BEIRUT,
October 21 (IslamOnline.net) - Lebanon's grand Shiite authority Mohammad
Hussein Fadlallah announced that Monday, October 27, will be the first
day of the Muslims holy fasting month of Ramadan.
"It
has been ascertained to us, in accordance with accurate astrological
calculations and the possible sighting of the lunar crescent, that
Sunday, October 26, completes the month of Shaban," said the
veteran Shiite scholar in a statement, a copy of which was received by
IslamOnline.net Tuesday, October 21.
Moon
sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries,
and even scholars seem at odds over the issue.
While
one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries
are to follow this sighting as long as these countries share one part of
the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by the
lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.
A
third, however, disputes both views, arguing that Islam is against
division and disunity, since Muslims, for instance, are not allowed to
hold two congregational prayers in one mosque at the same time.
This
group believes that the authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting
of the moon in a given country (such as Egypt's Dar al-Iftaa [House of
Fatwa]) announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in the
country should all abide by this.
