Question:If an individual reaches a level of certainty or very high confidence based on very precise astronomical calculations that the moon has indeed been born astronomically and has reached the stage where it could be seen with the naked eye were it not for weather conditions or difficulties such as gases and dust in the atmosphere, is it permissible for this individual to rely on these precise calculations to establish the start of the lunar month as a legal (Shar'i) determination of the moon’s birth, even if the moon was not sighted, contrary to the ruling of the jurist they follow who requires sighting with the naked eye? If not, what is the ruling for someone who breaks their fast based on their personal conviction?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the crescent moon is not confirmed except after thirty days of the lunar month, or through physical sighting with the naked eye, or by the ruling of a jurist, or by the testimony of two just witnesses, or by widespread sighting that leads to certainty. Personal conviction based on astronomical calculations is not sufficient to establish the crescent or its implications. Allah knows best.

Question:There have been differing opinions regarding the foundation of Syed Al-Khoei's (may Allah have mercy upon him) ruling on the sufficiency of sharing even a part of the night with the land of sighting for the moon to be proven in the land of the obligated. Does this sharing extend, according to his view, to the rising of dawn or to the rising of the sun?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the commonly known opinion is that Syed Al-Khoei (may Allah sanctify his soul) believed that it extends until sunrise. Allah is the All-Knowing.

Question:What is the ruling of fasting the day which we doubt whether it is 30th of Ramadan of 1st of Shawwal?

Answer:In the name of Allah, one may continue his fasting -as in the question- unless the Eid (1st of Shawwal) is confirmed in religiously authentic ways. Fasting the first day of Eid is not permissible, a reason why some believers chose to travel at that day so he can break his fast. Some scholars (may Allah be pleased with them) draw the believers' attention to get rid of the possibility of impermissibility of fasting this day by using such means. We have given the answer to this question before. Allah knows best.

Question:What is your fatwa regarding Eidul fitr and Eidul Adha? Can I celebrate the Eid whenever I see the crescent or shall I follow your eminence?

Answer:In the name of Allah, if you sight the crescent, you can go with Eid, but if you could not sight it, contact us and we will let you know. Allah is the all Guide.

Question:Is it sufficient to sight the crescent with a telescope?

Answer:In the name of Allah, it is possible to locate the crescent with the telescope then to watch it with bare eyes. Only then are the religious rules applied. Allah knows best.

Question:Since long time, I have been reading lots of Shiite and Sunni sources about a subject which is that there is a mistake in the Hijri calendar- Muqawwam Hijri and non-Muqawwam Hijri-. I contacted many people interested in this subject in Canada, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and many of the Shiite scholars and everyone is convinced that there is a big mistake in this calendar. This results in going astray from the right path of religion as it causes mistakes in the dates of Hajj and fasting, festivals and months, especially the subject of the periods of the lunar months along the seasons without stability. It is in contrary to what existed in the time of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). After the martyrdom of the Commander of the believers (PBUH), it was replaced by the Umayyad calendar which starts from the birthday of Mu’awiya and is falsely decorated with the prophethood anniversary. I read a lot of texts in Al-Saheefa Al-Sajjadyia that confirm breaching the calendar. Also, I read in the biographies of the imams (PBUH) that they go to Hajj very less and people do not go to Haj unless they see one of Ahlulbait (PBUH) does that. So, there is a mistake. I have read many books and research papers which all confirm this mistake. Using verses from the holy Quran, they also prove that the months are stable in terms of their names except that there is a minor change in the balancing month, which was wrongly understood that the prophet (PBUH&HF) had forbidden. Frankly speaking, I do not believe that our scholars and the Hawza fast with the normal people only; in addition, they also fast the right fasting which is in autumn/ September. However, who bears the responsibility of misleading people and who will display this misleading? If the reason behind covering it is the Islamic unity, we do not want such unity as it destroys our religion. For that reason, our community want the truth and not better than you to tell the truth because we have complete trust and faith in you, despite my opposition to the saying “Let the leader think and you stay aside”, as this is the logic of the ignorant.

Answer:In the name of Allah, since the dawn of history, it has been approved by tawatur (consecutive chain of narrations and reports) that the lunar months are as they are known now. Doubting this fact is not right. Whoever leaves fasting the month of Ramadhan because of this date has sinned and whoever fasts in another month intending Ramadhan has sinned as well as it is considered heresy (bid’a). The same thing is for Hajj and other obligatory or recommended deeds. Allah knows best.

Question:Is the crescent confirmed by encirclement?

Answer:In the name of Allah, one of the ways of approving the crescent is its appearance as encircled; there is a fine line of light encircling the whole moon starting from one side of the crescent to the other side forming a circle. This is an indication that it has appeared one night before.

Question:Regarding moon sighting, does His Eminence believe in the unity of the horizon (lying on the same latitude) or of the latitude multiplicity? Does his Eminence believe in sighting with bare eyes or armed eyes (armed with telescope or any other device)?

Answer:In the name of Allah, His Eminence believes in the universal sighting; it means that if the crescent is sighted in any country in the world, its ruling will cover all the countries of the world. He does not say of the armed eyes or calendars, but approves the bare-eye sight. Allah knows best.

Question:Do Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan lie on the same latitude?

Answer:In the name of Allah, according to me, if the crescent is sighted in an area, the ruling will include the entire world. Allah knows best.

Question:What is meant by the unity of horizon?

Answer:In the name of Allah, it means that if the crescent is sighted in any part of the world, then moon sighting is confirmed for all the other parts of the world or some of the parts on another opinion. Allah knows best.