Muslims in the Philippines will join the Islamic world today in the search for the crescent moon of which will decide the first day of this year’s month-long “Sawm” or fasting.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) has reactivated its National Moon-sighting Committee to lead the yearly search for the crescent moon to determine the first day of Ramadan, the ninth month in Islam’s Hijri calendar.
Compared to the solar-based Gregorian calendar, the lunar-based Hirji calendar is short by about 11 days.
In Saudi Arabia, the Supreme Court ordered citizens to look for the crescent today, Tuesday.
Moon-sighters will be in strategic areas of the Philippines to look for the crescent with the naked eye, said NCMF Commissioner Esmail Ebrahim yesterday.
He said religious authorities through the three Darul Iftahs (Houses of Opinion) in Mindanao — two in Central Mindanao and one in Region 9 — will also be on the hunt for the crescent.
NCMF moon-sighters have also been consulting with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PAGASA).
Ebrahim said the rule is that, if the crescent is sighted on June 16, corroborated by other witnesses, and approved by the Darul Iftah, then religious leaders will declare the next day (Wednesday, June 17) as the first day of Ramadan fasting.
“However, if the crescent is not sighted Tuesday, then we have to complete the month of Sha’ban into 30 days; then Ramadan fasting will start on June 18 (Thursday),” the NCMF official said.
Ebrahim said the Hijri calendar also has 12 months, with none of its month having 31 days.
He said the month of Ramadan is a period of intense worship and prayers for peace and mercy of Allah (God in Arabic).
The NCMF official said during Ramadan adult Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and marital sex from sunrise to sunset, a period of more than 10 hours of physical deprivation.
“Sawm” is one of the five pillars of Islam which are obligatory, he said.
MANILA BULLETIN
