Lesson 10 Laws of Moon Sighting

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Lesson 10Laws of Moon Sighting

• Is sighting the moon obligatory?

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ALBAQARAH (THE COW 185)

• ????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ???????????? ?????
  ????? ???????? ???? ????? ?????? ????????? ?????
  ???????? ??????
• therefore whoever witnesses the month, he shall
  fast therein, and whoever is sick or upon a
  journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of
  other days

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????? ?????? ??????? ?????????

• SHADAH is testimony or witness
• And in the English interpretations of the Quran
  (four opinions)
• KNOWS THE BEGINNING Any one of you who knows
  that the month of RAMADHAN has begun, he must
  start to fast-SARWAR
• WITTNESSES THE MONTH So let those who witness it
  (the month) fast in it- QOLI/Mir Ahmed
• WITNESSES THE MOON Who ever observes the moon
• PRESENT IN HIS HOME Therefore whoever of you is
  present in the month, he shall fast therein,
  -SHAKIR

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ALKHOEI ????? ?????? ???????

• The real existence of this month is the cause of
  the obligation in fasting it.
• The plenty narrations indicate that the new month
  emerges by the emerge of the sun light on the
  moon in a way that it can be seen or sighted.
• If such emerge occurs for a region then it is
  enough for the entire earth, but since the night
  does not cover the whole earth at one time, then
  the unity of the night should be observed in the
  sharing of the moon sighting.
• The night sharing regions could be in the sunset
  and the dawn.

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TABATABAE ????? ?????? ???????

• The witness of the month by the knowledge of its
  coming.
• It happens by the knowledge of its start.
• It does not mean that the moon has to be sighted,
  nor a person must be present in the home town
  (in oppose to the traveling person), for there is
  no evidence for such claim.
• Yes the moon sighting can be an indication for
  the entrance of the month.

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SABZAWARI ????? ?????? ???????

• The criteria is the real existence or the coming
  of the month, by moon sighting or by any other
  measures of such was possible.
• Other scholars of TAFSEER
• SHADAH of the month means
• SHADAH of moon, that means every one must sight,
  if not then no fasting is obligated.
• Being resident in the home town (Sh. MAKARIM)

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The words of the scholars

• There are two types of wordings
• ALKHOEI and SISTANI, when they mention the rules
  of proving the holy month they use the following
  WORDS
• Method of ascertaining the first day of a month
  (or the beginning of the month) the focus is on
  the beginning of the month.
• 1739. The 1st day of a month is established in
  the following four ways..
• The moon is proven by KNOWLEDGE which is acquired
  by the personal sighting, or multiple reports or
  any other ways ,
• 2. Others used the word method of ascertaining
  the moon sighting . (the focus is on proving the
  existence of the moon)

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Astrologer (MONAJIM) vs. Astronomer (FALAKI)

• Astrologer gives predictions based on the
  observations of the movement of the stars,
  planets and other celestial bodies.
• Astronomer is a scientist who makes the
  predictions based on the scientific facts and
  figures, mathematical calculations, and the
  science of astrophysics of the celestial bodies .
• The words of the great scholars mention the
  Astrologer or MONAJIM and some times the
  astronomer.

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The FATWA regarding the predictions of the
astronomer

• 1741. The first day of a month will not be proved
  by the prediction made by the astronomers.
  However, if a person derives full satisfaction
  and certitude from their findings, he should act
  accordingly. (laws of S. SISITANI (MAP))
• Two conditions
• Knowledge or certainty
• Satisfaction

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The scholars who support the Prediction of the
Astronomer

• S. ALKHOEI (MAM)
• S. KHOMENI (MAM)
• S. GOLPAYGHANI (MAM)
• S. SABZAWARI (MAM)
• SH. WAHEED KHORASANI (MAP)-QUM
• SH. MIRZA JAWAD TABREEZI (MAP)- QUM
• SH. NASIR MAKARIM (MAP) -QUM
• SH. FADHIL LANKARANI (MAP) -QUM

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Factors of satisfaction

• An astronomer is a human being who is also
  subjected to making errors in his calculations,
  so there must be factors of satisfaction.
• Such person though he is a human too who might
  have made an error in his calculations but his
  previous record of in his calculations were
  almost zero.
• The experience of the astronomer
• If he calculations are supported by other
  astronomers who are not linked to him and have
  their own observatories and own resources
• The faith and understanding of Islamic laws could
  be a plus point in the creating a satisfaction
• Other points which might be related to each
  responsible individual (MOKALAF) and so on.

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New Moon

• When the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun in
  its orbit. It can not be seen for the people of
  the earth, because dark surfaces faces the earth
  (the sunlight exists on the other half of the
  moon which is not visible to the people of the
  earth. This typically marks the end of the Lunar
  Cycle which lasts.
•  
• When the sunlight or the sunray moves towards the
  surface of the moon facing the earth, then that
  first appearance of the sunlight which is visible
  for the people of the earth in a way that they
  can sight it, is considered the first crescent
  and marks the first day of the lunar month.

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The moon cycle 29 1/2 days
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When can the moon be sighted?

1. AGE of the moon Time passed after New Moon
   Birth. Sighting is possible at different age in
   different months.
2. The age when it can be sighted varies based on
   the speed of the movement of the moon,
   geographical factors, seasonal factors, and
   others. So, age cannot be a criterion for
   sighting. It could be from smaller age (like 17
   hours), to larger age (like 23 hours). The main
   factor that makes the moon visible is the angle
   between moon-earth-sun. When this angle becomes
   about 9 degrees, the moon starts to be visible.
   How much time it takes to get this angle depends
   upon the speed of the moon in its orbit.

