Laws of fasting 5 Moon sighting part one

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Laws of fasting 5Moon sighting part one

• Is sighting the moon obligatory?
• The issue of sharing the sighting of other city.

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

• SHAHIDA 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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TABATABAI ????? ?????? ???????

• 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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ALKHOEI ????? ?????? ???????

• The real existence of this month is the cause of
  the obligation in fasting it.
• The plenty narrations (about 30) 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. (Religious new moon)
• 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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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
• SHAHIDA of the month means
• SHAHIDA 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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Why moon has to be in a status where it can be
sighted?

• There are about 30 narrations (many of them are
  authentic and correct), narrated by the
  Infallibles (AS), which indicate the command of
  fasting and breaking the fast (on EID) on the
  sighting of the moon. (Vol. 10 WASAEL ALSHIA page
  252-261)
• Based on that the scholars who follow AHLUL BAYT
  (AS) unanimously agree that the moon should be in
  a status it can be sighted with the naked eye, or
  the possibility of its sighting with the naked
  eye if the sighting was prevented by clouds,
  dust, humidity, fog, smog, redness of the sun, or
  the reflections of the city lights...

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The religious and the astronomical start of the
lunar month

• The astronomical new lunar month is when the moon
  reflects the first sunlight (crescent) from the
  portion which faces the earth even if it was not
  seen by the people of the earth with naked eye.
• Religiously the lunar new month is when that
  light (crescent) is in a way the people of earth
  can sight it with naked eye.

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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 with the naked eye, is considered
  the first crescent and marks the first day of the
  lunar month.

10
The moon cycle 29 1/2 days
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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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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.

13
The distance of the moon from earth varies in
seasons
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Three important facts

1. If the age of moon was old enough that it can be
   sighted with the naked eye.
2. If the moon was above the horizon where it can be
   sighted with the naked eye.
3. If the time of moonset was after the sunset in a
   way it can be sighted with the naked eye.

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The ruling

• If these facts were proven by trustworthy
  experts, professionals, scientists or
  astronomers, and for some reasons it was not
  sighted, and such predictions gave certainty and
  satisfaction of accuracy, then based the FATWA
  of almost all the JURIISTS (MOJTAHID)
  contemporary and the past ones, one must follow
  such 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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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 (MAMH)
• S. KHOMENI (MAMH)
• S. GOLPAYGHANI (MAMH)
• S. SABZAWARI (MAMH)
• 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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Moon sighting curve may not be accurate????
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The issue of sharing the sighting

• These narrations can be found in WASAEL ALSHIA
• http//www.rafed.net/books/hadith/wasael-10/v12.ht
  ml111
• These are four SAHEEH correct HADEETH
  authenticated by S. ALKHOEI and many great
  JURISTS
• ?? ????????? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ???
  ??????? ( ???? ?????? ) ?? ???? ??? ????? ???
  ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ? ???? ?? ??? ???
  ?? ???? ? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ?????
• 1st narration narration 13347 9 WASAEL
  ABDURRAHMAN IBN ABO ADBDILLAH said I asked ABO
  ABDILLAH (Imam ASSADIQ as-) about the crescent
  of the month of Ramadhan which is concealed from
  us on the night of 29th of SHABAAN (what should
  we do)? So he (Imam (AS)) said Do not fast (as
  the first of the month) until you sight it, and
  if people of different city fast (that day and
  you found out later) then make up that day.
• 2nd narration 13412 3 in WASAEL same as
  above but narrated by ISHAAQ IBN AMMAR from IMAM
  ASSADIQ (AS)
• ?? ????? ?? ???? ? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ( ????
  ?????? ) ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ??????
  ?? ????? ? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ? ??? ???
  ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?????

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• 3rd Narration 13381 13 WASAEL ?
• ?? ???? ?? ????? ? ?? ??? ??????? ( ???? ?????? )
  ??? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??
  ???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ???
  ????? ??? ????
• Narrated by HISHAAM IBN ALHAKAM, who narrates
  from ABO ABDILLAH (IMAM ASSADIQ as-) who said
  about the one who fasted 29 days (of RAMADHAN) he
  said If he had just witness from people of a
  region that they fasted 30 days on its sighting
  (the beginning of the month of RAMADHAN was based
  on their sighting), then he has to make up one
  day (and rely on the sighting of the people of
  such region).
• That means that if a person had completed 30 days
  of SHABAAN, and fasted 29 days of Ramadhan and
  after that if he finds that any other region had
  started Ramadhan after 29th SHABAAN, they he has
  to rely on the sighting of that region and make
  up the fast of that day.

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• 4th Narration in WASAEL 13447 1
• ?? ??? ???? ? ?? ??? ??????? ( ???? ?????? ) ???
  ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ? ???? ?? ????
  ??? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ???
  ??? ??? ????? ? ! ???? ?? ??? ??? ????? ????
  ???? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ? ??? ????? ????
• Narrated by ABO BASEER, that he asked ABO
  ABDILLAH (IMAM ASSADIQ as-) about making up (the
  missed) day of the month of RAMADHAN? he (AS)
  said That do not make up unless if two just
  witnesses from all of the people of SALAAT (i.e.
  Muslims) for when was the beginning of the month?
  And he (AS) said Do not fast that day which is
  to be made up, unless if the people of the
  regions make up, so if they do such then you do
  so.
• In this narration Imam (AS) commands him to
  follow the Muslims of different regions.
• The fast of 30th SHABAAN which might be 1st
  Ramadhan is not required if moon was not sighted,
  yes if it was sighted in other Islamic regions
  then it needs to be made up.

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What is the criteria for following other cities
moon sighting

• These four authentic narrations were understood
  and interpreted by our great scholars and
  jurists (MOJTAHIDS) in four different ways, based
  on their intellectual analysis of the sharing
  region or sharing city in sighting
• Unity of the horizon and closeness of the cities
• Unity of the continent
• Unity of the night
• Unity of the EARTH

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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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Unity of the horizon and closeness of the cities

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

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Unity of the continent

• S. MOHAMMAD SAEED TABATABAI 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 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 supported this
  concept 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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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. BAHJAT-QUM
• This opinion must be supported by some types of
  limits, other wise if taken absolutely then it
  has few practical problems such as some parts of
  earth might missed the whole day of EID.