Moonsighting for Rajab 1433
1433 AH
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The Astronomical New Moon is on May 20, 2012 (Sunday) at 23:47 UT. On Sunday, May 20, it can not be seen anywhere in the world. On Monday, May 21, 2012, it can be not be seen in Australia, Asia, Europe, and Africa; it can be seen with difficulty in part of South America, Central America and part of North America. (See visibility curves).

Sighting Reports

The earliest reported sighting of the new crescent was on May 21, 2012 from San Francisco Bay Area USA.


Monday, 21 May 2012:

  • India:

    1. Not Seen: Molvi Iqbalhusen Bokda (MCW member) from Godhra, Gujrat reported: Crescent for Rajab could not be seen today on 21st May (29th Jumadal-aakhir) here in Godhra and other parts of Gujarat (India).

  • Indonesia:

    1. Not Seen: AR Sugeng Riyadi (MCW member) from Surakarta, Java reported: On Monday, May 21, 2012 the New Crescent of Rojab 1433 AH was NOT SEEN from Assalaam Observatory - Surakarta - Central Java - Indonesia; however according to the Government Calendar (Imkan-Rukyah Criterion), the first day of Rojab 1433 AH will be on Tuesday, May 22, 2012.

  • Kenya:

    1. Not Seen: Hussein Ahmed Hussein (MCW member) from Mombasa reported: On May 21, until 7-45 pm no sighting has been reported I tried to watch from sunset local time; no sigthing of the moon, We are still awaiting reportz from Tanzania.

  • Kuwait:

    1. Not Seen: Hussain Khushaish (MCW member) from Kuwait reported: In Kuwait, on Monday 21 May 2012, I could not see the crescent of Rajab. The westeren horizon was totally cloudy.

  • Nigeria:

    1. Not Seen: Jinadu Yunus (MCW member) from Kisi, Oyo State reported: I and my Committee searched for Hilah today Monday 21/05/12. We couldn't sight it due to the fact that SKY was obscured. As we are now in raining season, it will be difficult to sight Hilal.

  • Pakistan:

    1. Not Seen: Mufti Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi reported: Today (Monday, 21 May 2012), on my request, nearly 100 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 at nearly 18 places but the moon could not be sighted.Generally it was cloudy or hazy countrywide.
      Note 1: Today (Monday, 21 May 2012) the conditions of the moon were so defective in the most of the world especially in Pakistan that according to the all old and new criteria of moon-sighting, there was no solid proof in the history of astronomy to sight such a moon by naked eyes or even by a telescope in Pakistan.
      Note 2: Chairman of central official moon-sighting committee of Pakistan "Mufti Munee-bur-Rahman" told me on my mobile phone that as he did not receive any positive report of moon sighting from all over Pakistan, therefore he officially announced that Tuesday 22 May 2012 is the 30th Juma-dath-Thaniah 1433 and 1st Rajab 1433 will fall on Wednesday 23rd of May 2012.

  • Panama:

    1. Not Seen: Saleh Bhai Bhattay (MCW member) from Panama City reported: Today, May 21, we could not see the moon in Panama.

  • Qatar:

    1. Not Seen: Zainul Abedin (MCW member) from Doha reported: On 21st May 2012, as the sky was crystal clear, still the moon for Rajab could not be sighted.

  • Saudi Arabia:

    1. Not Seen: Luqmaan Williams (MCW member) from Makkah reported: I was in Makkah (Saudi Arabia) last night and nothing could be seen in clear skies.

  • South Africa:

    1. Not Seen: Rashid Motala (MCW member) from Durban reported: The Hilaal was not sighted in S. Africa this evening, Monday, May 21, 2012. Wednesday will be the 1st Rajab.

    2. Not Seen: Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim (MCW member) from Cape Town reported: The Hilaal was not sighted in Southern Africa on this Monday evening, 21 May 2012 (the end of the 29th Rabi 2, 1433 AH). The official first day of Rajab 1433 AH will correspond to Wednesday, 23 May 2012.

  • UK:

    1. Not Seen: Qamar Uddin (MCW member) from York reported: On Monday, 21 May 2012 (29 Jumada al-Ukhra 1433 AH) many people from throughout UK have attempted to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) of Rajab after sunset. None of the groups were able to sight the Hilal, even though some places had clear skies.
      We have not received any reliable sighting reports (Muhaqaq-Ruyat-Basari) from any countries east of UK/Morocco either. But, we have received negative sighting report from Morocco and South Africa.
      Therefore, the Wifaq/Batley Ulama have decided that the month of Jumada al-Ukhra 1433 AH will completed 30 days and the month of Rajab 1433 AH will start from Wednesday 23 May2012 (i.e. sunset of 22 May 2012), Insha-Allah.

