I've been following the situation regarding Eid al-Fitr celebrations this year. Just hours ago, the Hilal Sighting Committee of North America announced they found "NO confirmed, positive naked-eye sightings of the new hilal (crescent moon)" on Saturday evening (March 29).
They're completing 30 days of Ramadan and observing Eid on Monday, March 31. [1]
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has declared Sunday as Eid. This declaration conflicts with the assessment of the astrophysics community. According to an astrophysicist's analysis, this sighting is scientifically implausible. Saturday featured a solar eclipse (the birth of the new moon) at approximately 11:20 UTC. Sunset in Saudi Arabia occurred only about 4 hours later—nowhere near the 10-20 hours typically required for the new moon to become visible, even with advanced equipment.
The astrophysicist suggests two potential explanations for these contradictory declarations: either Saudi Arabia is adhering to their pre-calculated Umm al Qura calendar regardless of actual visibility conditions, or there may be geopolitical considerations at play regarding countries like Iran that often celebrate Eid a day later. [2]
This split in declarations creates the annual moon-sighting dilemma for Muslims worldwide, particularly those in Western countries who must choose between following local committees, their countries of origin, or major Islamic authorities.
How are you navigating this discrepancy between astronomical calculations and claimed moon sightings? What factors influence your decision on when to celebrate Eid? Which declaration will you be following, and why?
Note for non-Muslims: Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Its date is determined by the sighting of the new crescent moon. This traditional method sometimes leads to different communities celebrating on different days, especially given modern astronomical knowledge and varying interpretations of what constitutes a valid sighting.
[1] https://www.facebook.com/HilalSighting.Committee/posts/pfbid02GnVqib8ukuYgreXV6S2ShqEQPFYGni5aTH9KZTt46rgaC31aA3BsnvLHzY4vqeCVl
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/islam/comments/1jmpxpq/comment/mke4nuv/
