Question:If the beginning of the lunar month is confirmed in a certain country according to the correct Sharia ruling, which other countries share its horizon?

Answer:In the name of Allah, your question assumes the view of multiple horizons, which is contrary to the preferred and correct opinion. According to the evidence, the horizon is considered unified. Therefore, if the crescent is confirmed in one region of the earth, its ruling applies to the entire earth. Allah knows best.

Question:What are the methods for determining the beginnings of lunar months?

Answer:In the name of Allah, it can be established by: seeing the crescent with one’s own eyes, valid testimony, being informed by someone trustworthy of its sighting, completion of the previous month’s count, by the ruling of the authority, or by public announcement that ensures certainty. Any one of these methods being fulfilled is sufficient. Allah knows best.

Question:What is meant by "the encircling of the crescent"? Does it refer to the appearance of its tips, or is it the halo of light surrounding it?

Answer:In the name of Allah, there must be a luminous ring surrounding the crescent, and this ring must encircle the entire moon and crescent. Allah is the All-Knowing and the Guide.

Question:If personal reassurance is confirmed regarding the accuracy of astronomical calculations for the birth of the crescent moon, can this reassurance be relied upon to confirm the start of the month or an Eid, for example, especially if it comes from experts in this field?

Answer:In the name of Allah, be advised, my dear, that mere knowledge or reassurance about the birth of the crescent moon is not sufficient. It is necessary for the moon to be visibly sighted in some part of the world with the naked eye. If the sighting occurs, the start of the month is confirmed by the crescent. Allah is the All-Knowing and the Guide.

Question:If an individual reaches a level of certainty or very high confidence based on very precise astronomical calculations that the moon has indeed been born astronomically and has reached the stage where it could be seen with the naked eye were it not for weather conditions or difficulties such as gases and dust in the atmosphere, is it permissible for this individual to rely on these precise calculations to establish the start of the lunar month as a legal (Shar'i) determination of the moon’s birth, even if the moon was not sighted, contrary to the ruling of the jurist they follow who requires sighting with the naked eye? If not, what is the ruling for someone who breaks their fast based on their personal conviction?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the crescent moon is not confirmed except after thirty days of the lunar month, or through physical sighting with the naked eye, or by the ruling of a jurist, or by the testimony of two just witnesses, or by widespread sighting that leads to certainty. Personal conviction based on astronomical calculations is not sufficient to establish the crescent or its implications. Allah knows best.

Question:There have been differing opinions regarding the foundation of Syed Al-Khoei's (may Allah have mercy upon him) ruling on the sufficiency of sharing even a part of the night with the land of sighting for the moon to be proven in the land of the obligated. Does this sharing extend, according to his view, to the rising of dawn or to the rising of the sun?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the commonly known opinion is that Syed Al-Khoei (may Allah sanctify his soul) believed that it extends until sunrise. Allah is the All-Knowing.

Question:What is the ruling of fasting the day which we doubt whether it is 30th of Ramadan of 1st of Shawwal?

Answer:In the name of Allah, one may continue his fasting -as in the question- unless the Eid (1st of Shawwal) is confirmed in religiously authentic ways. Fasting the first day of Eid is not permissible, a reason why some believers chose to travel at that day so he can break his fast. Some scholars (may Allah be pleased with them) draw the believers' attention to get rid of the possibility of impermissibility of fasting this day by using such means. We have given the answer to this question before. Allah knows best.

Question:What is your fatwa regarding Eidul fitr and Eidul Adha? Can I celebrate the Eid whenever I see the crescent or shall I follow your eminence?

Answer:In the name of Allah, if you sight the crescent, you can go with Eid, but if you could not sight it, contact us and we will let you know. Allah is the all Guide.

Question:Is it sufficient to sight the crescent with a telescope?

Answer:In the name of Allah, it is possible to locate the crescent with the telescope then to watch it with bare eyes. Only then are the religious rules applied. Allah knows best.

Question:Since long time, I have been reading lots of Shiite and Sunni sources about a subject which is that there is a mistake in the Hijri calendar- Muqawwam Hijri and non-Muqawwam Hijri-. I contacted many people interested in this subject in Canada, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and many of the Shiite scholars and everyone is convinced that there is a big mistake in this calendar. This results in going astray from the right path of religion as it causes mistakes in the dates of Hajj and fasting, festivals and months, especially the subject of the periods of the lunar months along the seasons without stability. It is in contrary to what existed in the time of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). After the martyrdom of the Commander of the believers (PBUH), it was replaced by the Umayyad calendar which starts from the birthday of Mu’awiya and is falsely decorated with the prophethood anniversary. I read a lot of texts in Al-Saheefa Al-Sajjadyia that confirm breaching the calendar. Also, I read in the biographies of the imams (PBUH) that they go to Hajj very less and people do not go to Haj unless they see one of Ahlulbait (PBUH) does that. So, there is a mistake. I have read many books and research papers which all confirm this mistake. Using verses from the holy Quran, they also prove that the months are stable in terms of their names except that there is a minor change in the balancing month, which was wrongly understood that the prophet (PBUH&HF) had forbidden. Frankly speaking, I do not believe that our scholars and the Hawza fast with the normal people only; in addition, they also fast the right fasting which is in autumn/ September. However, who bears the responsibility of misleading people and who will display this misleading? If the reason behind covering it is the Islamic unity, we do not want such unity as it destroys our religion. For that reason, our community want the truth and not better than you to tell the truth because we have complete trust and faith in you, despite my opposition to the saying “Let the leader think and you stay aside”, as this is the logic of the ignorant.

Answer:In the name of Allah, since the dawn of history, it has been approved by tawatur (consecutive chain of narrations and reports) that the lunar months are as they are known now. Doubting this fact is not right. Whoever leaves fasting the month of Ramadhan because of this date has sinned and whoever fasts in another month intending Ramadhan has sinned as well as it is considered heresy (bid’a). The same thing is for Hajj and other obligatory or recommended deeds. Allah knows best.