Salaam
Looks like there will be Eid on two seperate days again this year!!!!
Below is an article I wrote several years ago for The Revival Magazine...it tries to explain why we have Eid on seperate days:
[b]
Why 2 Eids?[/b]
"Eid is on Thursday. What d'you mean, we're having our on Friday. How come? Hey that's when our mosque is doing it so don't ask me!"
How many of us have had this kind of chat year in year out? Why do we have Eid on two separate days? Why can't the ulema agree to have it on one day? What are the arguments and debates behind the scene? Who's to blame?
The following saying of the Prophet (SAW) should make this clear: "Fast after sighting the moon and end the moon after sighting it. If it is cloudy then complete thirty days of shaban." (Bukhari)
So if it is this easy then why the punch-ups, the heated debates and the great divide in the Muslim community? Well you see, there are two interpretations of this hadith. One group of scholars stick to the literal meaning of "ruyat" (sighting) as meaning "mushahada" observing with the eye.
They say that the moon should be seen with the eye and there is no room for astronomical calculations. The second group say that ruyat should not be taken simply in its literal sense and therefore it is allowed to use astronomical data (using observatories) for sighting the moon.
Now let's see what these groups have to say. The first group 
of scholars mostly belong to the Deoband School and are represented by their national body Hizb-ul-Ulama. They have gathered fatawas (legal opinions) from Saudi Arabia, India and Pakistan in which they reject the use of astronomical data.
The main fatwas comes from Sheikh Abdullah Bin Baz (Mufti of Saudi Arabia), he clearly states: "there is no room for observatory in moon sighting"
The Mufti of Darul Uloom Deoband says: "I have known for very early on that Saudi Arabia does not follow any calculation or astronomical table in determining the beginning of the month, but they employ the Shariah system of witnessing"
To strengthen their arguments they have gathered 48 eyes witness accounts of moon sighting when according to astronomical data the moon was not capable of being sighted. So basically this group follows the Saudi Arabia decision for moonsighting.
The second group of Scholars (B) is represented by Jamat-e Ahle-sunnah. They argue that "sighting" in the hadith can mean knowledge through astronomical calculaitons. They argue that this is necessary particularly for the Muslims in the northern hemisphere where the sky is often cloudy and seeing the moon by eye is very difficult.
Sheik ul-Hadith, Sheik Miraj-ul-Islam (Minhaj-ul-Quran International University, Lahore) states: "If we take ruyat (sighting) in the hadith to mean knowledge and it can be ascertained from the observatory that the moon has appeared on the horizon but due to cloudy skies or the brightness of the sun it can not be seen by the eye, in that sae the Ulema should accept the astronomical data and announce the beginning of Ramadan"
When is comes to the question "hen can the moon be sighted", the Jamat-e Ahle-Sunnah argue that the moon has to be 16 hours old to be visible. They argue " ..the mere existence of the moon on the horizon is not sufficient, if we are to decide about the moon in light of astronomical data then it must be capable of being sighted.
Because if it is capable of being sighted then somewhere in the world it will be seen. According to our view, if the moon has not been observed by the eye or is not capable of being seen (is less than 16 hours old) then it is wrong to begin the Islamic month"
Group B criticise the Saudi Government and Scholars for creating the divide in the Muslim Ummah. "It is extremely saddening and unfortunate that the Saudi Government and many other eminent scholars who follow this opinion have adopted the beginning of the new month from the birth of the moon, regardless of whether it is capable of being physically see, as the Prophet strongly stipulated.
The (Saudi) argue that the presence of the new moon being on the Horizon for even a few minutes is enough to fulfil the Islamic criteria. However, astronomical data proves that a few minutes in not enough for physical observation with the eye because the rays of the sun will overshadow it"
From what we've heard so far the biggest debate is whether it is allowed to use astronomical data to establish the sighting of the moon. Let's dig out some further arguments to understand this issue further.
The opponents of validity of astronomical data quote some traditional supreme jurists, for example Mullah Ali Qari, a Hanafi jurist who says "..tere is a consensus in the Ummah that calculations of astronomers are unacceptable"
In their defence group B argue that "..many Muslim scholars have permitted the use of information for scientific observatory to establish the sighting of the moon" They quote scholars such as Imam Shafi, Ibn Rushd, Imam Daqiqul Eid, Imam Qurtubi to name just a few.
They also argue that the reason why jurists were sceptical about astronomical data was because in the past their methods were not refined and accurate. But no one can say that about astronomy these days. It is an exact science.
Dr Yousuf al Qardawi, a distinguished contemporary scholar, says ".. since the reason for not accepting astronomical data is not longer valid, it is a requisite to use the calculations and prove the appearance of crescent by astronomical computation."