    2. Not Seen: Aziz Raje (MCW member) from Ilford Essex reported: On Monday evening 21st May, we had many people attempt the sighting of the Rajab Hilal, although we had clear conditions in many places for a change but we were not able to sight the Hilal. We have received negative reports of actual sighting from elsewhere to the east of UK. We have also received written confirmation of negative sighting from the Ministry of Awqaf in Morocco. Wifaq ul Ulama have therefore decided that we will complete 30 days of the Month of Jumad ul Ukhra and the Month of Rajab 1433 in the United Kingdom will therefore commence from Wednesday 23rd May 2012 Insha Allah.

  • USA:

    1. Not Seen even with binoculars: Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Harrisonburg VA reported: This evening (Monday, May 21, 2012), I could not sight the crescent of Rajab in Harrisonburg, VA. The western horizon was mostly cloudy with a few clearings. The expected area was covered with a piece of cloud, however. Using a pair of binoculars, I started scanning those clearings well before sunset (sunset: 8:25pm EDT) till 8:45 pm (moonset: 9:13 pm EDT). At 8:35 pm, the temperature, dew point temperature, relative humidity, and pressure were 68.4 F, 61.5 F, 79%, and 29.96 in, respectively.

    2. Seen: Dr. Youssef Ismail (MCW member) from San Francisco CA reported: The hilal of Rajab was seen this evening by my 12 year old daughter and I at 8:53 pm PDT from Russian Ridge in the San Francisco Bay Area 37.32� N lat 122.20� W long 2300 ft above sea level. See the attached photo, taken at 8:57 pm moon at 295� Azimuth (True) and 1.8� altitude.
      I was about to give up and started to take photos of the sky with the camera, then stumbled upon the hilal emerging from some clouds. I immediately looked with out camera and saw it clearly. My daughter then saw it clearly as well. Four minutes later 8:57pm, Zakariyyah Twist (MCW member) and his family arrived and all but one of his sons saw it. It included Him, his wife, daughter and one of two sons.

    3. Not Seen: Mohammed Yahya Shaikh (MCW member) from Anaheim CA reported: I was not able to see the hilal for the month of Rajab on May 21st 2012 in Anaheim, CA. I attempted to see until 8:20 PM but was unsuccessful even with the aid of binoculars. My uncle from Rosemead and cousin from San Siemone also did not sight the hilal today.

    4. Not Seen: Mirza Shahid Basravi (MCW member) from Irvine CA reported: After having observed the solar eclipse yesterday, I was pretty confident that I will be able to spot the crescent tonight, Monday, May 21. I arrived at my usual spotting site just before sunset, equipped with my 7 x 35 binocular. There was a heavy enough mist and thin clouds on the lower western horizon. I was able to see the Sun through these mist and clouds, but I wasn't able to see the new crescent. At sunset the Moon was supposed to be more than 9 degrees above the horizon, which leads me to believe that if I had been at the spotting site at least 20 to 25 minutes before the sunset, I could have probably spotted the crescent before it went into the mist. I look forward to other lucky observers reporting a positive sighting here in California.

  • Zimbabwe:

    1. Not Seen: Ayub Mahomed (MCW member) from Harare reported: Moon was not seen in zimbabwe on May 21. 1st rajab will be on Wednesday 23 May 2012.

Tuesday, 22 May 2012:

  • Australia:

    1. Seen: Zahid Hafeez (MCW member) from Canberra, ACT reported: On May 22, 2012, in Canberra, Sunset: 17:03; Moonset: 17:57; Age of moon at sunset: 31 hours.
      Viewing conditions were very good and I sighted the crescent of the new moon low on the horizon at 17:40 first with binoculars and then without. This is the first new moon crescent I've been lucky to see in many months and it was well worth standing in the cold for. My colleagues in Adelaide also reported seeing the moon there too.

    2. Seen: Dr. Shabbir Ahmed (MCW member) Imam of Rooty Hill Mosque Sydney, NSW reported: On Tuesday 22nd May 2012, the Hilal of RAJAB 1433 has been sighted in Brisbane and in Canberra. Thus, the Hilal Committee and Majlisul Ulama' of Australia have declared that the month of RAJAB 1433 will commence from Wednesday, 23th May 2012.

    3. Not Seen in Melbourn; But Seen in Brisbane and Sydney Engr Manzoor A Mian (MCW member) from Melbourne, VIC reported: Melbourne was cloudy, patchy, windy, 15 degree centigrade Temperature. We were unable to sight Rajab Crescent today 22/5/12 Tuesday. But, it has been Seen: in Brisbane and Sydney today, Tuesday 22nd May 2012, Hence first Rajab is tomorrow 23rd May Wed 2012.

