Moonsighting for Sha'ban 1429

1429 AH
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The Astronomical New Moon is on August 1, 2008 (Friday) at 10:12 Universal Time or GMT (i.e., 6:12 am EDT, and 3:12 am PDT). This crescent moon will not be visible on August 1, anywhere by naked eye, except in Polynesian Islands, where it is difficult to see. On August 2, it will be visible starting from Australia, Indonesia, India, Saudi Arabia, Africa, and Americas. In most of Europe, Japan, and Russia, it will not be visible even on Augst 2.

Sighting Reports
August 1, 2008 (Friday):

Maulana Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi Pakistan reported: Not Seen
It was certain that the crescent would not be sighted anywhere in Pakistan on August 1 because moonset was only nearly 5 minutes after sunset, all over Pakistan. In spite of this fact, to increase the trust of common people upon the Science of Moon-sighting and because the people become confused due to the 29th day according to the Ummul-Qura calendar, while it was only 28th by sighting in Pakistan, I requested many members of the moon-sighting committees of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" and many of my friends all over Pakistan to sight the moon but the moon could not be sighted, as it was expected on August 1. A total of 106 persons (most of them Ulamaa and scholars) from different locations all over Pakistan reported non-sighting.

Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Christiansburg Virginia reported: Not Seen
This evening (Friday Aug 1st, 2008), using a pair of binoculars (7X50), I tried sighting the moon with no success. I arrived at the sighting location in the town of Christiansburg, VA before sunset (sunset: 8:28) and soon after started looking for the moon in the W-WNW horizon. The lower part of the western horizon was cloudy and overall hazy. I was able to locate Venus and not Mercury! I scanned the horizon till 8:49 (local moonset 8:47) with no success for crescent moon.

Mohammad Al-Bedaiwi (MCW member) from Austin Texas reported: Not Seen
I attempted the sighting of Shaban 1st on August 1st 2008 sunset time, but did not see any moon. The sky was clear and I did not see any thing.


August 2, 2008 (Saturday):

Engr Manzoor A Mian from Melbourne Australia reported: Not Seen
The moon was not sighted in Melbourne on 2nd Aug Saturday evening due to overcast weather and cloudy sky. However it was sighted in Sydney and Adelaide other states of Australia on Saturday evening therefore 1st Shabaan in Australia is on 3rd Aug 2008 Sunday InshaAllah.

Dr. Shabbir Ahmed (MCW member) Imam of Rooty Hill Mosque Sydney Australia reported: Seen
Al Hamdu Lillah the Hilaal of SHA�BAAN 1429 has been sighted in Sydney and other states, on Saturday, August 02, 2008. My self with two witness have seen the moon in Sydney and other group with Br. Afroze Ale have seen the moon in Sydney as well. The moon was very thin, we were able to sight at 5.50pm. Therefore the moon-sighting committee of Australia and Majlis ul Ulamaa of Australia have declared that the month of SHA�BAAN 1429 will start from Sunday, 03rd August, 2008.

Ahmad I. Adjie, MCW member from Bandung, Indonesia reported: Seen
Right after maghrib prayers, the moon was easily sighted in many places by many teams in Indonesia. Sha'ban being a more popular month to do the Rukyat (crescent sighting). Myself and my team tried to sight the hilal in the northern hills of Bandung, Indonesia, but could not see it due to thick haze and some rain clouds on the horizon. The clouds were not fast-moving and had no small openings/cracks such that sighting was impossible. But as it was sighted in many places in Indonesia, and also sighted at a more easterly place (Dr. Shabbir Ahmed, Imam of Rooty Hill Mosque, Australia), the 1st of Sha'ban for us will be on Sunday, 3rd august 2008, making Rajab 29 days. Alhamdulillah wa Shukrulillah!

Abdul Jalil Rayhan (MCW member) from Cotabato Philippines reported: Seen
This afternoon, August 2, 2008, the Committee went to Tantawan Hill of Cotabato City about 5:30 pm to sight the crescent (hilal) moon. Due to the growth of the trees which distracted the aerial view of the horizon, the group decided to change venue of sighting. The roof top of the commercial building rented by Bro. Hussin at ND Avenue was chosen. We were gathered on the roof top and scan the horizon at 6:00 pm. Bro. Muhammad Jamil sighted the evening star and informed the group. We used the evening star as a reference point in further scanning the horizon. At 6:30 pm Bro. Abdul Jalil Rayhan sighted the crescent moon and pointed it to the group. It was below the evening star and slightly towards the left. Then Bro. Muhammad Ampatuan confirmed the sighting followed by Bro. Rohamin Hanok and Bro. Muhammad Jamil Gamutan. After 6 minutes Bro. Hussin Matanog confirmed the sighting.

Zainudin Haron from Johor Bahru, Malaysia reported: Seen
I'm a student from Madrashah Darul Al Asha'irah, Johor Bahru, Malaysia and would like to report that the first moon (hilal) of Sha'ban was sighted at Pontian Kecil, Johor Bahru, Malaysia on 2nd August 2008 at 7.45pm.