So, what now? Well the way things are going the only way we will have one Eid in the future is if one of the group compromises and agrees on one formula. Is this likely, to be honest is doesn't look like it. But look on the bright side, with Eid being on to two separate days, we can have an extra day off work/college, so it can't be that bad. 
Let's just hope the scholars sort their act out.
© The Revival 2005
Ed atleast give a link for your articles, even if you are cut and pasting them from The Revival Website!
Originally:
http://www.therevival.co.uk/ramadan/2_eids.php
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Mr Admin
it dont take a genuis to work out where he got that article from
However if I tell someone else to give sources for their articles and not Ed, I will be a hypocrite.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Admin...
making big deal out of nothing as always..
chill dude
'UNITY DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERYBODY DOES THINGS TOGETHER, UNITY IS ACCEPTING THAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT CRITERIAN FOR DOING THINGS.'
no idea where its from :?: , but apparently its suppose to explain that it doesn't make a difference when we do Eid as we are all ONE, we are all MUSLIMS
Salam
I will not do the EID with Wahhabis.
They are al Qaeda lovers and they do it on the same day as with Bin Laden.
God does not like their Eid.
Omrow
dont worry omro
I'm sure ur Eid will be on ur own
esp since u started Ramdan on ur own too
it must be a sad lonely world that u live in
Salam
I started my fast with Pakistan. Best country in the world.
I will end Ramadan with Pakistanis. Best people in the world.
You can do it with the idiots to fit in with them. You might even fit in.
Omrow
i didnt do it with the "idiots"
but at the same time i never started with the "mousy/weirdo men" either
i followed the middle path-WEDNESDAY (which is in between Tue/Thursday)
any way-i couldnt care less when Ramadan started
or when it'll end
This is a non issue. By some ulama it is enough that the moon be sighted in any part of the world, and that ruling is applicable all over the world. Hence if moon is sighted in saudia and info is recieved in uk, then we are bound with that.
Other leading ulama are of the opinion that it doesnt matter about far flung countries, because they do not share our horizon. As they do not share our horizon, their viewing does not affect our standing, it is in these ulamas view entirely possible that in the east the islamic date is 10th ramadan, and at same time the islamic date in west is 11th ramadan.
These are complicated issues, and I see no issue in us having different eids, it is the natural progression from having a differecne of opinion in regards to whether our horizon is one or not. This matter will not be understood by the laypersons, and should be encouraged to not engage in argument, beshak it is not difficult for ALLAH to accept His servants eid as being on two or even three different days.
Ya ALLAH Madad.
Haq Chaar Yaar
I read somewhere that u should start ramadan as soon as u can and end it as late as u can (but only 30 days) coz it is such a beautiful month that we should be excited when it comes and sad to see it finish....im gona have to exact story of this and links...il do that later!
dunno but can't really picture bin Laden as the Eid type,might have to photosgop a picture of him as more of family guy and post it up.
Gentleness and kindness were never a part of anything except that it made it beautiful, and harshness was never a part of anything except that it made it ugly.
Through cheating, stealing, and lying, one may get required results but finally one becomes
Humko kiske gham ne mara ye kahani phir sahi
so des anyone know whether its eid tomorrow or not? hasnt been announced in any masjids yet... :?
[size=9]I NEVER WORE IT BECAUSE OF THE TALIBAN, MOTHER. I LIKE THE [b]MODESTY[/b] AND [b]PROTECTION[/b] IT AFFORDS ME FROM THE EYES OF MEN.[/size] [url=http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/Dust.html]Dust, X-Men[/url]
to know what???
certain mosque announced a week ago that they doing it on friday. I think we who started on tuesday are doing eid on thursday.
Ya ALLAH Madad.
Haq Chaar Yaar
some mosques a few days ago have announced eid is on thursday.... those who started fast on Tuesday.
the ones who have announced it to be on friday a week ago , argue that according to the observatories, it is not possible to see the moon with the naked eye on wednesday.... but still to announce it soooo early is wrong. Everyone should do their best to view the moon...and only then make announcement.
Med, how do you or your mosque decide what day is eid? do they go to a certain place in UK where it is possible/easier to sight the moon? or do they do it when saudi does it, no questions asked? or when the closest Muslim country to the UK, Morrocco, does it? i dont think you rely on observatory do you?
this issue is really for the ulema...and it is only the ulema who can resolve this issue...but because we have no unity , its hard to see when we will ever have one Eid in the UK, and start ramadan on same day.
