Moonsighting for Safar 1444
1444 AH
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Al urjoonul qadeem of Muharram 1444: August 27 & August 26, 2022

New Crescent Moon of Safar 1444:
The Astronomical New Moon (conjunction) is on August 27, 2022 (Saturday) at 8:17 UT.
On August 27, the moon can be seen by high powered telescope in Americas, but with difficulty in Hawaii and Polynesian Islands. On August 28, it can easily be seen from Far East to Americas, except Europe which may see with difficulty. On August 29, it is visible in the whole world (See visibility curves).

The earliest reported sighting of the new crescent was on August 28, 2022 from Brisbane and Darwin, Australia.

August 27, 2022 (Saturday):

  • Canada:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member HiMY SYeD from Brampton, Ontario reported: The sky had been cloud-free for the entire day. Yet, by Maghrib Sunset time, slight bands of clouds appeared on the Horizon. I searched for the new crescent tonight and did not see it. This is a Negative Moonsighting Report from Brampton, Ontario, Canada on Saturday evening August 27 2022.

    2. Not Seen: MCW member Yonus Sahadat from Burnaby, British Columbia reported: On Saturday, August 27, the sky was mostly cloudy but some parts to the right of sunset was not cloudy. Still, moon was not sighted. Location: Capitol Hill Reservoir Park, Burnaby, BC.

  • Kenya:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Muhammad A Said from Mombasa reported: Today Saturday 27th of August 2022 /39th of Muharram 1444 AH. The weather was clear with haze upto about 2.5�on the Western Horizon (in Mombasa) . The crescent for Safar was not Seen anywhere in East Africa. Thus official announcement Muharram will be 30 days and Monday 29th of August 2022 will be the 1st of Safar.

  • Tanzania:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Hamza Rijal from Tiny Island of Zanzibar reported: The Hilal was not sighted on August 27, 2022 in tiny island of Zanzibar, the condition was heavy clouds in the direction of moon position.
      Mufty office has confirmed the completion of 30 days for the month of Muharam 1444AH.

  • UK:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Juned Patel from Bolton Lancashire reported: On Saturday, 27th of August 2022 between 19:00 to 20:55 (Sunset 20:15 & Moonset 21:48) at Location: Morecambe, Lancashire, UK; I, Juned Patel with Dr Aziz attempted to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) of Safar. We were not able to sight the Hilal. The western horizon was partially cloudy.

  • USA:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Dr Javad Torabinejad from Blacksburg VA reported: This evening (Saturday, Aug 27, 2022), the crescent moon was not sighted in Blacksburg, VA (Lat: 37� 15' 40" N, Lng: 80� 26' 56" W, and elevation: 646 meters). I arrived at my sighting location prior to sunset (apparent sunset: 7:52 pm). The western horizon was partly cloudy and very hazy. Right after sunset using a pair of binoculars (7X50), I started scanning the area where the moon was expected to be located according to the Stellarium software. Later when the moon's position was closer to the horizon, I shifted to using a 10x50 pair of binoculars. I continued my observations till 8:27 pm (moonset: 8:32 pm). At 8:15 pm, the temperature, dew point, relative humidity, and pressure were 73.0 F, 71.0 F, 96%, and 30.11 in, respectively.

    2. 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 Monday, August 29th, 2022 will be the first day of the month of Safar, 1444 A.H. for all 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 Saturday, August 27th, 2022, in any region of North America. Thus, Sunday, August 28th, 2022 will be the last day of Muharram.

    3. Not Seen: Mahdavia Rui�yat e Hilal in North America announced: Faqir Abulfatah Syed Nusrat hereby declares that the Hilal of SAFAR was NOT Sighted at anyplace in Mainland USA & Canada on the 29th of Muharram, Saturday, August 27, 2022. Consequently, Muharram will complete 30 day and the 1st of SAFAR 1444H will be on Monday, August 29, 2022 in Mainland USA & Canada.

August 28, 2022 (Sunday):

  • Albania:


    1. Seen: MCW member Ebu Xhunejd (Ledjo Hyka) from Tirana reported: We were some groups around albania and only two of us sighted the new moon today on August 28, Sunday. So tomorrow is 1 Safer.

  • Australia:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Falcon Raja, from Sydney, NSW reported: Today 28 Aug 2022 I tried to observe the Hilal from 5:25pm - 6:20pm in Auburn Sydney NSW Australia. There were thick patches of cloud near the horizon. Cloud patches from the northern side cleared later but the moon was not visible. Maybe in the clear environment in other places it has a better chance to get the moon sighted.

    2. Seen: MCW member Dr Shabbir Ahmed, President of Qubaa association of Western Sydney, NSW reported: Today (Sunday) 28th of August 2022, the Hilal of Safar 1444 has been sighted in Brisbane and Darwin. Therefore, the month of Safar 1444 will begin from Monday, 29th of August 2022.

