Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-08-01

The recent sighting of the Eid ul Fitr crescent had created unease and consternation in some circles.

Whilst the vast majority of Muslims in South Africa had readily accepted the unexpected sighting of the moon albeit with a degree of surprise, a segment of the community accused the United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) of having fabricated the sighting of the moon.

In a statement UUCSA said such slander begs the question: What conceivable benefit will the Ulama derive from fabricating the sighting of the moon?

“If at all, the position adopted by UUCSA display its principled stance of adhering to the ‘sighting’ of the moon even if such sighting is regarded as scientifically unusual and irregular.”

“The scandalous allegation of Ulama meekly and naively accepting reports of dubious sightings is both un-Islamic and indecent,” the statement read.
 
UUCSA Central Hilaal Committee

Mainstream Ulama formations under the auspices of UUCSA have the unique distinction of being able to collaborate with each other despite their varying ideological persuasions.

South Africa enjoys a Hilaal verification structure which is difficult to find anywhere else in the world. The Central Hilaal Committee is made up of two individuals from each of the seven affiliate members of UUCSA. The affiliate members of UUCSA are located in seven of the nine provinces of South Africa.
 
Hilaal sighting structure

• Each UUCSA member has its own independent Hilaal Committees made up of Ulama and community members from respective masaajid that fall within its jurisdiction.

• Members of these committees observe the Hilaal for the ensuing month on a monthly basis.

• In the event that the moon is sighted, such sighting is first verified by the local Imam or designated Aalim. Those who claim to have seen the moon are required by the local Imam or designated Aalim to give testimony (Shahaadah) of their sighting.

• The Imam or designated Aalim duly completes the prescribed Shahaadah Form and forwards it to the regional Hilaal committee for a second verification process, after which it is forwarded to the co-ordinator of the Central Hilaal Committee of UUCSA.

• The Co–ordinator of the Central Hilaal Committee then schedules a teleconference wherein the sighting is discussed and endorsed by all the members present.

• Once all members present endorse the sighting the co-ordinator then makes the announcement on the various Muslim Radio Stations.

• If no sighting was reported the members on the teleconference have to unanimously confirm the same before the announcement is made.
 
The Hilaal for Eid ul Fitr

The Hilaal for Shawwaal 1435 (July 2014) was ONLY sighted in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The UUCSA members responsible for Hilaal in this region are the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa and the Sunni Ulama Council.
 
Events of the evening (27 July 2014)

Sunset in Johannesburg on the 27th July 2014 was at 17:39. Moonset was at 18:16. The viewing time was 36 minutes. The moon age was 16h 58mins at sunset. The horizon was extremely clear. There was not a cloud in sight and no haze at all. The Johannesburg skyline is generally very clear during winter months. The moon was sighted in the following regions of Gauteng:
 
Bekkersdal

Bekkersdal is located approximately 47kms from central Johannesburg in a southwesterly direction. A call was received from the Imaam of the Masjid at around 17:52 claiming that he himself with a group of 15 individuals had sighted the moon.

The call was received by Moulana Ebrahim Bham who currently serves as the co-ordinator of the Central Hilaal committee.

The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa (JUSA) contacted the Ulama of Azaadville, which is a town close to Bekkersdal requesting a group of Ulama to travel to Bekkersdal in order to verify the sighting.

The group comprised of Moulana Yahya Ishaq, Moulana Abu Bakr Mohamed, Moulana Mahmoodul Hasan Pandor and Hafiz Abdullah Varachia. By the time that the Ulama had reached Bekkersdal 7 of the individuals that had sighted the moon had left the Masjid.

There was a group of 8 that were still at the Masjid. They were reminded of the implications of their testimony and the responsibility that they carry. They were told of the burden of being responsible for the fast of the entire country as well as that of the neighbouring countries if they incorrectly provide the testimony of sighting the moon.

The Ulama group interviewed each individual separately to confirm details of the sighting. Each one gave exactly the same details regarding the time of sighting, position of the moon and shape of the moon.

The moon was sighted at 17:43.

The individuals who saw the moon in Bekkersdal are:

1. Moulana Ayyuub Mokoena (Imaam 32),
2. Yusuf Modise (male 46),
3. Dawood Marokoane (male 49),
4. Adam Khabisi (male 24),
5. Ahmed Edward (male adult),
6. Ibraheem Mabada, (male adult),
7. Muhammed Kamal Hussain (male adult [of Bangladeshi origin]),
8. Bilal Mqiti (adult male).

The group of Ulama and one Haafiz were satisfied with the testimony of the individuals and asked each one of them to give the Shahaadah (Testimony)
 
North Riding

North Riding is approximately 28km northwest of Johannesburg. It is an upmarket estate and the community is mixed with people of all races and religious affiliations.

