| Author | Topic |
ebrahimsenior
SOUTH AFRICA
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 Topic initiated on Thursday, October 7, 2004 - 6:36 PM 
Beginning Ramadaan 1425 AH
RAMADAAN
1425 AH
HILAAL SIGHTING
DEFINITION OF HILAAL
The HILAAL is the reflected sunlight first sighted on the lunar surface following conjunction (birth of the moon) and viewed on the western horizon in the time-period between observed eye-level sunset and moonset (lag).
[Until such time in the future when all of mankind possess telescopic vision, the rule remains a naked-eye sighting]
WHEN TO SIGHT?
Organised sighting takes place at the end of the correctly marked 29th day of the Islamic lunar month.
30-DAY LUNAR MONTH
If the moon is in its hidden phase (ghumma alaykum) at the end of the correctly marked 29th day then the month is extended to a 30 day duration and it is not necessary to sight the moon at the end of the 30th day.
RAMADAAN HILAAL
1.1
The Hilaal of Shabaan was sighted in South Africa and in Morocco on the evening of Wednesday September 15, 2004 and the first day of Shabaan corresponded to Thursday September 16. All countries to the west of the lunar line of South Africa and Morocco began the first of Shabaan on September 16. Countries to the east of the aforementioned lunar line should have started the first day of Shabaan on Saturday, September 17 (this includes Asia, Australia and the Middle East).
Unfortunately, some of these countries began Shabaan on Tuesday, September 14 and on Wednesday Wednesday, September 15 due to errors made in the beginning of previous months or using a criteria alien to Islamic Law, and would therefore use an incorrect date to search for the Ramadaan Hilaal.
1.2
Conjunction (birth of the moon) occurs when the sun and the moon occupy the same celestial longitude. For the coming month this occurs at longitude 144o E.
(over the Gulf of Papua, New Guinea and west of Cape York, Australia).
The time of conjunction is given as 2h49m16s on Thursday 2004/10/14 according to coordinated universal time (the old GMT – Greenwich mean time) and converted to time zones (a geo-political arrangement) using a geocentric measurement (centre of the earth to centre of the moon).
Personally, for the purposes of accuracy, I prefer a topocentric measurement (surface of earth locality of observer to the lower limb of the lunar surface) and real longitudinal time.
Hidden phase of the moon
VIEWING PARAMETERS [sunset values]
[percentage illumination – amount of reflected sunlight on the lunar surface as a percentage of the whole lunar disc
altitude – height of the moon in degrees above the eye-level horizon
elongation – angular distance of the moon from the sun
azimuth – distance in degrees at observed eye-level sunset from the upper disc of the sun along the horizon to a point directly below the centre of the moon
lag – the time-period between sunset and moonset]
Research into 439 southern hemisphere Hilaal sightings (213 positive and 226 negative) yields the following boundaries:-
A
THE HILAAL WAS NOT SIGHTED WHEN THE PERCENTAGE ILLUMINATION WAS BELOW 0.9% AT SUNSET.
On the 5 occasions when the Hilaal was seen at 0.9% illumination the minimum ALTITUDE was 6.980o, the minimum ELONGATION was 10.514o, the minimum AZIMUTH was 7.179o, and the minimum LAG was 39.5 minutes.
B
THE HILAAL WAS NOT SIGHTED WHEN THE ALTITUDE WAS BELOW 4.286o AT SUNSET.
The above sighting required an ILLUMINATION of 2.2%, a minimum ELONGATION of 16.741o and a minimum AZIMUTH of 16.005o
C
NO POSITIVE SIGHTING WAS MADE WHEN THE ELONGATION WAS
BELOW 10.514o
Taking into account the data pertaining to nine sample areas across the globe at sunset on Thursday 2004/10/14
(Adelaide, Beijing,New Delhi,Makkah,Cairo,Cape Town,London,New York and Santa Barbara – 138.32o E to 120o W)
the moon remains in its hidden phase throughout the world.
1.3
CORRECT BEGINNING OF RAMADAAN
Ramadaan 1425 AH begins throughout the globe on Saturday, October 16, 2004 (compilated from the previous evening at Maghrib).
Best wishes to all Muslims during this coming holy month.
Abdurrazak Ebrahim Snr (Dr)
Cape Town.
ebrahimsenior@ctrs.co.za |
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surgeonakhlaq
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Thursday, October 14, 2004 - 10:30 PM 
Assalaamu’alaikum,
Happy Ramdhan to all and avail till the last breath rale. Thanks God who has given me the opportunity to pay a reception to this glorious month at this website like this:
The topics of “smiles” and “smile a while” are already initiated. Every word has its opposite word otherwise its value drops to zero like that of human life. The opposite of “smiles” is “weeping” not “slims”. This topic (weeping) must also be initiated so that we can show our “tears” not “teeth” and perhaps these drops may wash our eyes which can’t see other than ourselves, creating the “peace” not “piece” everywhere all over the world. This month is to multiply these tears too, many times and collectively, to a flood scavenging all the evils and extinguishing the hell fire and leading to paradise full of “smiles”, “slims”, “peace”, “piece”, “teeth” and “NO weeping, NO tears”.
These Four WEEKS are really For WEAKS like me.
