11/13/2004 6:00pm:
Saturday night 11/13/2004 & Sunday 11/14/2004 is Shawwal 1, 1425
Eid Mubarak from the Chicago Hilal Committee! Official reports indicate that the moon was sighted in Fort Myers, FL by Imam Azhar Zubader and his congregation from Masjid Ibrahim at approximate 6PM EST. Furthermore there were several local sightings which include a sighting in Kankakee, IL by Mufti Haroon, a sighting in Villa Park by a father (Shaukat Anwar) and son (Zia, who is beyond the age of maturity), and two brothers, Khalid and Shaz, from Addison Masjid. The reports were rigorously authenticated and confirmed as being true moon sightings. JazakamAllah Khair for making us your source of up to date moon sighting reports, we look forward to continue to bring you the most authentic and up to date sightings.
11/13/2004 5:50pm:
The Chicago Hilal Committee would like to wish everyone Eid Mubarak! Alhamdulillah, the moon was sighted in Fort Myers, FL. at pm 6PM EST. The report was rigorously authenticated and confirmed as being a true moon sighting. We will update the site shortly informing you of the details regarding this sighting. JazakamAllah Khair for making us your source of up to date moon sighting reports.
11/13/2004 5:45pm:
As of 5:45 PM CST, the Chicago Hilal Committee has received a report of an alleged moon sighting. Currently we are under the process of evaluating this claim. Please report back in 10-15 minutes for more information regarding this sighting.
11/13/2004 5:15pm:
As of 5:15 PM CST, there have been no confirmed moon sighting in the USA. Please refer back to our site every 15-30 minutes.
11/13/2004 4:00pm:
The Chicago Hilal Team is now heading to the Chicago Hilal Committee Meeting at MCC. All updates will begin after Salat ul Maghrib Insha Allah. Please be patient as we await word on the sighting of the moon.
11/13/2004 12:47am:
It has come to the attention of the Chicago Hilal Team that there have been reported sightings of the moon in the USA. After much consultation and research we have concurred to the following decision in regards to these sightings:
1. Reports of a moon sighting, tonight, in the USA have not been confirmed as being true. Thus, the Chicago Hilal Committee will continue to be of the view that we are currently in the twenty-ninth (29th) night and beginning the twenty-ninth (29th) day. InshaAllah, tomorrow evening there will parties dispatched to search for the moon, as well as meetings held in order to confirm incoming reports on possible moon sightings in the country.
2. Mosques (masajid) around the USA that base their moon sighting reports on the view that international reports can be sufficient for the entire world have accepted sightings from the Middle East (Saudi Hilal) of a confirmed moon sighting. However, the Chicago Hilal Committee follows the view that only a confirmed moon sighting on the regional level can be accepted to declare the beginning of a new month on the lunar calendar.
For up to date news on moon sighting, please visit our website every 15-30 minutes after the Maghrib prayer.
11/10/2004:
It has come to our attention that organizations in North America have declared Eid ul Fitr (the 1st of Shawwal) to be on Sunday, November 14. While the Chicago Hilal Committee recognizes that calculations dealing with the birth of the moon, and its position and timing on the horizon present a strong chance of the moon being sighted in North America on the 29th of Ramadan (Saturday, November 13), the Committee will maintain its position of abiding by the traditions (sunnah/hadith)* of the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wa salam) and wait until after Maghrib on Saturday, the 29th of Ramadan (the 13th of November) to declare Sunday (the 14th of November) as being either the 30th of Ramadan or the 1st of Shawwal.
*It is narrated in the book of Imam Muslim on the Authority of Abu Huraira (radiullahu anhu) that the Holy Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa salam) said, “Whenever you sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadan) observe fast, and when you sight it (the new moon of Shawwal)
break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then observe fast for thirty days.”
This tradition (hadith) is merely one of numerous traditions (ahadith) narrated by the companions (sahabah) of the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wa salam) that relate to sighting the moon. It was also a tradition (sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu
alayhi wa salam) to encourage his companions (sahabah), as well as accompany them, to search for the moon on the 29th night.
