On Monday afternoon at 3rd June, Imad Ahmed, Director of The New Crescent Society released a statement expressing shock at the news that Saudi had announced a sighting of the moon, meaning Eid would be on Tuesday 4th June.

“Even I am shocked that Saudi declared that they saw the moon … Saudi Arabia do have a history of false sighting reports and early sighting reports, I didn’t believe they would be as audacious this year to claim to have sighted the moon. That’s because the moon is so very low on the horizon, below one degree on the horizon and so very young, so the moon was less than 6 hours old, that’s half the age of any of the world records, if that was a credible sighting that would have not just been a world record, it would have smashed the world record.”

https://www.facebook.com/newcrescentsociety/videos/338534686775110/

Ahmed expresses his dismay and the fact that it would have been impossible to see the moon in such conditions.

Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Australia, Pakistan all say they have not seen the moon according to Ahmad and even neighbouring countries have not accepted Saudi’s moonlighting including Oman and Jordan.

The New Crescent society who is an organisation dedicated to the revival of the traditional practice of observing celestial bodies urges the UK to abide by their own local moon sighting as opposed to following Saudi announcements.

They held a moon sighting event during which the moon was sighted and Eid was announced by The New Crescent Society.

https://www.facebook.com/newcrescentsociety/posts/717538522035755

Dr. Haitham Al-Haddad,  a jurist and  judge for the Islamic Council of Europe, also released a video on the fiqh pertaining to moon sightings and what should be done in the event that there are different opinions on when Eid should be. He also expressed dismay at claims that the Saudi moonlighting is incorrect.

Dr Haitham Al-Haddad also pointed out that, “if you go to any country, you should follow the masses and the authority there.”

He also acknowledged that in places where there is no authority, then the masses themselves should come to a collective decision. And that the masses of the Muslims represent the authority in cases where there is no clear authority.

https://www.facebook.com/newcrescentsociety/posts/717742005348740

https://www.facebook.com/royalmuseumsgreenwich/videos/364668120837780/

Shaykh Sulaiman Gani also uploaded a video in which the moon was sighted with children and adults celebrating the news.

https://www.facebook.com/SGani99/videos/1242468582579216/

Countries like Bangladesh and Brunei, who are said to have a strong tradition in Moon sighting, have also announced that they will be celebrating Eid on Thursday and thus completing 30 days of fasting.

https://www.facebook.com/newcrescentsociety/posts/717295725393368

Will you be following your local moonsighting?