May Allah help and forgive us, Aameen, Summa Aameen!
Dr. Akhlaq |
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surgeonakhlaq
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 11:21 PM
Assalaamu’alaikum,
Holy Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him) has advised us forever, to stop eating earlier than the complete hunger satiety.
Especially in Ramdhan, One is more greedy to eat at the time of “Sehri” as well as “Iftar”, than other days of the year. This over eating is dangerous, after a long period of complete abstinence of eating and drinking and this risk increases with the advancing age especially after 35 to 40 years. It must be remembered that these age groups are commonly affected but no age is exempted.
The overloaded stomach may cause straining of the heart leading to pain in the chest, upper abdomen, shoulders or arms specially left. These may be the symptoms of the heart attack. This condition must never be ignored and the doctor must be consulted immediately.
The incidence of perforation of the peptic ulcer is more in the spring and autumn seasons i.e. when the season is changing as now a day in the subcontinent.
We all know, “Prevention is better than cure”. Please do act upon the advice of Holy Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him) as it is for the health of the body as well as the faith.
May Allah help and forgive us, Aameen!
Dr. Akhlaq |
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khusro
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 8:32 AM
"The Islamic month cannot begin on the same gregorian date throughout the world because the Islamic day encompasses two gregorian dates (the night before and the day after)."
and
"CORRECT BEGINNING OF RAMADAAN
Ramadaan 1425 AH begins throughout the globe on Saturday, October 16, 2004 (compilated from the previous evening at Maghrib)."
are seems to be contradiction, what I understand from this.
which one is your final verdict.
Pls. Explain.
Jazakumullah-o-Khairun |
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ebrahimsenior
SOUTH AFRICA
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Posted - Thursday, October 21, 2004 - 10:25 PM
Assalaamu-Alaykum.
Dear Khusro,
It is a pleasure to respond to your query because you have read and understood the article 'Beginning Ramadaan 1425' and the statement 'the Islamic month cannot begin on the same gregorian date throughout the world'.
[Congratulations on using your skills of comprehension]
It appears to be a contradiction if one uses a generalization and applies the above statements to all lunar months.
There are a few rare exceptions when the instant of conjunction (birth of the moon) takes place near and west of the international date line (IDL) and the first visibility of the young crescent occurs almost 24 hours later.
In the case of the Ramadaan 1425 conjunction, this occured at longitude 144 E, which is 36 degrees west of the IDL (a difference of 2 hours 24 minutes) and visibility was predicted for areas west of the Americas. This was the exception.
Conjunction occurs at various longitudes (north and south of the equator) throughout the globe.
One works west from the point of conjunction to try and best predict the area where the youngest visible crescent may be observed, and if the prediction of visibility is anywhere near the IDL then the lunar month should enjoy the same gregorian dates throughout the world.
As I have said, this is a rare occasion.
There are occasions when conjunction occurs east of the IDL and first visibility occurs in the western parts of Africa.
In most instances, the beginning of the lunar month would span three gregorian dates around the world because one Islamic day consists of two gregorian dates.
As a matter of interest the following are the longitudinal points of conjunction (topocentric) for the next 12 months :-
12/11/2004 : 55.2 W
12/12/2004 : 147.9 E
10/01/2005 : 20.8 E
08/02/2005 : 111.3 W
10/03/2005 : 81.2 E
08/04/2005 : 122.0 W
08/05/2005 : 26.5 E
07/06/2005 : 166.7 W
06/07/2005 : 16.7 E
05/08/2005 : 178.5 W
03/09/2005 : 60.2 W
03/10/2005 : 28.2 E
My apologies if I was the cause of any confusion.
Thank you, Khusro.
Wassalaam.
Abdurrazak Ebrahim (Dr)
ebrahimsenior@ctrs.co.za
Cape Town. |
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surgeonakhlaq
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Sunday, October 24, 2004 - 9:50 PM
Assalaamu’alaikum,
Ramdhan is the month of workshop (Training) for renewal of the health of our faith, society as well as the body.
This training involves our daily activities according to the Shariah e.g. the sense of hunger and thirst realizes one for the same as the others (not only human beings but animals also), abstinence from the evils and like five times Salat, Salat-u-Tarawe as a big gathering gives the lesson of equality, brotherhood and communication (like Hajj). Although “Zakat” is a separate pillar of Islam, it can be included here too, as remedy of health of the society.
This training programme is so important that it has been rewarded many times rather full of blessings, forgiveness and freedom from hell because it is the base at which almost all the “Haququllah” and “Haquq-ul-Ibad” rest i.e. believes, fear of God, human values, brotherhood, equality, justice, and endurance etc.
The objectives of this month are achieved only if the feelings and expertness gained, are maintained whole the year otherwise it is same as we read Holy Quran without understanding. Similarly purpose of body health is achieved only if the eating at both the times is according to the “Sunnah” i.e. to eat simple and stop earlier than the complete hunger satiety.
After this month if we remain unchanged, then it is a certificate of unsatisfactory training. On the other hand, if every one gains a satisfactory certificate, then we are in paradise here as well as at the day of resurrection.
May Allah help and forgive us, Aameen!
Dr. Akhlaq |
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