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Subject:
Catching Sight of the New Moon
Q1- If people in a city catch sight of the new moon, will that also suffice and serve as a legal proof for the people in other cities and areas where the moon has not been sighted?
Q2- Assuming that catching sight of the new moon in one city suffices also for other cities, then will that only be the case for those cities with the same horizons, or will that be true for all other cities?
Q3- Does this procedure of establishment of the first day of the month exclusively apply to Ramazan, or does it apply to all lunar months?
Q4- When the first day of the month is established in the above mentioned way, then should it count as the baseline for the calculation of the other days of the month, or does this follow some other procedure?
A1- It will suffice, and catching sight of the new moon in that city is just like seeing it in their city and area.
A1 - Even though it is not only well-known but also generally accepted to appertain this rule to areas with the same horizons, the late Feyz in his “Wafee”, the late Bahrayni in his “Hada’ique”, the late Naraghi in his “Mustanad”, the late Khu’ee in his “Annotations to Urwa”, and the late Allama in his “Muntaha”… (May God Sanctify Their Spirits) believe that it does not exclusively apply to cities with the same horizons and suffices as a legal proof for all those cities which share, even partly, the night with the city where the moon is sighted. The absoluteness and generality of the traditions indicate no determination and limitation, and it seems that the legislator has devotionally considered the sight of the new moon in one city as a sufficient and legal proof for other cities; and how can we insist on determination so as to take the limitation of the unity of horizons as valid while the absoluteness and generality of many traditions clearly indicate that this applies to all areas even with different horizons; the late Allama, in his “Muntaha”, has even counted some of these traditions as to be directly and explicitly indicating non-determination. The absoluteness and generality of the traditions say that catching sight of the new moon at night is a criterion and indicative of the next day being the first day of the month, and it is clear that this does not apply to those places which do not share the night with the place where moon is sighted because at the time of sighting the moon in that given place, it is day time in other places, and the coming time in these latter cities will actually be the next day, and not the continuation of the very night when moon is sighted. It is possible, however, that based on the conventional annulment of this exclusivity and the relationship between the rule and the criterion, we consider the day after the night in these places (with different horizons) as the first day of the month for them. In short, if the moon is sighted in one place and thus the first day of the month is established, then it will also be the first day of the month in all places which share a part of the night with that place, and it is even possible that this day be the first day of the month in those places which share no part of the night with that place.
A3 - There is no determination in this regard, and it applies to the first days of all lunar months.
A4 - The other days of the month are calculated based on the first day and the related remembrances and supplications should be offered accordingly. Thus, when the first day of the month is established, all of the corresponding religious rules regarding the first day as well as the other days of the month including the obligations, recommended acts, and positive obligations such as the Iddah etc, apply, and this will also be applicable to both those cities where people sight the moon and those where the residents do not catch sight of the new moon.
Q1- If people in a city catch sight of the new moon, will that also suffice and serve as a legal proof for the people in other cities and areas where the moon has not been sighted?
Q2- Assuming that catching sight of the new moon in one city suffices also for other cities, then will that only be the case for those cities with the same horizons, or will that be true for all other cities?
Q3- Does this procedure of establishment of the first day of the month exclusively apply to Ramazan, or does it apply to all lunar months?
Q4- When the first day of the month is established in the above mentioned way, then should it count as the baseline for the calculation of the other days of the month, or does this follow some other procedure?
A1- It will suffice, and catching sight of the new moon in that city is just like seeing it in their city and area.
A1 - Even though it is not only well-known but also generally accepted to appertain this rule to areas with the same horizons, the late Feyz in his “Wafee”, the late Bahrayni in his “Hada’ique”, the late Naraghi in his “Mustanad”, the late Khu’ee in his “Annotations to Urwa”, and the late Allama in his “Muntaha”… (May God Sanctify Their Spirits) believe that it does not exclusively apply to cities with the same horizons and suffices as a legal proof for all those cities which share, even partly, the night with the city where the moon is sighted. The absoluteness and generality of the traditions indicate no determination and limitation, and it seems that the legislator has devotionally considered the sight of the new moon in one city as a sufficient and legal proof for other cities; and how can we insist on determination so as to take the limitation of the unity of horizons as valid while the absoluteness and generality of many traditions clearly indicate that this applies to all areas even with different horizons; the late Allama, in his “Muntaha”, has even counted some of these traditions as to be directly and explicitly indicating non-determination. The absoluteness and generality of the traditions say that catching sight of the new moon at night is a criterion and indicative of the next day being the first day of the month, and it is clear that this does not apply to those places which do not share the night with the place where moon is sighted because at the time of sighting the moon in that given place, it is day time in other places, and the coming time in these latter cities will actually be the next day, and not the continuation of the very night when moon is sighted. It is possible, however, that based on the conventional annulment of this exclusivity and the relationship between the rule and the criterion, we consider the day after the night in these places (with different horizons) as the first day of the month for them. In short, if the moon is sighted in one place and thus the first day of the month is established, then it will also be the first day of the month in all places which share a part of the night with that place, and it is even possible that this day be the first day of the month in those places which share no part of the night with that place.
A3 - There is no determination in this regard, and it applies to the first days of all lunar months.
A4 - The other days of the month are calculated based on the first day and the related remembrances and supplications should be offered accordingly. Thus, when the first day of the month is established, all of the corresponding religious rules regarding the first day as well as the other days of the month including the obligations, recommended acts, and positive obligations such as the Iddah etc, apply, and this will also be applicable to both those cities where people sight the moon and those where the residents do not catch sight of the new moon.
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