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.
