Moonsighting for Rabi-al-Awwal 1440
1440 AH
 MUH  SFR  RBA  RBT  JMO  JMT  RJB  SHB  RMD  SHW  ZQD  ZHJ 

Al urjoonul qadeem of Safar 1440: November 7 & November 6, 2018

On right is the waning (old) Crescent Moon (End of Safar 1440 AH), November 6, 2018 (Photo on the right is provided by MCW member Mr Ayyub Patel from Abha, Saudi Arabia: This is decreasing moon that was sighted after Fajr Click on the photo on the right to see full size.







New Crescent Moon of Rabi-al-Awwal 1440:

The Astronomical New Moon (conjunction) is on November 7, 2018 (Wednesday) at 16:02 UT. On November 7, the moon will not be visible anywhere in the habitted world. On November 8, the moon will be difficult to see in South-East Asia, Middle-East and Europe; but it can be easily seen in Africa and Americas. On November 9, it will be visible all over the world. (See visibility curves).

The earliest reported sighting of the new crescent was on Nov 8 (Thursday) from Zimbabwe.

November 7, 2018 (Wednesday):

  • USA:


    1. Not Seen: Council of Shia Muslim Scholars in North America announced: The Moon-Sighting Committee of the Council of Shia Muslim Scholars of North America announces that Thursday, November 8th, 2018 will be the last day of the month of Safar, 1440 A.H. and Friday, November 9th, 2018, will be the first day of the month of Rabi al-Awwal, 1440 A.H. for the entire region of North America.
      This determination is based on the fact that there were no verified sightings of the crescent moon by the naked eye at sunset on Wednesday, November 7th, 2018, in any region of North America.

    2. Not Seen: MCW member Mr Mohamedraza H.Janmohamed from Sanford FL reported: The Moon-sighting Sub-committee wishes to inform the community that there was no sighting of the new crescent on Wednesday, November 07, 2017. Therefore, upon completion of 30 days, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2018 is established as the 1st Day of Mahe Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1440 AH.

November 8, 2018 (Thursday):

  • Australia:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Mr Moussa Khalife from Sydney, NSW reported: Today is Thursday 8th of November 2018 , we haven�t sighted the moon in sydney Australia . The weather was a bit cloudy in the sunset area so we didn�t see the moon.

    2. Not Seen: MCW member Imam Abul Qasim Rizvi, Imam Juma Melbourne reported: Crescent of the month of Rabiul Awwal AH 1440 has not been sighted in Melboune Sydney and Brisbane, therefore Friday 9th November 2018 will be the 30th Safar 1440 AH. Saturday 10th November 2018 will be the First of RabiulAwwal 1440 AH.

    3. Not Seen: MCW member Dr Shabbir Ahmed, President of Qubaa association of Western Sydney, NSW reported: The Hilaal of Rabi�ul Awwal has not been sighted anywhere in Australia. Hence, the month of Rabi�ul Awwal will commence from Saturday, 10th November 2018.

  • Barbados:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr Mohammed Patel from Bridgetown reported: From Jama Masjid in Bridgetown, Barbados, today, Thursday 8th November, 2018. Crescent was SEEN. Therefore we had 29 days of Safar. The 1st of Rabi-al-Awwal will be on Friday 9th November, 2018.

  • Canada:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Mr Nuh ibn Zbigniew Gondek from Ottawa Ontario reported: Local Sunset time for Ottawa, Ontario, Canada for November 8 2018 was 4.40 pm ET. Due to partially overcast skies this evening no moonsighting was possible with the unaided eye or binoculars. The local Moonset should have been by 5.53 pm ET. Sighting location: Mud Lake (near Britannia water filtration plant). Temperature: 7�C.

  • Egypt:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Dr Hisham M. Hamed from Maadi, (29.96�N, 31.249�E) South Cairo reported: On Thursday, Nov 8th, 2018: Hilal of Rabii El-Awwal was Obscured. I started my attempt to observe the Hilal of Rabii I at apparent Sunset (17:03) to no avail. There were thick clouds covering about 6� over the horizon, and they persisted well after I returned from Maghreb prayers. Best time was 17:27. Brightness calculations indicated that it the Hilal of width 19.8" arcseconds could have a chance of appearing, had the temperature and relative humidity been 10�C, and 20% or below, respectively. However, at the prevailing conditions of 25�C temperature, 1014mB pressure, and ~51% relative humidity, it would be below the threshold of visiblity. Direct observation was inconclusive, of course, due to the cloud cover over the western horizon (covering many degrees around the expected Azimuth of 248�).

  • India:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Mr Molvi Iqbalhusen Bokda from Godhra, Gujrat reported: Crescent for Rabiul-Awwal was not seen here at Godhra today on 8th November, 2018 (29th Safar,1440). Sky was clear. We received negative sighting reports from almost all bigger cities of India. All Hilal committees of Delhi, Mumbai, Deoband, Patna and Surat have declared that it will be 30th Safar tomorrow.