At 17:58 a call was received from a Muslim female, Safiye Khan that she together with five others had sighted the moon in North Riding.

The call was received by Mufti Mohamed Minty who serves as assistant to the co-ordinator. The group were asked to travel to the closest Masjid which is the suburb of Northcliff for the purpose of giving Shahaadah before the Imaam.

Six members of the family met with the Imaam of the Masjid. The Imaam is Moulana Umar Bham. The individuals that gave Shahaadah are:

1. Safiye Khan (female, 36)
2. Mohammed Wadee (male, 44)
3. Mumtaz Mahal Suliman Wadee (female, 42)
4. Adila Suliman (female, 41)
5. Waseem Suliman (male, 18)
6. Noorain Wadee (female 22)

The Imaam accordingly requested them to give the Shahaadah and communicated the same to the co-ordinator of the Central Hilaal Committee.
 
Northcliff

The Imaam’s son had also originally sighted the moon, but by the time he contacted his father the moon was no longer visible. The son’s name is Ebrahim Bham (15). The moon was sighted at 17:47.

Mayfair

Mayfair is approximately 1km from central Johannesburg in a westerly direction.
A group of people from the Somali community based in Johannesburg claimed to have seen the moon in Mayfair.

The group was called to the Offices of the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa. The Imaam of Sultan Bahu Musjid, Moulana Muhammed Aslam was requested to come to the Office to observe the procedures and subsequently was requested to be part of taking the Shahadah.

The Leading Imaam of the Somali community, Sheikh Ahmed Abdi was also called for the purpose of verifying the credentials of the individuals. Sheikh Ahmed confirmed that the individuals are known to him and that they are reliable and upright Muslims.

A group of three came to the office. They are, Mukhtar Abdul Kadir (male 38), Umar Abdi (male, 49), and Abdul Jabbaar Ali (male, 36). Abdul Kadir stated that a group of three of them had seen the moon. Two of them were present to give the Shahaadah.

The third person, Jamal, was not present. Similarly, Umar Abdi stated that he was with another person, Ali, who had also seen the moon. Ali was not present to give the Shahaadah. Each of them were taken into separate rooms and questioned by one of the Muftis of the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa.

The direction, shape and period of sighting was asked of them. Moulana Aslam interviewed each of them separately as well. The information received from each was the same.

The moon was sighted as they were breaking their fast and they saw the moon for a period of approximately 3 minutes. Azaan was given at 17:42 in Johannesburg.
 
Lenasia South

Lenasia South is approximately 37km from central Johannesburg in a southwesterly direction.

The Imaam of Lenasia South Masjid, Moulana Shabeer Khan informed the co-ordinator that a group of individuals of his congregation had seen the moon.

The Imaam has confirmed that all the individuals were reliable and trustable. They were:

1. Haafiz Azhar Patel (led Taraaweeh Salaah in his Masjid)
2. Ashraf Lakha (male adult)
3. Ahmed Ali (male adult)
4. Moosa Jeebhai (male adult)

A teleconference was then held with all UUCSA members at which a unanimous decision was taken to accept the validity of the sighting.

Apart from the sightings mentioned above the co-ordinator had also received news of sightings from Newtown (Johannesburg), Daleside (approximately 40km south of the central point), an informal settlement close to Azaadville (approximately 31km west of the central point), Diepsloot (42km north of the central point), and Hazeldene (approximately 18km South east of the central point).

It was not necessary nor was it possible to take testimony from each of these areas due to time constraints.

UUCSA is satisfied that the moon was sighted by a total of twenty two individuals in 5 different locations of Gauteng and whose testimony regarding the time and shape of the moon overall corroborated with each other.

This apart from a number of sightings that were reported after the decision was taken.

Whilst the sightings were unanticipated because of the age of the moon, the Central Hilaal Committee in accordance with its standards and procedures endorsed the sightings.

UUCSA said it uses astronomical information and calculations as guidelines for Hilaal sighting. Decisions are however based on actual sightings and the validity of Shahaadah.

According to the Johannesburg Planetarium, at 17:43 the moon was 6 degrees above the horizon and at 17:50 it was 4 degrees above the horizon. This is consistent with the times that the sightings were reported.

The similar trend and consistency of the different sightings were an important factor in reaching a decision.

The United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) is an umbrella body comprising major Muslim theological formations in South Africa.

It comprises of the following seven affiliates:

• Jamiatul Ulama South Africa – Established in 1923

• Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa – Established in 1945

• Jamiatul Ulama KZN – Established in 1955

• Sunni Jamiatul Ulama of South Africa – Established in 1978

• Sunni Ulama Council of South Africa – Established in 1992

• Eastern Cape Islamic Congress –Established in 1996

• Council of Ulama Eastern Cape –Established in 1999

(Twitter: @Faizie143)