Muslim countries may announce Eid Al Fitr on Friday.

On Wednesday sunset at Makkah is 6.56pm and moonset is at 7.07pm. The moon will stay on the Makkah horizon just for 11 minutes after the sunset. This may not be sufficient enough of a time period for the moon to be seen.

The Fiqh Council Of North America (FNCA) has already announced Eid Al Fitr will be on Thursday. These are the reasons for that announcement:

1. The Astronomical New Moon is on Tuesday at 9.51pm Universal Time. The moon will be almost 29 hours of age by the time it is in the Los Angeles, California horizon. It will stay in the horizon about 17 minutes after the sunset.

2. The FCNA takes scientifically guaranteed astronomical calculations as the valid method of lunar month’s affirmation. The calculations ascertain the new moon will be on the southern California horizon on Tuesday, therefore we accept that certain knowledge as a reason to declare Thursday as the first day of Shawwal.

3. Additionally the new moon will be sight-able by a telescope in California. That possibility of telescopic sighting in California strengthens FCNA’s position. Many Muslim jurists accept telescopic sighting as a genuine sighting.

4. The moon should easily be sighted in Chile, South America by a naked eye. Chile is on the US ET time zone and shares the night with us. The definite news of naked eye sighting should arrive to the US by 10pm EDT, long before the sunset in California. That naked eye sighting report will additionally substantiate the FCNA’s position as we share the night with Chile.

5. The California’s telescopic and Chile’s naked eye sighting will also fulfill the global sighting criterion which is the original juristic criteria for affirmation of lunar months. All four Imams have agreed that moon sighting anywhere in the globe is sufficient of a reason to declare the new Islamic month. That criteria will be fulfilled on Wednesday as the new moon will be sight-able by telescope in California and by naked eye in Chile.

6. Many established standards of the new month’s declaration are being fulfilled on Wednesday. Therefore, as announced earlier, Eid Al Fitr will be on Thursday.