Moonsighting for Muharaam 1433
1433 AH
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Saudia has officially announced that 1st Muharram is on 27th November (a day later than Ummul-Qura Calendar) and 10th Muharram is on Tuesday, 6th December.

The Astronomical New Moon is on November 25, 2011 (Friday) at 6:10 UT. On Friday, November 25, it would be very difficult to see in Central & South America and it can not be seen eastward. It is possible to see in Polynesian Islands, but we do not get any reports from there. On Saturday, November 26, 2011, it can be easily seen almost in the whole world (See visibility curves).

Sighting Reports

The earliest reported sighting of the new crescent was on November 26, 2011 from Sydney Australia.

Friday, 25 November 2011:

  • Mauritius:

    1. Not Seen: Goolam Tegally (MCW member) from Port Louis reported: Hilal was not sighted evening Friday 25th Nov in Mauritius. So, 1st Muharram 1433 will be Sunday 27th November

  • Morocco:

    1. Not Seen: Ehsan H. Hajar (MCW member) from Casablanca reported: Though clear sky & little Hazy horizon , I was unable to spot the new crescent using my Binocular, on Friday, Nov 25. Please note that Morocco has started ZHJ on Sat 29th Oct, so no official announcement was expected this evening. We will let you know tomorrow with updated sighting.

  • Nigeria:

    1. Not Seen: Jinadu Yunus (MCW member) from Kisi, Oyo reported: I tried to sight the new crescent today Friday 25/11/2011,from 6:25pm (Nigeria time) to 7:00pm. There was cloudy weather, so the atmosphere was not clear. But tomorrow Saturday is likely to be 1st day of Muharram. Sighting efforts will continue tomorrow insha'Allah.

  • Pakistan:

    1. Not Seen: Hakeem Zafar Iqbal (MCW member) from Rawalpindi reported: Today on Friday , Nov 25 2011, We three Muslims , we could not see the moon in Rawalpindi,Punjab,Pakistan. Skies were clear. we try to look approx 30 mints , but could not see the moon.

  • South Africa:

    1. Not Seen: Rashid Motala (MCW member) from Durban reported: The Hilaal was not sighted this evening, Friday, Nov 25; A very young moon. Sunday will be the 1st Muharram.

    2. Not Seen: Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim (MCW member) from Cape Town reported: The Hilaal was not seen from Cape Town this Friday evening (25/11/2011, and the end of the 29th Dhul Hijjah 1422 AH). The official 1st day of Muharrum 1433 AH will be Sunday, 27 November 2011.

  • UK:

    1. Not Seen: Qamar Uddin (MCW member) from York reported: On Friday, 25 November 2011 (29 Dhul Hijjah 1432 AH) many people from throughout UK have attempted to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) of Muharram after sunset. None of the groups were able to sight the Hilal, even though some places had clear sky conditions.
      We have not received any reliable sighting reports (Muhaqaq-Ruyat-Basari) from any countries east of UK/Morocco either.
      Therefore, the Wifaq/Batley Ulama have decided that the month of Dhul Hijjah 1432 AH will completed 30 days and the month of Muharram 1433 AH (Islamic New Year) will start from Sunday 27 November 2011, making Ashura (10 Muharram) fall on Tuesday, 6 December 2011, Insha-Allah.

      The Saudi Umm Al-Qura calendar date for 1 Muharram is Saturday 26 November 2011. The Saudi (Riyadh) authorities do NOT make any Hilal sighting announcements other than for the months of Ibadah (i.e. Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhul Hijjah).

    2. Not Seen: Aziz Raje (MCW member) from Ilford Essex reported: We had mainly clear skies in south of England on Friday evening but we were still not able to find the Hilal. We have not received sighting news from any Country to the east of UK either. Wifaq ul Ulama have therefore decided that we will complete 30 days of the Month of Dhul Hijjah so the Month of Muharram 1433 and the Islamic New Year in the United Kingdom will commence from Sunday 27th November 2011 Insha Allah.

