Is A Moonsighting Picnic Haram?

[Night_Inshallah]

I'm planning a picnic for the start of Ramadan where we (Muslims friends of my community/facebook) will go to the top of a mountain and sight the moon for Ramadan.  I made this suggestion on facebook and all hell just broke loose.

 

1. People are saying that there is no need to do such because Saudi Arabia has already said what day it is going to be on.

 

2. People jumped in on the above saying that we don't follow wahhabis (oh lord........).

 

3. People are saying that I (a woman & non scholar) am not qualified to sight the moon.

 

4. People jumped in on the above saying give proof, lol.

 

5. People are saying that you don't have to be a scholar to sight the moon, just be a Muslim man.

 

6. Next, the haram police swooped in and said that having a moonsighting picnic is bidah.

 

8. The observation tower at the top of this mountain just happens to have a 56 foot statue of a Greek idol on it.  That too was cited as haram by the haram police.

 

So what is the fiqh of moonsighting?

Edited May 21, 2015 by Night_Inshallah

[Reza]

Oh my god...good grief. 

[coldcow]

I have no evidence, but I don't see how there could be anything wrong with.  In fact I suspect that around the world tons of people go out with binoculars to try and find the moon.  I also suspect that even during the time of the prophet people would stand on rooftops looking for the moon.  And I wouldn't be surprised if women (wives of the prophets/companions) took part in such activities.  

[GreyMatter]

There is nothing wrong with it.

 

Now unless you and your friends start worshipping the idol all of a sudden, or the entire community depends on you to deliver the moon sighting fatwa, it would be wrong but in all other cases it is just fine.

 

I am sure you are doing neither of the aforementioned. Problem is, facebook is filled with tens of holier-than-thou self-righteous personalities, that would do whatever they feel like, but in matters of religion they appear to be just the most conservative/arrogant fellow out there as if it gets them some sort of social points.

 

You can take this to a Sheikh if necessary, and copy/paste the reply for all. Religion is easy to follow, but people make it hard after adding layers and layers of precautions mixed with traditions. 

[Guest]

Oh my....

In my childhood, my whole family gathered on the of 29th ramazan at my maternal grandparent's house at Iftaar and we used to look for the eid moon ....

I so despise this Haram Brigade...

Go have a moon sighting picnic with your close friends... :D

[Repentant]

I'm planning a picnic for the start of Ramadan where we (Muslims friends of my community/facebook) will go to the top of a mountain and sight the moon for Ramadan.  I made this suggestion on facebook and all hell just broke loose.

 

1. People are saying that there is no need to do such because Saudi Arabia has already said what day it is going to be on.

 

2. People jumped in on the above saying that we don't follow wahhabis (oh lord........).

 

3. People are saying that I (a woman & non scholar) am not qualified to sight the moon.

 

4. People jumped in on the above saying give proof, lol.

 

5. People are saying that you don't have to be a scholar to sight the moon, just be a Muslim man.

 

6. Next, the haram police swooped in and said that having a moonsighting picnic is bidah.

 

8. The observation tower at the top of this mountain just happens to have a 56 foot statue of a Greek idol on it.  That too was cited as haram by the haram police.

 

So what is the fiqh of moonsighting?

 

1. Well.. if your Shia then why would you care what Saudi Arabia says?

2. If you are Shia why would you follow wahabis?

3. If a woman can bear witness in court under Islam, why not a moon sighting? This seems like an issue for wahabis not Shia.

6. Isn't bidah reserved for acts deem religious? a picnic is not a religious act.

8. That is stupid logic. Go tell the Egyptians that those statues and pyramids are haraam so they can't spot the moon near them.

[Khalilallah]

You can have a moon sighting picnic but don't allow others to rely on your observation, imagine if you made a mistake and ruined a day of Ramazan for them. 

 

But for yourself, have a nice picnic and enjoy it, just a picnic after all.

[mostafaa]

Salam Alaykum

Very interesting to hear such a nice suggestion and I'm happy to see committed, enthusiastic  Shiite Muslims trying to figure out the exact time of their obligatory task. It is a very important and admirable job. you know: Even some scholars in the past issued a fatwa to obligate people to do likewise.

These days people got accustomed to rely more on what it is declared by authorities- religious or even political ones- rather than to verify that themselves. You see: to find it out yourself will be much more authentic and reliable than to trust others.

But after all it was not the same by the time of the prophet and our Imams. Many people used to make sure about it by peering out into the sky to find moon.

 

Any way I'm trying to say that is a nice job especially in non Shiite regions to go for moon sighting. 

Good luck with that. I hope it goes well.

[realizm]

(salam)

I also find this idea is an excellent one, bravo sister. But what if you don't see the moon? All those sohor sandwiches, potato salads and cakes brought for nothing :)

Forget wahabis though, they tend to make halal things become haram.