Sighting Reports for Ramadan 1426
Nigeria Claimed to see on Sunday, October 2 (before it was born)
October 2, 2005 (Sunday):Muhammed Yasin Qamardeen from Nigeria reported that on Sunday October 2, 2005, three brothers from Ilorin City claimed to sight the crescent (Moon was not even born yet), so some Muslim had commenced fast Monday, October 3. He also reported on Monday 3, October 2005: Here in Gwagwalada (Nigeria), I and one brother tred to sight the crescent of Ramadan, but perharp due to cloudy sky it was not visible. Also in phone chat with Malam Uthman Dukku from Bauchi and Malam Shuaib Eleran from Ilorin city indicated negative sighting at the time of reporting.
October 3, 2005 (Monday):In N. America, several mistaken claims of sighting were received from places like Atlanta-GA , Vancouver-Canada, Columbus-OH, Lawrence-Kansas, Denver-Colorado, Tempe-AZ, and South Gate-MI etc. The claims from many places in USA on October 3, by casual observers, who had no previous experience were contradicted not only by calculated observational facts but by actual reports from trained and experienced observers on the ground. From Florida and Carolinas in the east to San Diego and San Francisco in the west hundreds of observers who searched the clear skies with binoculars and telescopes reported negatively.
On October 3, 2005, new crescent moon was impossible to see in Middle East for the following reasons:
Saudi Arabia [Moonset-sunset=3 min.] [Age=4.7 hours] [altitude=0.0°] [Angle from Sun=2.2°]
[New crescent moon cannot be seen when altitude at sunset = 0°]
[New crescent moon has ever been seen even by telescope when the Angle from Sun was less than 8°]
Observers in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries also confirmed not seeing a moon on October 4 evening, though most of the countries had officially started Ramadan on Oct. 4. If they followed the "Hilal" (sighted crescent moon) their first day should have been Thursday, Oct. 6, just like Pakistan and India.
October 4, 2005 (Tuesday): Experienced moon watchers from New Haven, CT to Manhattan Beach CA were puzzled when they failed to see Ramadan crescent moon. Many believed an easy sighting because most commonly used Mooncal maps showed almost all of the USA in "Visible" zones. The moon's age was between 36-39 hours, its angle 17.4-19.1 degrees, and altitude at sunset 5.5-8.8 degrees. A crucial point often neglected by the observers is the lag between sunset and moonset times. It was a minimum of 21 minutes (St. John's (Canada), 29 minutes in Boston, MA) and 42 minutes (Phoenix, AZ, and San Diego, CA).
Experienced observers from Connecticut area first alerted us about non-visibility of what many believed was a second day moon. When scores of Masajid in New York City, Albany, Ithaca, Buffalo (NY), Dayton, OH confirmed not finding a crescent on a clear horizon, CFCO alerted our best observers in Houston, Lubbock TX, Arizona, and California. All reports were negative on clear horizons. A well-known professor of Astronomy who was quite confident to see a 38 hours old moon made a special trip to watch for it in Texas. He was surprised when he and his companions could not see a moon in clear sky despite spending an hour at the selected spot. The only place where four adults could barely see Ramadan crescent moon for 3-4 minutes was in Bullet City, AZ. However, observers located in Manhattan Beach and San Francisco CA, west of Arizona sighting were unable to sight it despite searching through binoculars and a telescope.
Several false sighting reports were received on Monday, October 3, from Atlanta Georgia, Columbus Ohio, Lawrence Kansas, Vancouver (BC), Tempe AZ, South Gate MI, and Denver CO. We are not saying that anyone was lying. We are saying that what they saw was clearly not the moon as we know the exact location of the moon and its position above or below horizon, and whether it has any detectable light or not, and experienced observers from all over the world including Saudi Arabia and North America did not see the moon. Science of moonsighting is telling us that these reports are mistaken sightings. Science is no different that calculating prayer times and fasting times are accepted, but calculations of negating sighting reports are questionable in many people's mind, specially Imams of Masajid and leaders of communities.
October 3, 2005 (Monday):
Modoris Ali from West Midlands, near Birmigham, UK: Not Seen
On 3rd October 2005, the moon was not sighted on 29th day of Shaban in the UK, due to cloudy.Therefore, complete 30 days of Shaban. Saudi Arabia already began Ramadan on 4th October, which caused a division in the UK on starting date of Ramadan.The agreement of starting date of Ramadan for 5 October 2005 was broken in the UK,which was aggreed by all scholars for deciding Ramadan starting date.Only 60% of UK doing Ramadan on 5 October 2005.