ABM Ruhul Hassan (MCW member) from Dhaka Bangladesh reported: Seen
Very thin Sha'ban moon is sighted on 2nd August, Saturday in the Sunamgonj District, the north�western part of Bangladesh.

Engr. Azizul Huq (MCW member) from Dhaka Bangladesh reported: Seen
Please note that National Moonsighting Committee of Islamic Foundation in Bangladesh, announced that Crescent moon of Sha'ban 1429 was visible in sky over Bangladesh on 2nd August 2008, as such 3rd August will be the 1st day of Sha'ban 1429. This evenning I could not reach the top floor of the building timely to see the Crescent moon myself.

Capt. Tahir Gul Hasan (MCW member) from Lahore Pakistan reported: Not Seen
The Sha'ban, 1429 Hijra moon was NOT sighted at Lahore on the evening of 2 August 2008. Method: naked eye observation; Weather: thin clouds & haze, sunset (20:00 LT), moonset (20:41 LT).

Maulana Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi Pakistan reported: Not Seen
Tonight i.e. on 2nd August 2008, according to calculations the crescent moon was supposed to be easily visible in costal areas of Pakistan by naked eyes according to the all old and new criteria of moon-sighting, but it was difficult to sight in the other parts of Pakistan. I requested many members of the personal moon-sighting committees of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" and many of my friends all over Pakistan to sight the moon but the moon could not be sighted any where in Pakistan due to heavy cloudy and rainy season. Our reporters have tried to sight the crescent moon at these places: (In Sindh) Karachi , at 10 places + Hyderabad + Tando Allah yar . (In Sarhad) Batal, Hango, Bajor (In Punjab ) Lahore, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Shujaabad, Shorkot. (In Baluchistan ) Pishin.
Note: Chairman of central official moon sighting committee of Pakistan "Mufti Munee-bur-Rahman" told me on my personal mobile phone that because he did not receive any positive report of moon sighting from all over Pakistan, therefore he has officially announced that Sunday August 03, 2008 is the 30th Rajab and 1st Sha'ban 1429 will fall on Monday, August 4.

Alireza Mehrani (MCW member) from Esfahan Iran reported: Seen

Mohamad Soltanolkotabi (MCW member) from Esfahan Iran reported: Seen
I saw new crescent moon first at 20:03 ( 2 minutes after sun set ) with 15*70 binoculars. I was able to see the crescent with my eyes too.

Hussain Khushaish (MCW member) from South Lebanon reported: Seen
In Khaiam town South Lebanon On Sat 2 Aug 2008 I could see the crescent only with 20*60 binocular .First sighting was at 19:42 and last sighting was at 20:10.The western horizon was cloudy upto 20 degrees.Venus was seen easily with naked eyes.We were more than 10 persons of my family and all of them could see the crescent easily with binocular.Also I could see the old moon on the morning of Thursday 31 july 2008 in Jordan when I was trvelling from Kuwat to Lebanon at 4:40 till 4:50 when it disappeared behind a cloud.

Goolam Tegally (MCW member) from Port Louis Mauritius reported: Seen
Hilal for Sha'ban was sighted here in Mauritius this evening 2 August despite cloudy weather

Hamza Rijaal (MCW member) from Island of Zanzibar Tanzania reported: Seen
Hilal was sighted in tiny Island of Zanzibar on Saturday and August 3rd is the first of Sha'aban. I am not among who had observed the Hilal but number of people managed to see the Hilal very clear.

Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim (MCW member) from Cape Town S. Africa reported: Seen
The Shabaan Hilaal was easily seen by naked-eye this Saturday evening (02/08/2008) from my sighting station at the Green Point lighthouse in Cape Town. Local sunset was at 16h06 and Venus was sighted at 16h17 and the Hilaal at 16h22. The official first day of Shabaan in South Africa will correspond to Sunday, 03 August 2008

Rashid Motala (MCW member) from Durban S. Africa reported: Seen
The Hilaal for Sha'baan was sighted from many locations in SA this evening. A very easy sighting.

Imam Majolagbe Monsuru (MCW member) from Lagos Nigeria reported: Not Seen
We attempted to sight crescent of Sha'ban on Saturday 02 08 2008 after sunset but it was not seen because it was cloudy.

Abdul Bariu Kareem (MCW member) from Ikeja Lagos Nigeria reported: Seen
I saw the cresent new moon of Shaban at 7:35pm local time after about 45min of watching the sky which look a bit cloudy.

Muhammed Yasin Qamardeen (MCW member) from Ilorin Nigeria reported: Seen
Al hamdulillah, hilal of month Sha'ban was sigthed here at lagos tonight, and planet Venus adorned the new crescent make a perfect jewel to the beholder. Besides, there is positive report from Amir of Lajinat Hilal Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria, when I called him over Phone. As at moment I was unnable to get report from Dr Dukku in Bauchi as his Line is not reachable.

Ibrahima Thierno Lo (MCW member) from Dakar, Senegal reported: Seen
For the national commission, the cresent was seen at Kedougou (700 km from Dakar) by naked eyes, at Saturday 02 August 2008. In many pronvinces, the Sky near the Western Horizon Was cloudy. Hence 1st day of sha`ban 1429H in Senegal is on Sunday 03 August 2008 G.

Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti (MCW member) from Oxford UK reported: Seen by others
Sighting not attempted. I am travelling this evening, Saturday the 29th day of Rajab for the UK, and am unable to perform the moonsighting for Sha'ban. Nevertheless, there are reports of positive sightings in numerous places East to the UK, including Morocco. This news, despite not being able to sight locally in the UK, makes it sufficient for those in the UK to begin the month of Sha'ban tomorrow, on Sunday the 3rd of August (beginning from today's Maghrib, and not on Monday the 4th of August), by following the basic rule [dabit] in Islamic Law in this matter that whenever it is known that the crescent has been positively sighted in the East, local sighting inevitably follows, but not the other way round [mata hasalati r-ru'yatu fi l-sharqi lazima ru'yatuhu fi l-gharbi wa la-'aks]. Hence, the 15th of Sha'ban should fall in the UK on Sunday, 17th of August (beginning from Maghrib, 16th of August).

Muhammad Hafiz (MCW member) from Guyana reported: Not Seen
Due to rainy clouds on the horizon Hilaal observation for Shaban 1429 AH was made impossible at Rose Hall Town, Guyana.

Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg Virginia reported: Seen
This evening (Saturday, Aug 2, 2008), we sighted the moon in Blacksburg, VA. It was first sighted using a pair of binoculars and soon after with naked eye. The first sighting was at 8:33 (sunset, 8:27). The horns were at 1:30 and 6:00 O'Clock.

Anwarul Ansari from Miami Florida USA reported: Seen
Today, Saturday, August 2, five of us Anwar, Sohail, Alam, Aleem, and Asif sighted new moon at Masjid Miami.Our salvation is in following the Sunnah exactly the way companions of our beloved prophet(SAW) did.

Omer Subhani from Miami Florida USA reported: Not Seen
My mother, wife and I did NOT see the new moon tonight. There were some clouds in the area.

Mohamedraza H.Janmohamed (MCW member) from Sanford Florida reported: Seen
Moon was sighted in Miami and Orlando as well on Saturday, August 02, 2008 � Rajab 29.

HiMY SYeD (MCW member) from Toronto Ontario reported: Seen
Alhumdulillah tonight after quickly praying my Maghrib Salah at home, I left my apartment and walked the short distance to Christie Pits Park in downtown Toronto as it would have the least obstructed view of the horizon available. From the east side of the park, I scanned the western skies and was worried that I had missed the crescent either because of low hanging clouds to the south and west or the treeline of the park. I was sad and being making dua that I might sight the moon. Alhumdulillah, after perhaps 15 minutes I had a smile as wide as Bloor Street as I spotted an impossibly thin new crescent moon hiding inbetween tree tops at the north west of the park.

Ms. Ruth Jeffery (MCW member) from Baton Rouge Louisiana reported: Seen
The new crescent was sighted in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on August 2nd by one adult witness at 8:06 p.m. It was clear but hazy at the horizon, and the sliver was relatively low and fairly small - somewhat difficult to spot but hard to miss afterwards.

Ms. Lyna Snow (MCW member) from San Antonio Texas reported: Seen
Tonight, at 9:06pm my husband and I sighted the moon for the month of Shabaan in San Antonio, TX.

Paul Burnham (MCW member) from Chino Valley Arizona reported: Seen
I am pleased to report that the crescent new moon was observed from Chino Valley, Arizona this evening of August 2, 2008. Initial sighting was with binoculars at 1923 MST at which time the arc appeared to extend from 2 to 5:30 O'clock. Visual sighting followed at 1927 MST although visual observation was intermittent until 1938 MST when the moon moved clear of a thin cloud rift. Observation continued until 20:16 MST when the moon set behind the local horizon. An item of amusement, a hummingbird paused in the binocular field at the moment of first observation

Yassir Ali from Sunnyvale, California reported: Seen
I saw the crescent moon for shaaban 1429, here in sunnyvale, california, u.s.a., today Aug, 2, 2008 It was 8:30 when i first saw the moon with the naked eye, almost 10 minutes after sunset. It was there for only 10 minutes. I took a pic with my camera. I am attaching the picture.

Nasseam Elkarra from San Francisco, California reported: Seen
On this Saturday night, the 2nd of August, I witnessed the crescent from Twin Peaks in San Francisco, CA. It was low on the horizon, the time was 8:45PM, and the points of the crescent would have been between 1 and 7 on a clock.

Gulamabbas Khakoo (MCW member) from Buena Park California reported: Seen
Sighted the crescent for the month of Sha'baan here at Buena Park, Zip code 90620; California. local time 8:15pm with naked eye on this Saturday evening of Aug. 2nd, 2008 on left side of Sunset. The top horn was between 12 & 1 O'clock (closer to 12) and bottom horn was between 7 & 8 O'clock (closer to 7). (Buena Park Longitude - W117 59' 41". Latitude - N33 51' 16")

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