  • USA:

    1. Not Seen: Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg VA reported: This evening (Friday, November 25, 2011), the crescent moon of Muharram was not sighted in Blacksburg, VA. I arrived at my sighting location at 4:37 pm EST (sunset: 5:06) and started scanning the clear SW/WSW horizon, using two pairs of binoculars (7X50 and 10X50). I stayed there past moonset (moonset: 5:33 pm). Venus was sighted with a pair of binoculars at 4:39 pm and then by naked eye. At 5:15 pm, the temperature, dew point, relative humidity, and pressure were 51.8 F, 37.4 F, 58%, and 30.26 in, respectively. Earlier, I tried a short daytime sighting with no success. Using a pair of binocular, I was able to sight Venus at 12:47 pm followed by a naked eye sighting at 1:00 pm. At 12:55 pm, the temperature, dew point temperature, relative humidity, and pressure were 62.6 F, 35.6 F, 37%, and 30.32 in, respectively.

    2. Not Seen: Mohamedraza H.Janmohamed (MCW member) from Sanford FL reported: The Moon-sighting Sub-committee wishes to inform the community that the new crescent for the month was NO report of sighting on Friday, November 25, 2011.

    3. Not Seen: John Caldwell (MCW member) from McDonald Observatory, TX reported: On 25 Nov 2011, sunset 16:55, moonset 17:30; Sky conditions clear but some stormy clouds moving in west very cold high wind, raw, "cold front"; hard to tell how dusty locally. Using 20x80mm binoculars on a theodolite mounting with 1 degree readout, which I mount onto a permanently stationed tripod so that altaz coordinates are stably known. I used venus and mercury to confirm that pointing is correct MOON WAS NOT SEEN IN BINOCULARS; tried the entire time from sunset to moonset. It is not easy to explain how the moon was completely invisible even with 35min lag -- this confirms that with 30m lag the crescents do require superb conditions to be viible.

Saturday, 26 November 2011:

  • Australia:

    1. Seen in Sydney: Engr Manzoor A Mian (MCW member) from Melbourne, VIC reported: Melbourne was cloudy and rainy this evening 26th Nov. 2011 Saturday. We were unable to sight cresent in Melbourne but it was sighted in Sydney. Therefore First Muharram 1433 in Autralia will be tomorrow the 27th Nov. 2011 Sunday InshaAllah.

    2. Seen in Sydney: Habeeb Mohamed-Hussain (MCW member) from Gold Coast, QL reported: The crescent has been sighted in Sydney and Minchinbury. Tomorrow, Sunday, Nov 27th is the 1st of Muharram 1433.

    3. Not Seen: Zahid Hafeez (MCW member) from Canberra, ACT reported: The hilal for Muharram was not seen in Adelaide, South Australia, on Saturday evening due to heavy cloud cover. The crescent was calculated to be 29 hours old so had the sky been clear then it would have been visible.

  • Bahrain:

    1. Seen: Abdul Hameed Haji (MCW member) reported: A.HAMEED HAJI and WALIALASER TEAM saw the new moon of Muhrrum with naked eye in Bahrain on 26 NOV 2011 at 17:10 local time.

  • Canada:

    1. Not Seen: Baig Muhammad Tamachi (MCW member) from Peterborough Ontario reported: Heavy cloud cover in the westerly skies prevented sighting of the Muharraam 1433 Hilaal in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. On Saturday 26th November, 2011

  • India:

    1. Seen: Abdussubhan Dadan (MCW Member) from Mumbai reported: Mumbai Jama Masjid Hilal Committee members (including me) sighted the moon after namaz-e-magrib.at 6:45 PM The sky was clear. So Mumbai Jama Masjid Hilal Committee has declared 27th November2011 will be 1stMuharramul Haram 1433 HIJRI and Yaume Aashurah will be 6 December 2011.

    2. Seen: Khalid Umer Maniar (MCW member) from Surat, Gujrat reported: In surat Gujarat India hilal was seen on Saturday, Nov 26; 1st will be sunday 27th november 2011

  • Indonesia:

    1. Seen: Ahmad I. Adjie (MCW member) from Bandung reported: The Hilal for Muharram 1433 was SEEN today, Saturday 26 November 2011 after maghrib, in the northern hills of Bandung, by all of us Thariq, Andi, Ridwan, Ryan, Madihah, Umar, Abdulhadi and myself. Skies was particularly clear and conducive for sighting, Alhamdulillah. Therefore 1st Muharram will be tomorrow, Sunday 27 November 2011. It must be noted that the government calendar has already set 1st Muharram as today Saturday, and many have already 'celebrated Islamic New Year', believe it or not, on midnight of Friday night.