Nasseam Elkarra from San Francisco: Not Seen
Monday, October 3. I went with 2 other brothers to the beach in San Francisco on what was an amazingly clear sunset. We were unable to see the moon with our eyes or binoculars.
October 4, 2005 (Tuesday):
Dr. Shabbir Ahmed, Imam of Rooty Hill Mosque, Sydney, Australia: Seen
The Hilaal of Ramadaan ul Mubaarak 1426 has been sighted on Tuesday 4th of October 2005 in Perth, therefore moon-sighting committee of Australia and Majlis ul Ulamaa of Australia have declared that the month of Ramadaan ul Mubaarak will start from Wednesday 5th of October 2005.
Muhammad Fadlan from Bangi, Malaysia: Not Seen
I, Fadlan with my friend Aidil went to see the HIlal of Ramadhan at UKM, Bangi, Selangor on Tuesday, October 4th, 2005. The sky is so cloudy and we couldn't see anything with our naked eyes. Our friends from Johor also went to see the Ramadhan Hilal at Kelebang, Melaka but couldn't see it although the sky is clear. But based on the Hilal of Sya'ban that we saw on Monday, September 5th at about 1940hrs, so today should be Sya'ban 30th. Although the Malaysian goverment annouced that today (Wednesday, October 5th) is the 1st of Ramadhan but we should stick to the ru'yah not the calendar (whereby on October 4th is the Sya'ban 30th). We will start fasting Insya-Allah on Thursday, October 6th 2005.
Omar Bin Abdullah reported quote from Jang Newspaper of Pakistan: Not Seen
PESHAWAR: The Ramadan moon was not sighted today; however, the first Ramadan will fall on, October 6th (Thursday).
Hussain Khushaish (Moonsighting.com member) from Kuwait: Not Seen
In Kuwait on Tuesday 4 oct 2005 I & a groip of 25 persons could not sight the crescent even with 20*50 binocular. This time the weather was clear that we could see the the upper limb of the sun disk. The amazing thing is that I could see jupiter with the binocular till it was 2 degrees above horizon yet I could not see the crescent.
Shabbir A. Karim (Moonsighting.com member) from Quatre Bornes, Mauritius: Seen
The moon was sighted here on Tuesday night, 4th October, hence 1st Ramadhan fast was observed on Wednesday 5th October in line with your calculations.
Hamza Rijal from Island of Zanzibar, Africa: Seen
In a tiny island of Zanzibar the Hilal was sited around 18:40 East African Time (15:40 GMT) on Oct 4. I really had a good time since a good number of Muslim gathered for sighting, always I use to site the new crescent with my 3 children but yesterday in my common spot to view the crescent we were over 50 people.
Majority of Zanzibarian begin Ramadhan today 5 th October however for those who called themselves ANSARI SUNNAH begun fasting officially on 4 th October, 2005.
Bankih Kacem, (Moonsighting.com member) from Beni Isguen, Ghardaïa, Algeria: Not Seen
The Ramadan crescent was not seen from Merkich station, the western horizon was hazy. 23 persents have tried to observe the crescent with 5 Binoculars and one refractor telescope. We have seen Venus before sunset (18:08) and haven't seen Mercury, Jupiter, and moon.
Samy Khadem-Al-Charieh (Moonsighting.com member) from Berlin, Germany: Not Seen
No sighting for October, 4th from Berlin.
Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti (Moonsighting.com Member) from Oxford, UK: Not Seen
Negative sighting. At the end of the 29th day of of the preceeding lunar month (Tuesday, 4th October), not at the usual moonsighting site but instead the first time at Primrose Hill, London, a group of us could not sight the new crescent. The horizon was partly cloudy. The difference in setting times of the sun and moon over the local horizon [qaws al-makth] is 13 minutes. We attempted the sighting and prayed Maghrib after the moonset. By the time of Isha, we received reports that there have been positive sightings from the East (Indonesia and Malaysia) and Morocco. This news is sufficient to establish [thubut] the Ramadan month for us in the UK so that tomorrow (the 5th of October), should be the 1st of Ramadan; instead of the 30th of Sha'ban, by default, following the principal rule in Fiqh for this case: whenever the crescent is sighted during the night in question in the East, its sighting in the West follows, but not the other way round. Ramadan Karim!
Rashid Motala (Moonsighting.com member) from Signal Hills, S. Africa: Seen
The Hilaal for Ramadaan was sighted this evening Oct 4, at more than one location in SA. Ramadaan has commenced.
