Moon Sighting

Imam Khamenei

Ruling 01: The first of the lunar month may be ascertained in the following five ways:

1. Observation of the crescent by the responsible worshipping (mukallaf) adult.
2. Testimony given by two just persons, unless a large number of people deny the sighting of the crescent, and the probability that these two persons have made a mistake is
3. Being maintained by many people so that it brings about knowledge or certainty.
4. Passage of 30 days from the beginning of the previous
5. The verdict of the Muslim judge (ḥākim of shar ‘).

Ruling 02: Observing the crescent in the evening proves the arrival of the lunar month, and the night after the sighting of the crescent is considered as the first night of the month.

Ruling 03: To observe the crescent, there is no difference between the armed and the unarmed eye. Thus, when the moon is seen with a normal eye, it is the first of the month, and similarly if it is seen with glasses, binoculars, or a telescope, then the first of the month is confirmed. However, it is problematic to say the first of the month is proved by seeing the image of the crescent reflected onto a computer screen, as this is not commonly seen as sighting the crescent.

Ruling 04: The fact that the moon is small and low, big and high, wide or narrow, and so on, is not a religious regulation (Shar’ī) reason for the first or second night of the moon, but if the person becomes certain through this method, they must act according to their knowledge in this regard.

Ruling 05: The first of the month is not determined by calendars or the scientific calculations made by astronomers unless one becomes certain due to their statements. 

Ruling 06: If it is proved in a city that it is the first of the month, it is sufficient for other cities that are on the same horizon. This refers to those places that are the same in terms of the possibility and impossibility of seeing the crescent moon.

Ruling 07: Mere confirmation of the crescent by the Muslim judge (ḥākim of shar‘) is not enough for others to follow them unless the judge issues a verdict to this effect or they get confident regarding the sighting of the crescent.

Ruling 08: If the Muslim judge (ḥākim of shar‘) issues a verdict that tomorrow is the first of the month and this verdict covers the whole country, their verdict is valid for all the cities of that country.

Ruling 09: If the announcement of the sighting of the crescent moon by a non-Muslim, oppressive, or tyrant state makes the responsible (mukallaf) adult certain that it is the first of the month, it is sufficient.

Ruling 10: If the crescent moon is not visible in a city, but the radio and television announce the first of the month, if their news makes a person certain or confident about it, it is sufficient and there is no need to investigate. 

Ruling 11: If the first of the month of Ramadhan is not proved, fasting is not obligatory; however, if later on it is confirmed that it was the first of the month, then the fast of that day must be redressed.

Ruling 12: If the first of Shawwāl is not confirmed by sighting the crescent in neighboring cities with the same horizon, the testimony of two just persons, or the verdict of a Muslim judge (ḥākim of shar‘), then one should fast that day.

Ruling 13: A person should fast on the day they doubt being the last day of the month of Ramadhan or the first of the month of Shawwāl, but if it is confirmed during the day that it is the first of Shawwāl, one must break their fast, even if it is close to evening (maghrib).

Ayatollah Sistani

Ruling 01: The first of the month is established in four ways:

1. a person sees the moon himself. The seeing must be done with the naked eye, i.e. without any equipment. Therefore, in the event that the crescent moon cannot be sighted with the naked eye, seeing it with the aid of a telescope is not sufficient;
2. a group of people from whose statement one derives certainty or confidence say that they have seen the moon. Similarly, [the first of the month is established] by means of anything that one derives certainty from, or a rational source that one derives confidence from;
3. two dutiful (ʿādil) men say they have seen the moon at night. However, if they describe attributes of the crescent that contradict one another, the first of the month is not established. Similarly, the first of the month is not established by the testimony of two dutiful men if one is certain or confident about them having made a mistake, or if their testimony is affected by a countervailing argument (muʿāriḍ), or by something that comes under the rule of a countervailing argument. For example, if a large group of the city’s people go to sight the moon but no more than two dutiful people claim to have sighted the moon; or, if a group of people go to sight the moon and two dutiful people from among them claim to have sighted the moon and others do not sight it, while amongst those others there are two other dutiful people who are as good in knowing the position of the crescent and are as sharp-sighted as the first two dutiful people, and furthermore, the sky is clear and for those two there is no probable obstacle to seeing the moon; in these cases, the first of the month is not established by the testimony of two dutiful people;
4. thirty days from the first of the month of Shaʿbān pass, by means of which the first of the month of Ramadan is established; and thirty days from the first of the month of Ramadan pass, by means of which the first of the month of Shawwāl is established.

