The Jordanian Department of Fatwa will observe the crescent moon of Shawwal for the year 1446 AH on Saturday evening, as stated by the department's spokesperson, Ahmed Al-Harasess.
اضافة اعلان
Al-Harasess added that the moon-sighting celebration will take place at King Abdullah Gardens in Dabuq, with observation being conducted through the Umm Dami Observatory in Wadi Rum.
Additionally, observations will be made through the "King's Academy" School Observatory, the Maragha Observatory at Al al-Bayt University, and telescopes distributed across the Wadi Rum camps.
The decision on the date of Eid al-Fitr will be made by the members of the Fatwa Council, who number 11 members representing the council. They will review scientific and astronomical data, as well as the results from observation teams sent from various regions of the kingdom, as explained by the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, Ahmed Al-Hassanat.
Al-Hassanat also confirmed in a previous statement to "Al-Mamlaka" that there has been no agreement on whether the fasting month of Ramadan will last 29 or 30 days.
He said that this decision is not influenced by any internal or external political pressures, as it is purely a religious decision. The responsibility for it lies with the religious authorities, particularly the Council of Islamic Research and Studies.
The Grand Mufti emphasized that the decision on the date of Eid al-Fitr in Jordan is independent and does not follow the practices of any other country. He pointed out that the department has a specific method for confirming the sighting of the crescent moon, which is universally accepted.
He clarified that if the crescent is sighted in Jordan or a neighboring country, and the sighting is scientifically and astronomically accepted, the beginning of the month will be announced.
Al-Hassanat further explained that it is not the role of astronomers to determine the beginning of months from a religious standpoint. Their task is to provide the information they have to the Fatwa department.
The President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society, Ammar Al-Sukaji, stated in a press release that accurate astronomical calculations show that the sighting of the Shawwal crescent for the year 1446 AH, after sunset on Saturday, March 29, will be "impossible" both by the naked eye or using telescopes, either in Jordan or the wider Islamic world, despite the crescent being visible above the horizon after sunset.