Dr Abdurrazak Ebrahim (Moonsighting.com member) from Signal Hill (Cape Town): Seen
The Ramadaan Hilaal was sighted in Cape Town this Tuesday evening, 04 October 2005, approximately 17 minutes after sunset.
Jupiter was clearly visible to the right of the crescent and Mercury appeared below the crescent just before disappearing into thick cloud cover. The official First Day of Ramadaan in Southern African states will
correspond to Wednesday, 05 October 2005.
Muhammad Hafiz (Moonsighting.com member) from OpaLocka, Florida reporetd: Not Seen
I tried to observe the Hilaal on Tuesday, 4th October, 2005 after sunset from Opa Locka and Pembroke Pines, Florida, USA. No Hilaal was observed due to rain clouds and thunder storm.
Sultan Hafiz Imam of Rose Hall Town Masjid from Guyana: Seen
Members of Rose Hall Town Masjid and Islamic Center tried to observe the Hilaal on Tuesday, 4th October, 2005 after sunset, however, due to clouds on the horizon Hilaal observation was impossible. Howver, Sultan Hafiz, Imam of Rose Hall Town Masjis and Islamic Center reported the Hilaal was seen in Demerara, Guyana after sunset on Tuesday, 4th October, 2005.
HiMY SYeD (Moonsighting.com member) from Toronto, Canada: Not Seen
Yesterday evening (Monday Oct 3rd), after performing Maghrib Salat at the Islamic Foundation Masjid in the Scarborough region of Toronto, myself and muslim lawyer Faisal Kutty looked for the moon from the Masjid Parking lot. I looked for it from the second level of the parking lot, Faisal from ground level. We knew it would be impossible to sight it beforehand, nevertheless we looked for it, and did NOT see any moon crescent on the horizon.
Tonight (Tuesday Oct 4th), in the past hour, I searched for the moon crescent to no avail. Toronto had been blanketed with thick fog this morning compounded by the declaration of a smog alert day, hence the pollution/haze has lingered well into the evening making any sighting of anything resembling the hilal in the Toronto sky very questionable. A number of times I thought I spotted the crescent and upon second and third prolonged looks, realized it was something else in the sky. I can confirm then that I and Faisal Kutty were not able to see the Hilal either yesterday or tonight from here in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Regardless, the majority of masjids in Toronto have gone with the majority opinion to begin Ramadan Fast tomorrow, that is Wednesday Oct 4.
Javad Torabinejad (Moonsighting.com member) from Blacksburg, VA: Seen
This evening (Tuesday, October 4th), my children and I sighted the moon in Blacksburg, VA. The official sunset was at 7:00 p.m. Using a pair of 7X50 binoculars, I sighted the moon at 7:07. I located it with the naked eye at 7:16. It was extremely thin, with its horns at 1:30-5:30 o'clock. I do not think that I could have sighted the moon with the naked eye without locating it with the binoculars first! My children could only see the moon through the binoculars. We followed the moon till it disappeared in the clouds very close to the horizon at 7:29.[Moonset time was 7:35]
Dr. John Caldwell from Fort Davis, TX: Seen
On October 4, I saw the crescent from Fort Davis (TX) by naked eye.
Clay Chip Smith from Austin, TX reporetd: Not Seen
On Monday, October 3rd, sighing tried, but it was too cloudy all over Austin. On Tuesday, October 4th, sighting tried, but it was too cloudy where we were in Austin (other places in Austin, like South, may have been okay). May Allah guide us to do good deeds. Best Wishes.
Paul Burnham (Moonsighting.com member) from Chino Valley, Arizona: Seen
The crescent moon was observed from Chino Valley, Arizona on this evening of October 4. Initial sighting was with binoculars at 1815 MST followed by visual sighting at 1828 MST. The moon was then followed visually and with binoculars until the final cusp disappeared behind the horizon at 1843. [Note from Moonsighting.com: The calculated moonset was 1849]. The arc appeared to extend from approximately from 1 to 6 o'clock positions.
Gary Peterson (Moonsighting.com member) from Mesa Arizona: Seen
I was able to see the moon tonight at 6:28 MST when it was 39 hours past new. I had to use binoculars but when I lined it up against the trees I was able to see it with the nake eye with difficulity. The moon only set 40 minutes after the sun and since it passed in front of the sun for an annular sun eclipse it had not moved as far as other times from the sun at that same age. Also this sun eclipse happened at the decending node so the moon has also moved south of the ecliptic by now making it even harder to see. I also decided to record CNN while I was sleeping to see if there were pictues of the sun eclipse and there were. On October 3, 1959, I was able to see the young moon easilly with the naked eye from Seattle at that same age but this time following a total sun eclipse which was on the ascending node. That made it north of the eclipstic and since that eclipse was total it also moved faster from the sun.