Ruling 02: The first of the month is not established by the ruling of a fully qualified jurist (al‑ḥākim al‑sharʿī) unless by means of his ruling, or the first of the month being established in his view, one derives confidence in the moon having been sighted.

Ruling 03: The first of the month is not established by the predictions of astronomers unless one derives certainty or confidence from their statements.

Ruling 04: The moon being high or setting late is no evidence that the night before was the first night of the month. Similarly, if the moon has a halo, it is no evidence that it is the second night.

Ruling 05: If the month of Ramadan is not established for someone and he does not fast, and afterwards it is established that the previous night was the first of the month, he must make up the fast for that day.

Ruling 06: If the first of the month is established in a city, the first of the month will also be established in other cities that are united with it on the horizon. The meaning of ‘unity of horizon’ here is that if the moon is seen in the first city, it would also be seen in the second city if there were no obstacles, such as clouds and dust. This brings about confidence in the case where the second city – if it is to the west of the first city – has a latitudinal position close to that of the first city; and if it is to the east of the first city, then in addition to closeness in latitudinal position, there must not be a large difference in the longitudinal position either.

Ruling 07: If a person does not know whether it is the last day of the month of Ramadan or the first of Shawwāl, he must fast on that day. However, if during the day he finds out that it is the first of Shawwāl, he must break his fast.

Ruling 08: If a prisoner cannot be certain about whether or not it is the month of Ramadan, he must act according to his supposition; and if he can find a stronger supposition, he cannot act on the weaker supposition. Furthermore, he must endeavour to attain the strongest probability; if there is no other way, he must as a final resort draw lots (qurʿah) if this results in strengthening his inclination. If acting according to supposition is not possible, he must fast a month that he deems is probably the month of Ramadan. Moreover, he must bear that month in mind and if he finds out afterwards that the month he fasted was after the month of Ramadan, there is no obligation for him; however, if it becomes known that it was before the month of Ramadan, he must make up the fasts of the month of Ramadan.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi

Ruling 01: The first day of a month is established in the following five ways:

1-Sighting the moon with eyes: It is not sufficient to sight the moon with telescopes and other similar means.

2- If some persons, though unjust, confirm to have sighted the moon and if their words assure or satisfy a person and every other thing which assures or satisfies him.

3- If two just persons say that they have sighted the moon. However, if their des c r i p tions differ about the new moon, or there are indications suggesting that they are wrong, then the first day of the month will not be established by their statements.

4- If 30 days pass from the first of Sha’ban, the 1st day of the month of Ramadhan will be established, and if 30 days pass from the 1st of Ramadhan the 1st of Shawwal will be established (obviously, this is true only if the 1st of the previous month was proved by way of these methods).

5-The 1st date of a month is not proved by the order of a Mujtahid. That is if the 1st of a month is proved to a just Mujtahid, and, he issues a statement announcing the 1st of the month, then, it is necessary for everyone to follow him, except for a person who is sure of his mistake.

Ruling 02: The 1st of a month will not be proved by calendars or the calculations made by the astronomers, though they may be knowledgeable and accurate, unless one derives full satisfaction and certitude from their findings. Similarly, if the moon is high up in the sky, or sets late, it is not an indication that the previous night was the first night of the month.

Ruling 03: If the first day of a month is proved in a city, it will be sufficient for other cities which are near it. Similarly, the moon is also proved for the distant cities that are united in their horizon. Also, if the moon is sighted in the cities in the east, it will be sufficient for people who are in cities in the west of them (for example, if the 1st of the moon is proved in Mashad, it will suffice for those who are in Tehran. However, it will not suffice if it is the contrary).

Ruling 04: If the first day of the month of Ramadhan is not proved, it is not obligatory to observe fast. But, if it is proved later that the day on which he did not observe fast was, in fact, the first of the month, he should observe qadha of that day.

Ruling 05: If a person does not know whether it is the last day of Ramadhan or the first day of Shawwal, he should observe fast on that day, and if he comes to know during the day that it is the first of Shawwal, he should break the fast, though it may be close to Maghrib.

Ruling 06: If a prisoner cannot ascertain the advent of Ramadhan, he should act according to his judgement, and if even this is not possible, he should observe fasts in the month which is more likely to be the month of Ramadhan. And if he is not able to guess, it will be in order if he observes fast on any month. However, if his imprisonment continues, he should, as an obligatory precaution, observe fast in the same month next year.