  • Indonesia:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Mr AR Sugeng Riyadi from from Assalaam Observatory Central Java Indonesia reported: The Hilal of Rabiul Awal 1440 AH was NOT SIGHTED on Thursday, November 8th, 2018 from Assalaam Observatory at The Modern Boarding School of Islam ASSALAAM, Pabelan Kartasura Sukoharjo Central Java Indonesia even by telescope because the sky was cloudy and rainy.
      How ever the 1st of Rabiul Awal 1440 AH in Infonesia will start on Friday Nov 9, 2018.

  • Morocco:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr Zakaria Guelzim from Rabat reported: Today Thursday November 8th, 2018 , I was not able to sight the new moon of Rabii Al Awwal in Rabat Morocco. The sky was cloudy in the sunset area. While 3 of my friends were able to see it in Mohammedia (70 km south of Rabat), in Nador (North of Morocco) and in Oujda (North east of Morocco)
      The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Morocco informed the citizens that they observed the moon of the month of Rabii Al Awwal1440 AH, after Maghrib of Thursday, 29 Safar 1440 AH, 08 November 2018. The beginning of the month of Rabii Al Awwal 1440 AH will be on Friday 09 November 2018.

  • Nepal:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Mr Muhammad Aamir, Vice Secretary Nepali Jame Masjid Committee, Kathmandu reported: The Hilal of Rabiul Awwal was not sighted on 8th November 2018 in Kathmandu or anywhere in Nepal. SKY CONDITIONS: No clouds but hazy. TIME OF SIGHTING EFFORT: from 17:00 pm to 17:30 pm. So, on the basis of no sighting report 1st day of Rabiul Awwal will be on Saturday, November 10, 2018.

  • New Zealand:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Mr Abid Jafery from Auckland reported: There has been NO sightings on Thu 08 Nov 2018 (29 Safar 1440) anywhere in NewZealand, Hence Fri is 30 Safar and Sat 10 Nov 2018 will be 1st Rabiul Awal 1440 Hijri InahaAllah.

  • Nigeria:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr HabibuRahman Yunus from Yola, Nigeria reported: Here in my location; Aliyu Musdafa College, Yola, Nigeria. I sighted the new crescent moon for the month of (Rab� al-Awwal, 1440) today Thursday (Nov 9th) at 18:12 shortly after sunset

  • Pakistan:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Mr Shoaib Saleem from Tarbela Dam reported: The weather was a bit cloudy in the sunset area so moon not seen today on November 8, 2018.

  • Saudi Arabia:


    1. Seen: MCW member Dr Ayyub Patel from Abha reported: Clear sky and hilal was easily seen from abha, Saudi Arabia on 8th Nov 2018 around 6 pm local time 6 pm, while sunset was 5:35 pm

  • South Africa:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr Rashid Motala from Durban reported: On the evening of Thursday 8th November 2018, the Hilaal WAS sighted in South Africa. Therefore Rabi-ul-Awwal 1440 will commence on Friday 9th November 2018 in South Africa.

    2. Seen: MCW member Dr Abdurrazak Ebrahim from Cape Town reported: Thursday, 8 November 2018 / 29 Safar 1440 H. The crescent new moon was sighted from Cape Town. 1 Rabiul Awal 1440 H will begin on Thursday, 9 November 2018

  • Tanzania:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr Hamza Rijal from Tiny Island of Zanzibar reported: The Hilal was sighted on Thursday evening November 8, 2018 in the tiny Island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, the end of the 29 Safaar 1440 AH. The official first day of Rabil-al-Awaal will correspond with Friday, 9th November 2018. Mufti Office announced that the first day of Rabil-al-Awwal is on 9th November 2018.

  • Trinidad and Tobago:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr Umar Abdullah from Bon Accord, Tobago reported: The crescent moon to commence the month of Rabii'ul Awwal 1440 AH was looked for after the sunset of Thursday 8th November 2018. Reports from all committees locally and regional confirm that the moon was SIGHTED.

  • UK:


    1. Seen at other locations: Wifaqul Ulama Administrator of Britain reported: The Hilaal for Rabiul-Awwal 1440 was not sighted in the UK. However, we have received declarations of positive Moonsighting from Morocco and South Africa. The legal declarations and/or any photographic evidence has been added to our website and Facebook page.
      Wifaqul Ulama Shura have therefore decided that the month of Rabiul-Awwal 1440 has begun. 1st day of Rabiul-Awwal 1440 is on Friday, the 09th of November 2018.

  • Zimbabwe:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr Ayub Mahomed from Harare reported: Moon sighted inZimbabwe on Nv 8. Tomorrow 9th November is 1st Rabiual Awwal inshallah.

November 9, 2018 (Friday):

  • Pakistan:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr Shoaib Saleem from Tarbela Dam reported: Today on 9th November, 2018, local sunset time 5:09pm. The sunset area is cloudy, however at 5:44pm new moon appears from clouds and seen easily, at orientation: [from 1 to 7 O'clock].

  • Philippines:


    1. Seen: MCW member Mr Jalil Rayhan from Cotabato City reported: On November 9, 2018 crescent moon was sighted at Cotabato City, Philippines around 5:32 pm. Orientation 2:30 to 8:30.

top Back to Top