  • Canada:

    1. Seen: Baig Muhammad Tamachi (MCW member) from Peterborough Ontario reported: My wife and I are extremely excited to report that we CEARLY witnessed the Rajab 1433 Hilaal in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada this evening, on Tuesday 22nd May, 2012. Time of Hilaal sighting / observation was between 9:00 and 9:15pm. The Hilaal appeared about 20 degrees above the band of clouds covering the south-westerly horizon (nearly s/w of a bright star in its vicinity) Horns were between the 2 & 7 O�clock position.

  • Fiji Islands:

    1. Not Seen: M Shamim Ali (MCW member) from Samabula Suva reported: New Moon for Rajjab 1433 was not sighted anywhere in the Fiji Islands on May 22. As such 30 days were completed and 1st Rajjab commenced on 24th May 2012.

  • India:

    1. Seen: Shahid Ali Farooqui (MCW member) from Amravati, India Today 22nd May 2012 at around 7.00 P.M. the moon of Rajab 1433 was sighted,it was like 7 on watch,( Amravati,Maharashtra,India)

  • Indonesia:

    1. Seen: Ahmad I. Adjie (MCW member) from Bandung reported: On Tuesday 22 May 2012, the Hilal for Rajab 1433 was sighted from the northern hills of Bandung with less than ideal conditions, moon crescent was seen behind hazy orange clouds, 18:07 to 18:09 local time (GMT+7), before disappearing behind thick gray clouds. 1st Rajab will therefore be 23 May 2012, which Alhamdulillah coincides with most local calendars including the 'official/government' calendar.

    2. Seen: AR Sugeng Riyadi (MCW member) from Surakarta, Java reported: Alhamdulillah, the new crescent of Rojab 1433 AH was sighted on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 from Assalaam Observatory - Sukoharjo - Surakarta - Central Java - Indonesia. We are (I and ustadz Muflih Arisa Adnan) and about 25 students of CASA (Assalaam Students' Astronomy Club). The Moon was seen at the same time with the Venus was, approx 15 minutes after sunsets because the thin cloud covered the moon position when the sunsets at 17:27 LT.

  • Nigeria:

    1. Seen: AbdulKareem Isa (MCW member) from Abuja State reported: On Tuesday, May 22 2012, Mall Sani, Corporal Idris and I (AbdulKareem Isa) saw the moon in Asokoro extention of FCT Abuja, Nigeria around 7:05pm. It was cloudy a bit but Allah made the moon appear clearly. The moon lasted till 8:15pm when I checked. I don't understand how to present the orientation on a dial of imaginary clock in the sky.
      I am really delighted reporting for the first time, though I have witnessed many new moons (hilal) since around 2000 when I fully picked interest in studying the moon.

  • Pakistan:

    1. Seen: Hakeem Zafar Iqbal (MCW member) from Rawalpindi reported: Today on Tuesday , May 22 2012, We (3 Muslims) saw Rajab 1433 moon easily in Rawalpindi, Punjab,Pakistan around 7:10pm. Sky was clear and also moon appear very Clear.

    2. Seen: Mufti Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi reported: On my request, Today (Tuesday 22 May 2012 = 30th Juma-dath-Thaniah 1433 in Pakistan) many hundred persons (Members of the moon-sighting committees of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" + my friends + their companions) including me tried to sight the moon all over Pakistan and resultantly easily sighted the crescent at nearly 21 places.

  • Sri Lanka:

    1. Seen: Nular Bary (MCW member) from Colombo reported: Today 29 of Jumada-al-Thani 1433 (22/5/2012) in Colombo Sri Lanka I couldn't see the crescent of Rajab 1433 as the western sky was covered with some black patches of clouds but I heard from our Hilal committee that the sighting of New Moon reported from several other places of the country. Hence the committee decided to start the month of Rajab 1433 Tomorrow 23th Wednesday May 2012. Inshallah

  • UK:

    1. Seen: Sana Khalid from Slough, Berkshire reported: Tonight, May 22, 2012, the sky was clear. I saw the Crescent moon from Slough, Berkshire, UK, around 9:30pm and last saw it until about 15 minutes later. It was seen by myself, my brother, my father and my father's friend. Orientation of the horns of the crescent was 2 O'clock to 7 O'clock on a dial of an imaginary clock in the sky.

    2. Seen: Mohammad Adlan (MCW member) from Cardiff, Wales reported: On 22 May 2012, we (merely 23 people) saw the moon in Cardiff, UK from 21:34 to 22:10. the moon appeared partial visibility due to thin layer of clouds that appeared where the sunset was.

  • Zimbabwe:

    1. Seen: Ayub Mahomed (MCW member) from Harare reported: The moon was seen clearly in Harare, although there were some thick dark clouds. It was sighted around 6pm local time.

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