Friday, 14 December 2012:

• Australia:

  1. Seen: Dr. Shabbir Ahmed (MCW member) Imam of Rooty Hill Mosque Sydney, NSW reported: On Friday 14th December 2012, the Hilaal of SAFAR 1434 has been sighted in Brisbane. Therefore, the Hilaal Committee and Majlisul Ulama' of Australia have declared that the month of SAFAR will start from Saturday 15th December 2012.

• Fiji Islands:

  1. Not Seen: M. Shamim Ali (MCW member) from Samabula Suva reported: On December 14, the new Moon for the month of Safar 1434 was not sighted anywhere in the Fiji Islands due to cloudy conditions and tropical depression which has turned into Cyclone. As such the month of Safar 1434 commenced on Sunday 16th December 2012.

• India:

  1. Seen: M. Siddik Nadvi (MCW member) from Ahmedabad, Gujrat reported: Today Friday, December 14, 2012 = 29 Muharam 1434, we tried to see the crescentof Safar 1434 Hijri at our Institute JAMIA KANZUL ULOOM at 6.00 pm. An Official announcement is done by Gujrat chand Commitee that crecent is seen and 15th December is 1st safar.

  2. Seen: Abdussubhan Dadan (MCW Member) from Mumbai reported: ABDUSSUBHAN DADAN (MCW member) Member Rooty Hill committee of Jama Masjid Mumbi reported: On Friday 14th December 2012, the Hilaal of SAFAR 1434 has been sighted in Mumbai Therefore, the Hilaal Committee'of Jama masijd Mumbai have declared that the month of SAFAR will start from Saturday 15th December 2012.

  3. Seen: Mohammed Zafar of MASJIOD E FATHIMA (MCW member) from Chitradurga reported: On Friday 14th December 2012, the Hilaal of SAFAR 1434 has been sighted in CHITRADURGA. Therefore, month of SAFAR will start from Saturday 15th December 2012.

• Indonesia:

  1. Seen: AR Sugeng Riyadi (MCW member) from Surakarta, Java reported: On Friday, Dec 14th, 2012 the new Crescent of Shafar 1434 AH was SEEN from our location, Assalaam Observatory, Surakarta Central Java Indonesia. We are about 100 person (about 50 members of CASA|Assalaam Students Astronomy Club, male and female; 25 Students and Teacher of SMA Al-Islam 1 Surakarta; 25 Students and Lecturer of Islamic Boarding School Hj. AnNuuriyah Sobron). The sky was cloudy and very hazy, but there was a hole between clouds. We all tried to observe the new crescent when the Sun sets @ 17:48 LT, but the Moon was covered by thick clouds. After a moments, my friend al-Ustadz Muchtar-religion teacher from SMA Al-Islam 1 Surakarta said,"I see the moon, it's very thin at the center of hole between the clouds". After that, all the observers also could see the new Crescent of this month. Alhamdulillah... :-)

  2. Seen: Ahmad I. Adjie (MCW member) from Bandung reported: The Hilal for Safar 1434 has been SEEN today, Friday 14 December 2012, at Patra Beach, Bali Island, Indonesia. The crescent was easily seen from immediately after Maghrib until almost dark through a large clear gap in the clouds at the horizon. I have traced/followed the moon until it set for around six minutes. It was slightly tilted to the right.

• Malaysia:

  1. Seen by others: Firdaus Mazlan (MCW member) from Johor Bahru reported: On Friday, 14th December 2012 M equal to 29 th Muharram 1434 H, I with my friend (Mr. Mohd Fahmi bin Zakaria, Mr. Muhammad Zainal Abiden bin Mohamad Hani, Mr. Fadlan, Mr. Nik Mohd Firdaus bin Nik Zainal Abidin, and Mr. Mohamad Noor Aidil Hakim bin Maleki and his family) 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 is very cloudy.
     The Hilal has been seen at other place:
     1. Kampung Teluk Jawa, Masai, Pasir Gudang (01� 28' N , 103� 46' E) by Mr. Afzan Amly bin Ahmad Taha @ Idris and Mr. Khairul Ariffin bin Haron, at 07:26 pm.
     2. Hotel Seri Malaysia, Mersing (02� 25' N , 103� 50' E) by Mr. Muhammad Ibrahim bin Jamil, at 7.31 pm until 7.44 pm.
     3. Kota tinggi (01� 44' N , 103� 53' E) by Mr. Haji Ishaq bin Ahmad and two friend, at 7.50 pm.
     So, tomorrow, 15th December 2012 M (Saturday) is the 1st Safar 1434 H. For this month, first day of Safar 1434 H (Rukyah bila wasitah / Naked eye without optical aid) is same with the first day of government.