  • Canada:


    1. Seen: MCW member Yonus Sahadat from Vancouver, British Columbia reported: On Sunday, August 28, moon was sighted in crescent orientation 12-6. Location: Knight Bridge, Vancouver, BC.

  • Egypt:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Dr Hisham M. Hamed from Cairo reported: Tonight, Sunday 28th August, apparent sunset was at I started my at 18:22, from Ma'adi, South Cairo (29.96�N, 31.25�E). I started my sighting attempt at 18:33, jsut after Maghrib prayers. Best time was at 18:47. Temperature, pressure and relative humidity were 31�C, 1008 mB, and 53%, respectively. Until 19:05, there was no sign of the Moon. I had been scanning with my Nikon D3100, with Zoom Lens to no avail. My calculations had revealed that the relative humidity was just far too high. The astronomical configuration ought to have been favourable, with a crescent width of 33 arcseconds, and Arc of Vision ~ 11�55'. Visibility was degraded by the high humidity to the extent that the bent and red pyramids of Dahshour (19.6 and 17.6 km away respectively) were hardly visible.

  • India:


    1. Not Seen: MCW member Iqbalhusen Bokda from Godhra, Guj Crescent for Safar, 1444 was not seen here at Godhra (India) today on 28th August, 2022 (29th Muharram. Sky was extremely cloudy. Almost all Hilal committees of India including Mumbai, Surat, Patna, Ahmedabad have declared that moon was not seen, though according to all calculation formulas, moon was to be sighted very easily, because moon altitude was more than 12 degrees. Most parts of the country are extremely cloudy.

  • Indonesia:


    1. Seen: MCW member AR Sugeng Riyadi from Rowasiya Observatory Central Java Indonesia reported: The new crescent of Shafar 1444 AH was seen by Telescope on Sunday, August 28, 2022 from Assalaam Observatory at Pabelan Kartasura Sukoharjo Central Java Indonesia. The moon was seen by naked eye due the sky was rather hazy.

  • Lebanon:


    1. Seen: MCW member Dr. Hadi Jaafar from Beirut reported: I was able to sight the crescent moon today (August 28, Sundat) with the naked eye in Jwaya, Lebanon, along with two young guys. Sighting occurred at 7:35 PM local time at the clear Western horizon. It was extremely thin and very dimly lit. It was visible for around 15 minutes before it disappeared. Horns between 3 and 6.

  • South Africa:


    1. Seen: MCW member Rashid Motala from Durban reported: On the evening of Sunday 28 August 2022, the Hilaal WAS sighted in South Africa. Therefore Safar 1444 will commence on Monday, 29 August 2022 in South Africa.

    2. Seen: MCW member Keeka, Mohamed Iqbal, Pretoria reported: The moon marking the start of the month of Safar 1444 was sighted in South Africa tonight, Sunday 28 August 2022. Thus, the month of Safar 1444 begins immediately.

  • Sri Lanka:


    1. Seen: MCW member Nular Bary from Colombo reported: The Hilal of month of Safar 1444AH was sighted on Sunday, August 28, as reported by Hilal Sub-committees appointed around the country. The Columbo Grang Mosque ACJU Hilal division and the department of Muslim Religious an Cultural Affairs (MRCA) unanimously declared that the first of Safar 1444 AH is on August 29, 2022.

  • Trinidad and Tobago:


    1. Seen: MCW member Ishmael Khan from Princes Town, Trinidad reported: As expected, then moon was seen on August 28 after Maghrib. The Crescent orientation was from 3:00 O�Clock to 8:00 O�Clock. The first night of Safar 1444 is the night of Sunday 28th August 2022 and the first day will be Monday 29th August 2022.

  • USA:


    1. Seen: MCW member Dr Javad Torabinejad from Blacksburg VA reported: This evening (Sunday, August 28, 2022), the crescent moon was sighted in Blacksburg, VA (Lat: 37� 15' 40" N, Lng: 80� 26' 56" W, and elevation: 646 meters). I was at my sighting location by 7:19 pm EDT (apparent sunset: 7:50 pm and actual sunset: 7:58 pm). The western horizon was partly cloudy and very hazy. Using a pair of binoculars (7X50), soon I started looking for the crescent. My first binocular sighting was at 7:51 pm. It took me another 13 minutes to positively sight the moon at 8:04 pm with naked eye. The horns were approximately at 2:00 and 6:30 O'clock (2:00;4:00;6:30). I left the area at 8:43 pm when the moon was still up but very close to the horizon (moonset: 8:58 pm). At 7:55 pm, the temperature, dew point, relative humidity, and pressure were 77.0 F, 71.0 F, 83%, and 30.16 in, respectively.

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