The answer to that brother is I dont know, I just rely on my Ustaads and they rely on their Ustaads, but I think our eid and ramadan always falls with saudia, but thats not for definite. ALL i know is that I trust in my teachers,, alhamdulillah.
Ya ALLAH Madad.
Haq Chaar Yaar
i think most people just follow their local mosque, their scholars, their imams etc....
most ppl dont know why they do eid on which day.
the responsibility of uniting the Ummah to have eid on one day is responsibility of the Ulema. Ulema do great things but ulema are also responsible for disunity and not finding solutions for disunity.
everyone sticks to their formula on moonsighting, but teh ulema dont look at the bigger picture...and choose one formula which everyone can follow.
I understand what you are saying brother, but there is scope for a valid difference in opinion. Recently I went to the khatm of my mates masjid madrassah on 25th Ramadan. The Mawlana there pointed out that there is scope for a difference in opinion, depending on what the ulama believe is best, that this is really a non-issue and that inshaALLAH ALLAH will accept both groups fasts and both groups eid.
Brother, moonsighting is complex issue and one that I cannot claim to know much about. Issues including whether:
1. hadeeth abt sighting shud be literal, so in uk we nearly always have a 30 day lunar month
2. whether we rely on observatories
3. whether we rely on nearest muslim land
4. whether we rely on moon sighted anywhere
5. whether moon sighted in another part is not valid for us because they dont share our horizon
6. whether their formula from observatory is correct or ours
7. whether they have viewed the new moon or whether it is still the old moon that they are seeing.
Brother, I think it would be naieve of us to want every1 to do it together, this is a difference, and not one that I am too bothered about. I am pretty sure that by our madrassah it is taken that the moon being sighted in any part of teh world is valid for the whole earth, but there are also Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah scholars in soth africa who DONT believe that and they act on the hadeeth in their own country, and this is when South Africa and UK are in same timezone I think, and the ulama only split in their sanads about 3 scholars back.
Further some say that saudis dont do any moonsighting, they just go on their Umm ul Qura calender, this is not true because saudia makes clear the calender is ONLY for admin purposes, they commence the month and end it depending on the witnesses. Some respond that that is not true because their observatory told them that the new moon could not be sighted on x day so saudis are lying. Then the response is that the saudia say we have 48 people who viewed the moon and it is our opinion that it was the new moon, but then the others respond it cant have been the new moon, the witneses must have seen the old moon, and so its not valid. etc etc etc
This is a non-issue, inshaALLAH ALLAH will accept everyones fasting and everyones eid if they are sincere.
Ya ALLAH Madad.
Haq Chaar Yaar
Our mosque announced on Sunday that Eid will be on Friday.
Alama Sahib was explaining the science behind the decision and he said stuff about how the moon will not be seen on certain days. Someone shouted out, 'dorbeen se dekh sakte hain.'
Ah well, I guess you had to be there.
inshallah eid will be on thursday for us, so early eid mubarak hope everyone has a wicked eid.
especially those who are doing it alone, separate from their familys.
yeh, im doin eid on thurday as well inshaALLAH.
gonna be most interesting. . .
Ya ALLAH Madad.
Haq Chaar Yaar
why? intresting what u doing
nothing much, its just gonna be between me and my best friend, got a dawat up north, shud be gud. Having said that my friends a bit weird, his family are from punjab, and every1 knws what THEY'RE like dont they(!). I think Im gonna have to ring him in a bit, aint too sure if i shud go or not, his family are a bit funny.
my family doing it on friday i think.
Ya ALLAH Madad.
Haq Chaar Yaar
whateva med what u on about. actually dont bother.
I dnt understand Muhtarama?
thing is I got other mates aswell, innit, so not sure if I shud go to his dawat or these other mates I got from uni. They are really nice at uni, sometimes when my best mate is slack to me, I feel like I shud make a geeza from uni my best mate. how weird is that?
Ya ALLAH Madad.
Haq Chaar Yaar
arite u making sense but your not making sense but whateva med leave out uni coz u dont understand.
but yea its pretty weird coz u not feeling rite :evil: ?
noone understands u not they only 1.
couple of Mosques here announced it gonna be on Friday too
Islam channel has stated its gonne be on thursday
yep. looks like my fam's celebrating on Thursday inshaAllah
Eid Mabrook in advance y'all
[size=9]I NEVER WORE IT BECAUSE OF THE TALIBAN, MOTHER. I LIKE THE [b]MODESTY[/b] AND [b]PROTECTION[/b] IT AFFORDS ME FROM THE EYES OF MEN.[/size] [url=http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/Dust.html]Dust, X-Men[/url]
Pages