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The distance of the moon from earth varies in
seasons
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Three important facts

• If the moon was old enough to be sighted
• If the moon was above the horizon where it can be
  sighted
• If the time of moonset was after the sunset
• If a person has these three facts, and they are
  accurate in a way that it gives certainty and
  satisfaction, then based on the FATWA of almost
  all the JURIISTS (MOJTAHID), that one must follow
  the scientific predictions, and the sighting is
  not required.
• Reference TAWDHEEH of all the JURISTS in
  Persian, Urdu, English, and the laws in Arabic.
  This can be found in the section of moon sighting
  in the chapter of the LAWS of FASTING.

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Moon sighting curve is based on the calculations
of the astronomer
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(No Transcript)
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What is the criteria for following other cities
moon sighting

• There are four opinions regarding this issue
• Unity of the sunset or the horizon and closeness
  of the cities (unity of the sky)
• Unity of the night (unity of the sky)
• Unity of the continent (land)
• Unity of the EARTH (land)

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Unity of the horizon and closeness of the cities

• That means that the cities share the horizon can
  follow each other
• They share in the time of sunset
• They share the vertical or horizontal lines in a
  way that if the moon is sighted in a city it has
  to sight in another if the clouds or mountains
  were not obstructing.
• These cities must not be very far (some say 880
  km).
• The western regions can follow the sighting in
  the eastern regions if there was no obstructing
  factor it would have been sighted.

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Notes

• Close cities in distance which share the sun set
  (they share the same sky) (the difference in the
  time of sunset is less like 5-10 minutes) , these
  cities can share the sighting because they share
  the horizon regardless of being the in EAST or
  WEST.
• Far cities which do not share the sun set, only
  the western cities can follow the sighting of the
  eastern cities, if the all fall under the
  astronomical visibility curve, that is if there
  were no barriers in the western cities it would
  have been cited.

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Unity of the horizon and closeness of the cities

• Those who support this opinion
• S. SISTANI (MAP) -NAJAF
• S. KHAMENAI (MAP)- TEHRAN
• S. GOLPAYGHANI (MAM)
• S. KHOMENI (MAM)
• Sh. NASIR MAKARIM (MAP) -QUM

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Unity of the night

• The cities of east and the west can follow the
  sighting of each other if they share one night.
• The reason for the concept of sharing the night
  is that the moon is sighted in the with the naked
  eye night, so if a city does not share the night
  when the moon was sighted, then that city can not
  depend on that sighting.

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Unity of the night

• The first great scholar who made this concept and
  supported it with strong evidences was the MASTER
  of JURISTS ALSYED ABO ALQASIM ALHOEI (MAM)
• Then some of his strong students followed him,
  those who support this concept
• SH. WAHEED ALKHORASANI (MAP)Qum
• SH. MIRZA JAWAD ATTABRIZI (MAP)Qum
• Sh. LANKARANI (MAP) -QUM

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The difference between the unity of the night and
the unity of the Horizon

• Both theories imply on the cities which share the
  same sky, because the moon is sighted in the sky.
• Unity of the night indicates that the all the
  cities share the same night (under one dome of
  night from sun set in one region to dawn in
  another region) have same sky so they can follow
  each other, regardless of the west or the east.
  (wide range of the sky)
• Unity of the sunset or the horizon indicates that
  all the cities share almost the same time of
  sunset have same sky, regardless of being in the
  west or east as long as they are not too far.
  (narrow range of the sky)

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Unity of the continent

• S. MOHAMMAD SAEED TABATABAEI ALHAKIM NAJAF
• The west can follow the sighting in the east
• The east can follow the sighting of the west
• If they share the continent

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Unity of the EARTH

• If any spot on the earth sights it, then it will
  be enough for the entire earth.
• The concept says once the moon is out from the
  shadow, then it is out for the entire earth, so
  on any spot it is sight, then it is enough for
  the whole earth.
• SH. AFAYAADH- NAJAF
• SH. BASHEER NAJAF
• SH. SANIEE- QUM
• SH. BAHJAT-QUM
• This opinion must be supported by some types of
  limits, other wise many scholars have criticized
  it if it is taken absolutely.

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Why on Monday in USA??????

• Followers of ALKHOEI and all those who support
  the unity of the night and the unity of the
  earth, had to fast on SUNDAY in USA, because it
  was sighted in different parts of the world on
  Saturday night.
• Followers of others who support the concept of
  one continent or the unity of the Horizon
• There was no authentic moon sighting in USA on
  Saturday.
• The astronomical predictions were not at the
  level of satisfaction, they predicted the
  sighting from Florida to California, but none of
  these places which were under there prediction
  sighted the moon, which weakened the
  satisfaction.

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EID EXPECTATIONS

• Visibility Curve on October 23, 2006

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Quiz of Lesson 10

• ( ) The Quran clearly indicates that one must
  sight the moon
• ( ) There is no difference between the
  astronomical new moon and the religious new moon.
• ( ) If then moon was 14 hours old then if has
  to be seen.
• ( ) If the astronomer informs about the birth
  of the new moon and his words gave certitude and
  knowledge then it proves the first day of the
  month.
• ( ) Visibility curve is completely reliable.
• ( ) The cities which share a night they can
  share their sighting regardless of their location
  in the west or the east.