    2. Seen: AR Sugeng Riyadi (MCW member) from Surakarta, Java reported: On Saturday, 26 Nov 2011, The New Crescent of Muharram 1433 AH was SEEN from Assalaam Observatory, Sukoharjo-Surakarta-Central Java - Indonesia. The sky was partly cloudy. We are about 60 persons from Ministry Religious Solo Raya, Teachers and Students of CASA (Astronomy Club of Assalaam's Students) from Islamic Modern School

  • Kuwait:

    1. Seen: Hussain Khushaish (MCW member) from Kuwait reported: I was able to see the crescent of Moharram 1433 on Sat 26 Nov 2011 with 20*60 binocular at Kuwait city,It was cloudy otherwise I could see it easily with naked eyes . Also My Friend ShakhSadek Boabbas and a group of 3 persons were able to see the crescent with naked eyes at Different location ( At Kabad desert 35 Km southeast of Kuwait city ).

  • Malaysia:

    1. Seen: Firdaus Mazlan (MCW member) from Johor Bahru reported: On Saturday, 26th November 2011 M equal to 29 Dhul-Hijjah 1432 H, I with my friend (around 50 people) have split up around all place in Malaysia. I cannot see the new moon either with telescope or with naked eye at Baitul Hilal, Teluk Kemang, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia (02:26:43.0 N , 101:51:16.0 E). It because the horizon was very cloudy.
      My friends from other places, Mr. Muhammad Faliq bin Isa from Johor Bahru (1:38:0 N , 103:40:0 E) has seen the new moon with naked eye at 7.40 pm. Mr. Tengku Ramli from Tanjung Mas, Muar (02:03:0 N , 102:34:0 E) has seen the new moon with naked eye at 7.35 pm. Mr. Hai Amri from Semporna (4:30:0 N , 118: 33:0 E) has seen the new moon with naked eye at 6.18 pm. Also, our friend (Prof. Nasaruddin bin Mohd Aris) in Cambodia (13:0:0 N , 105:00:00 E) has seen the new moon with naked eye at 7.50 pm. So, tomorrow, 27 th November 2011 M (Sunday) is 1 Muharram 1433 H.

  • Morocco:

    1. Seen: Ehsan H. Hajar (MCW member) from Casablanca reported: alhamdou lil ALLAH, with nearly perfect meteorological conditions, the new hilal of MUHARRAM (alharam) was sighted in Casablanca on Nov 26 few minutes after SunSet 1723 UTC using my & after Salat al~ Maghrib with naked eyes, Sat. Nov 26 corresponding to ZHJ 29 th Morocco calendar. Habous Ministry announcement is expected to declare SUN Nov 27th as first Day of MUH 1433 H.

    2. Seen: Khalid Chraibi (MCW member) from Casablanca reported: Moroccan authorities have announced that 1st muharram 1433 is on Sunday 27 november 2011.

  • Nigeria:

    1. Seen: Muhammed Yasin Qamardeen (MCW member) from Agege, Lagos State reported: On June Saturday 26, November 2011, Local Sun Set: Overcast; I was able to sight the new Hilal of Muharaam. I had made attempt yesterday Nov 25, Friday 2011, also but without any positive sighting.

    2. Seen: AbdulBariu Kareem (MCW member) from Ikeja Lagos reported: Yesterday, 25th November the crescent was not sighted. Today 26th November 2011 here in Ikeja Lagos, Nigeria the crescent was sighted I saw the crescent at around 6:38pm just at level of horizon and it stayed 20 minutes after the sky was clear.

  • Pakistan:

    1. Seen: Hakeem Zafar Iqbal (MCW member) from Rawalpindi reported: Today on Saturday , Nov 26 2011, We (3 Muslims) saw Muharm 1433 moon easily in Rawalpindi, Punjab,Pakistan around 5:18pm. Sky was clear and also moon appear very Clear.