• Mauritius:

  1. Seen: Nissar Ahmad (MCW member) from Port Louis reported: Alhamdulillah the new moon of Safar 1434 was seen today Friday 14 December2012 in Mauritius at 18hr53 local time (GMT + 4hrs) on the west coast of Mauritius near Albion. We were 2 persons from Jummah Masjid Hilaal Committee. Sky with patches of cloud as per attached picture. Members of JMHC also confirmed sighting at following sites : (1) Beau Bassin and (2) Bagatelle.

• Morocco:

  1. Seen: Ehsan H. Hajar (MCW member) from Casablanca reported: Today, December 14, it was doubtful to perform sighting with an obscured sky since late afternoon, but ALHAMDOU I'll ALLAH, I was able to spot the high hilal about half an hour after SS, through an opening, horns around three & seven o'clock, well lit.

• Pakistan:

  1. Seen: Rizwan Shah (MCW member) from Gujrat reported: Today 14 december Friday 29 Muharam I saw the moon for a very short time at 5:36pm and then cloud cover the moon

  2. Seen: Mufti Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi reported: Friday (December 14, 2012 = 29th Muharram 1434 in Pakistan ): Members of Jamia-tur-Rasheed easily sighted the moon countrywide at 7 places. Other 24 places were full cloudy or rainy. Official moon sighting committee also received positive reports from 4 places thus announced that 1st Safar 1434 is on Saturday December 15, 2012 in Pakistan .

• Saudi Arabia:

  1. Seen: Luqmaan Williams (MCW member) from Ta'if reported: Yesterday, December 13, I was travelling by taxi to Madinah and arrived just after the adhan. Then traffic was problematic and was unable to see anything when I got out about 20 minutes after the adhan.
     Today, December 14, 2012, I spotted the crescent at about 5:58 p.m. in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

• Sri Lanka:

  1. Seen: Nular Bary (MCW member) from Colombo reported: Today 29th.Muharram 1434H(14/12/2012) evening the Colombo sky was clear and I was able to sight the Hilal of Safar very clearly at 6;15pm. our sun set was at 5;57pm. Immediately I call our Hilal Committee and informed about the sighting. The Committee received many more positive naked eye sighting of the New Moon of Safar 1434H. "Inn Sha Allah" We will be starting the month of Safar 1434 tomorrow Saturday 15th December 2012

• Tanzania:

  1. Seen: Zaffar Sheriff (MCW member) from Daressalaam reported: On Friday, December 14, the 30 hour crescent was seen at 6:32 pm local time, just two minutes after sunset. Saturday 15th Dec is 1st Safar .

  2. Seen: Hamza Rijal (MCW member) from Tiny Island of Zanzibar reported: The Safar Hilal was sighted very clear with naked-eye from tiny island of Zanzibar, Friday 14 December 2012, The official first day of the Safaar will be on Saturday, 15 December 2012.

• USA:

  1. Seen at 1:40 pm (about 3 hours before sunset): Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg VA reported: On Friday, Dec 14, I just sighted the moon at 1:40 pm with a pair of binoculars (7X50) and with naked eye at 1:43 pm. Insha-Allah, I'll send you a more complete report later, including the evening sightings.

  2. Seen at 4:50 pm (after sunset): Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg VA reported: This evening (Friday, December 14, 2012), the crescent moon of Safar was sighted in Blacksburg, VA (Lat: 37� 15' 40" N, Lng: 80� 26' 56" W, and elevation: 646 meters). Soon after arriving at my sighting location, I saw the moon with naked eye at 4:50 pm EST (sunset: 5:05 pm). The horns were at 3:00 and 7:00 O'clock (3:00;5:00;7:00). I left the location prior to moonset (moonset: 6:54 pm).