The Sighting of the Moon
Reading Time: < 1 minute
- The moon of Ramadhân was not sighted because of clouds or some dust in the sky. However, a religious-minded, pious and honest person gives testimony that he has sighted the moon. The sighting of the moon will thus be established irrespective of whether the person is a male or a female.
- If the moon of Eid is not sighted because of clouds, the testimony of one person will not be acceptable irrespective of how reliable a person he may be. Instead, the sighting of the moon will only be established if two reliable, pious men or one reliable, pious man and two reliable, pious women give testimony that they have sighted the moon. If four women alone give testimony, it will not be acceptable.
- The person who does not follow the requirements of the Deen and continues committing sinful acts, e.g. he does not offer salâh, does not keep fasts, is in the habit of speaking lies or commits some other sin and does not confine himself to the dictates of the Shariah; his testimony cannot be relied upon according to the Shariah. This is irrespective of the number of oaths he may take in order to give credence to what he is saying. In fact, if there are several people like him, even then their testimony will not be acceptable.
- This notion which has become popular among the masses that the day on which the 4th of Rajab falls, on that same day the 1st of Ramadhân will fall has no validity in the Shariah. If the moon is not sighted, fast should not be kept.
