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To See or Not to See: The Moon Sighting Controversy in Islam – Jamal Badawi and Abdul Rafaa Ouertani

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1) Two Differing Approaches May Both Be Valid
2) Imam Shafi: An Example of How to Respect Other Opinions
3) Astronomical Calculation Supported By the Qur’an?
4) Hadith Support For Sighting of the New Moon
5) Hadith Support For Calculating the New Moon
6) Uniting Muslims is More Important Than Being Right
7) Follow Those in Authority
8) The Fiqh of Making Things Convenient
9) Truthfulness is a Problem in the Modern Ummah
10) You Are Safe If You Follow a Scholar’s Opinion
11) Do Two People Have to See the Moon?
12) What About Eid ul-Adha? Is It Different?
13) Should We Consider Sighting Before Calculation?
14) Hadith That Forbids Muslims From Living With Non-Muslims?
15) What If You See the Moon But No One Accepts It?
16) What If a Muslim Claims Seeing the Moon Before Calculated Possibility?
17) The Further West You Are, The Better Chance For Sighting
18) Make Your Intention Pure and Follow Your Leaders!
19) Educating Muslims About Astronomy
20) Many Muslims Tend to Follow Their Culture or Homeland Practice

The debate between traditionalists and modernists over the moon sighting issue seems never-ending. But does it have to be that way? Is there room for interpretation and can some common ground be shared between the differing views? Jamal Badawi and Abdul Rafaa Ouertani discuss the matter and present their findings in support of both views. Learn about how there is hadith support for both sighting and calculation and about the importance of follow knowledgable scholars and those who are in authority, regardless of which side they take. This panel session stresses the importance of respecting other opinions and understanding that uniting Muslims is more important than being right. Other issues discussed: do two people have to see the moon, is Eid ul-Adha a different issue, is there a hadith that forbids Muslims from living with non-Muslims, what if you see the moon but no one accepts it, what if a Muslim claims seeing the moon before calculated possibility, educating Muslims about astronomy, and the tendency to follow one’s culture or homeland practice.

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