Rashid Patch from Pinole, California: Seen
On Tuesday, Oct 4, the Halal New Moon Crescent of Ramadan 1426 was in Oakland hills, CA shortly after maghrib prayer was performed. Viewing conditions were good, with clear skies, only some coastal haze, with heavy ocean fog visible well
outside the Golden Gate. The Halal New Moon Crescent was very thin and faint, but visible to all of 40 or so people assembled. It was low on the horizon, setting over San Francisco to the west of the viewing site, well south of the sun,
which had set over the Marin Headlands, north of the Golden Gate. Present in the group were Imam Bilal Hyde and family,
of Albany, CA; Hisham Alalusi and family, of Moraga CA; Prof. Hatem Bazian and family, of Berkeley, CA; Saif Alalusi and family, of Moraga, CA; Mikael Kim and family, of Vallejo, CA; Imam Rashid Patch and family, of Pinole CA; and quite a number of other Muslims from various parts of the San Francisco Area.
Sharaaz Khan (Moonsighting.com member) from Wilton(Sacramento) CA: Seen
The cresent of Ramadan has been sighted in Wilton (Sacramento), CA. The upper tip of the cresent was at 2 o'clock and the bottom tip was at approx 7 o'clock. The tips were pointing towards the left and the cresent appeared towards the left of the sunset. It was very fine and quite close above the horizon (about 25 degrees). It was sighted by Fatima Sharaaz Qadri first, Sharaaz Khan Qadri, and Sahar Sharaaz (minor).
Gulamabbas A. Khakoo (Moonsighting.com member) from Buena Park, CA: Seen
Sighted the crescent for the month of Ramadhan here in Long Beach (CA) local time 6:55pm on Tuesday, October 4, 2005. The top horn of the crescent was just after 12:00 o'clock and bottom horn was just after 7:00 O'clock. The sighting was on the left side of the sunset.
Dr. Youssef Ismail (Moonsighting.com member) from San Francisco, CA: Seen
The new crescent for Ramadan 1426 was sighted this evening. We were at sea level at Pescadero State Beach. It was a very thin crescent just like of the two previous months, even though it nearly 40 hours old. It appeared at approximately 7:00pm PDT at about 3 fingers above the horizon and at about 248 degrees Azimuth. The upper limb was at about 2 O'clock and the lower limb at about 6 O'clock. I saw it first with low power binoculars and then by naked eye. My wife also saw it by eye and one other brother both by eye and with binoculars. One other Brother was with us but he was unable to see it.
Saif Hussain from Woodland Hills, CA: Seen
I and my 10 yr. old son sighted the new crescent on Tuesday Oct. 3, 2005 at about 6:45 PM looking approximately southwest from a hill in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles (city: Woodland Hills). It was quite low on the horizon and very faint with its curve centered around 4 o'clock +/-. It did not get too much brighter as the Sun set further and darkness fell. It was almost setting when we left the location (7:10 or so). Despite my best efforts I could not capture it with my digital camera, it was just too faint.
Ibrahim Ali from Trabuco Canyon, CA: Seen
On the evening of October 4th, I was able to see the new crescent moon. It was very dim - barely a sliver - and it was visible for about 10 minutes, and it was roughly 10 degrees south of the sunset. In fact, I almost missed it. My wife and two young kids spotted it first, and we confirmed the sighting via binoculars.
Mary Singer (Moonsighting.com member) from Spokane, WA: Seen
The new lunar crecsent was NOT seen on October 4th, 2005. Very cloudy.
October 5, 2005 (Wednesday):
G. A. Vakil from Dubai, UAE: Seen
Today Oct 5, 2005, Wednesday I saw the crecent It was not easy to see as it was at a very low level and was very thin. The time of sight was between 6:10 and 6:15 pm Dubai time.
Badagri, (Moonsighting.com member) from Lagos, Nigeria: Seen
I SIGHTED THE MOON AT ABOUT 19:08HRS OF 5TH WITH THE HORNS POINTING FRON 1-7 O'CLOCK. THE FIRST OF RAMADHAN IS ON THE 6TH OF OCTOBER, 2005.
Raymond Edwards from Silver Spring. North of Washington D. C.: Seen
I saw the new moon at 7:02 Eastern time on Oct. 5th 2005. I am a
Christian (Baptist) but I understand you like to have reports on when
the moon is first seen. Trying to care for the neighbor. It was seen
in east Silver Spring. North of Washington D. C.