    2. Seen: Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi reported: On my request, Today (Saturday 26 November 2011 = 29 Zul-hijjah 1432 in Pakistan) many hundred persons (Members of the moon-sighting committees of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" + my friends + their companions) tried to sight the moon all over Pakistan and Alhamdulillah it was seen at many places in all four provinces. Due to very haze, I could not sight it in Karachi. Note 1: Dr Shahid Qureshi informed me that he sighted the moon at 5:50 by the telescope of the observatory of Karachi university. Note 2 : Chairman of central official moon sighting committee of Pakistan mufti Munee-bur-Rahman told me on my mobile phone that after receiving the positive reports, the moon sighting committee officially announced that 1st Muharram 1433 will be on Sunday 27th November 2011 in Pakistan after ending the 29 days of Zul-hijjah 1432.

    3. Seen: Talha Rafiq (MCW member) from Karachi reported: Today on Saturday (26 November 2011), I and my friends after Maghrib Prayer saw the moon easily herein Karachi. The Ruit-e-Hilal Committee of Pakistan have declared the 1st Muharram 1433 on 27 November, 2011.

  • Saudi Arabia:

    1. Seen: Luqmaan Williams (MCW member) from Ta'if reported: My friend and I spotted the crescent today (Saturday), November 26th in Taif. Saudi Arabia.

  • Tanzania:

    1. Seen: Hamza Rijal (MCW member) of Tiny Island of Zanzibar reported: At the moment I am in Durban S. Africa as brother Rashid Motala (MCW member) reported that on Friday we failed to observe the Hilal and November 27 2011 is the first date of Muharram. I communicated with my colleagues in tiny island of Zanzibar; they clarified that they have completed 30 days for the month of Dhul Hijja and 27 November 2011 is the first day of Muharram.

  • UK:

    1. Seen in Saudi Arabia: Y.A.Miftahi (MCW member) from London reported: On the evening of Friday 29th Dhul Hajjah 1432 / 25th Nov 2011 the Hilal of Muharram 1433 not been sighted here at UK.
      Central Moon Sighting Committee of Great Britain (CMSCGB) follows the decision of Saudi`s Mahkama Ulya. The original announcement by them was that the first of Muharram is on Saturday 26th Nov 2011, as our representative Dr. Maulana Saeed Ahmed Inayatullah Makki talked to Shaikh Abdurrahman Al Kulaiya (the Minister and the President of Saudi High Court`s Judges) about Moon sighting in Saudi Arab.
      Central Moon Sighting Committee of GB has changed its first announcement now for First of Muharram 1433 as our representative Dr. Maulana Saeed Ahmed Inayatullah Makki told us that he spoke again at Mahkamah Ulyah this morning and they informed that "ZulHajjah 1433 have counted 30 days on the basis of Shariah and therefore now First of Muharram 1433 is on Sunday 27th November 2011".

  • USA:

    1. Seen: Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg VA reported: This evening (Saturday, November 26, 2011), we sighted the moon in Blacksburg, VA (Lat: 37� 15' 40" N, Lng: 80� 26' 56" W, and elevation: 646 meters). We arrived at our sighting location prior to sunset (sunset: 5:05 pm EST) and started scanning the expected location, using pairs of binoculars (7X50 and 10X50) with no success. The sky was mostly cloudy that turned partly cloudy as we got closer to the sunset. First, my son sighted both the crescent and Venus with naked eye followed by me at 5:09 pm. The horns were at 2:00 and 6:30 O'clock (2:00;4:00;6:30). At 4:55 pm, the temperature, dew point, relative humidity, and pressure were 53.6 F, 37.4 F, 54%, and 30.25 in, respectively. We left the location at 5:38 pm when the moon elevation was still 7-8 degrees (moonset: 6:36 pm EST).

    2. Seen: Mohamedraza H.Janmohamed (MCW member) from Sanford FL reported: Alhamdulillah the new crescent for Mahe Muharram 1433 AH was sighted in Orlando, Florida today, Saturday, November 26, 2011.
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