Many of us are aware that the Holy Month of Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world fulfil the Islamic obligation of fasting for the whole month. It is also a highly celebratory and auspicious time in Qatar.

As the Islamic calendar is lunar, the start of Ramadan is identified by the dawn of the new moon.

Year after year, we hear that the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) in Qatar specifies a day by which the Ramadan Crescent moon will be looked out for to announce the start of Ramadan; however, little do we know what that really means or how it is sighted.

The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team is here to tell you all about the Ramadan moon sighting in Qatar!

When does the Crescent moon get monitored?

The crescent moon gets monitored all across on the 29th day of Sha'aban, which is the 8th month of the Islamic calendar, which is the month just before Ramadan.

Who monitors the crescent moon in Qatar?

There is a dedicated team to observe and monitor the crescent moon in Qatar, which is known as the 'Crescent Observation Unit'.

The dedicated team works on observing the moon from a technical aspect to prepare a report which outlines the size of the moon, its height and even the moon's distance from the sun. This report is prepared based on observations made using technical equipment such as telescopes, cameras, lenses and infrared rays and other measuring devices.

Although the work of this team is purely technical, they work closely with the assigned Crescent Sighting Committee at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to take a decision regarding the crescent sighting.

How is the crescent moon observed?

Aside from using technical devices complemented with the necessary experience & knowledge, the crescent moon observation requires certain geographical conditions to be met as well.

The location from which the observation is made has to be away from city lights.

Conditions that have to be met to ensure the Ramadan crescent moon has been sighted

• A conjunction of the moon and the sun has to be observed, which indicates a new cycle.
• The moon must be visible after sunset.
• The position of the moon must be above the western horizon after sunset for a period of at least half an hour, also taking into consideration that the distance between the sun and the moon must be at least seven degrees.

What is the role that residents play in crescent moon sighting

While there is a dedicated team to observe and monitor the crescent moon, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) annually calls on the public or residents of Qatar to monitor the sky for sightings of the moon.

In such instances, if anyone believes they have sighted the Ramadan Crescent moon, they must proceed to the Ministry headquarters, which is located in Al Dafna, to report their observation.

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Source: Islamonline/Awqaf

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Fareeha Imtiaz

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