Introduction:
The issue of moon sighting in Britain is divisive and emotional. It raises passions and inflames emotions. They are two positions namely following Saudi Arabia or local (and adjacent) sighting to UK and there are Scholars on both sides. We have been reporting on Astronomical calculations (12 months of the year) and subsequent sightings from around the world for nearly a decade and will Insha’Allah continue to do so.
The Islamic Scholars of Batley (in UK) deliberated on the issue of moon sighting in considerable depth, visited Morocco and South Africa then unanimously agreed (a few years) to forego Saudi moon sighting. This year a Mosque (Henry Street Mosque) broke this pact and decided to revert to Saudi moon sighting. Shaykh (Maulana) Marghoob Ahmed (HA) today (05th of October 2014) at Masjid Heera (Deswbury) addressed the issue highlighting the matter in great detail and articulated the response of all (united) Ulama with the greatest respect, humility and dignity. Shaykh (Maulana) Marghoob Ahmed (HA)’s daughter also happens to be the daughter-in-law of Shaykh (Maulana) Abdur-Rauf (HA) who is the Imam of Henry Street Mosque. Those who follow Saudi moon sighting twisted the matter, deliberately edited the talk (leaving out key areas) and started maliciously spreading rumours of family feud.
This is an English translation of the entire talk (unedited) being presented with the permission and consent of Shaykh (Maulana) Marghoob Ahmed (HA).
