Einige Geschwister haben uns ihre Bedenken bzgl. des Eidtages und dem damit verbundenen Neumond geäußert.
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
With the greeting of Salaams, to all our brothers and sisters in faith, and with the desire that your prayers and obediences are accepted during the Month of Ramadhan, I would like to elaborate on a few practical laws (masa’il) regarding the first of the Month, and determining the first of the Month from the point of view of Islamic Law.
There are a number of ways that the first of the month can be determined, and one of those is that a person view the moon signifying the first of the month themselves.
Another is that if a group of people (i.e. a majority of people) see it and it becomes common knowledge that it has been seen - even though I myself haven’t seen it - this can be considered sufficient.
Thirdly, is if two just (adil) individuals see the moon and testify to having seen it.
Fourth, if the month has completed 30 days, and since a lunar month doesn’t have 31 days, it can be taken as certain that it is the first of the month.
Fifth, if the Hakim Shar’ (Marja Taqleed) declares that today is the the day of Eid, or today is the first of the month; this is also sufficient.
In this regard, all of the jurists (fuqaha) say that the moon must be seen. It (the moon) must be seen; however as to how and where the moon must be seen, the rulings and verdicts are a little different (from jurist to jurist).
Ayatollah Uzmaa Khamenei (HA), states that the moon must be seen in the area where a person lives; or that it must be seen in an area that shares the horizon with them; not that it should just be seen in another country or another place.
We, who are in Britain; must view the moon within the horizon of Britain; that is to say that within an area that shares the horizon with Britain. This is one ruling; that actually is almost identical to the ruling of other Maraj’es.
In light of that; if the moon is seen elsewhere; it will not be sufficient for us. For example; if the moon is sighted in Iran, if the moon is sighted in Iraq, or another country sees it, this is not sufficient for an individual living in Britain.
Another issue; is that when the moon is seen, how is it seen, is it with or without instruments (such as binoculars, telescope, etc), or with the naked eye. According to Grand Ayatollah Khamenei (HA), even if the moon is seen with the assistance of instruments such as telescopes, binoculars, etc; this is sufficient and acceptable.
Another pouunt is that we, who live in this part of the world; we find that the sky is generally quite cloudy, and the possibility of viewing the moon is quite slim.
If we obtain information form Astronomy Centers and Star Gazing societies and moon sighting organisations regarding the possibility of viewing the moon without our horizon and it is possible to see it; if this way convinces and gives certainty to a person regading the moon sighting; this is also acceptable and sufficient.
Therefore; regarding the month of Shawwal this year (1430 / 2009), based on the research that we (the Islamic Center of England) have performed and after investigating statements of various moon sighting and astronomical associations. We have found that all of these organisations unanimously state that viewing the moon within the continent of Europe, on Saturday, 19th of September 2009, is impossible.
That is to say that viewing the moon within the European continent - naturally including Britain - on this day (Saturday 19th, September 2009) is not possible.
In the case when viewing the moon is impossible; we must conclude that Sunday, 20th of September 2009, will be the 30th of the Month of Ramadhan 1430 for us; and we must therefore fast on this day; and the first of the month of Shawwal 1430 (and thus the day of Eid al-Fitr) will be Monday, the 21st of September 2009, insha Allah.
The Islamic Center of England; based on the rulings (fatwa) of the Leader of the Muslim Ummah, Ayatollah Uzmaa Khamenei (HA); that is viewing the moon is conditional on the horizen (as explained above); and since there is no possibility of viewing the moon in this area; and no-one has come forward and claimed that they have viewed the moon in this area; declares that Sunday, the 20th of September 2009 will be the 30th of the Month of Ramadhan 1430, and Monday, 21st of September 2009 will be the 1st of the Month of Shawwal 1430 and the day of Eid al-Fitr.
The Islamic Center of England, will on this day (21st of september 2009 / 1st Shawwal 1430) will have the congregational prayers of Eid at 9am in the morning, and we hope that all the believers who are able to attend will attend; as per this ruling.
Another matter that must be discussed is that on every Muslim person; who is baligh (at the age of physical maturity), who is sane and who has fasted during the month of Ramadhan; should on the last day of the month of Ramadhan (the eve of the month of Shawwal), at the time of sunset (ghurub), should set aside their Zakat al-Fitreh, and on the day of Eid al-Fitr, it is highly reccomended (mustahhab), that prior to the Eid Prayers; they should pay this Zakat al-Fitreh.
Zakat al-Fitreh is approximately three (3) kilos of bread, three (3) kilos of rice, or three (3) kilos of dates or the equivilent of that in cash; which should be given to the poor. Off course there are various stipulations in this regard and Fiqh rulings (e.g for Sadaat, for non-Sadaat, etc). In this regard; each individual should give their own; or for a family situation; the guardian of the family (i.e. upon whom the rest of the family are dependent) should pay on their behalf; be the members of the family old or young (including suckling children), if they are dependents, then their guardian should pay this Zakat al-Fitreh on their behalf.
In order to determine the price that this should be; taking into account the price of bread in this area; has been set at £4.00 (four pounds sterling) per individual. That is to say; each individual should pay £4.00 (four pounds sterling) for their Zakat al-Fitreh; for themselves; and if they have a dependent family; for each of the members of their family - as explained above - at a rate of £4.00 (four pounds sterling) each.
The Islamic Center of England; has made facilities whereby it can assist the believers; and is able to collect the Zakat al-Fitreh from them for onward distribution as per the Islamic Rulings.
We pray that Allah, the Mighty, the Wise; accepts all the efforts, prayers, obediences, worships, Quran recitations and fasts of all the believers; and it is important that a person discharges their Islamic reponsibility, in line with the appropriate Islamic rulings; and we are hopeful that all the believers will act in this manner and discharge their Islamic reponsibilities successfully and correctly, insha Allah.
Was salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wabarakatu
Hujjatul Islam wa Muslimin Shaykh Abdul Hussein Moezzi,
Representative of the Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei (HA).
London, Great Britain
