Abolish moon sighting committee

By Mohammed Alauddin, Dhaka
12 December 2004, 18:00 PM
Do we really need a central moon sighting committee? The astronomy has advanced so much that we can get a second to second position of celestial bodies. So why not ask the position well in advance. So the yearly uncertainty for Ramadan and Shawal moon will be solved and millions of people will be benefited from the predicted dates.

Alternatively, as a Muslim ummah we may follow the dates announced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After all we do not disagree for Hajj dates which is accepted by whole world as one particular date announced by KSA.

However, I would personally recommend to adopt the scientific data to be obtained from the astronomical science because we are not religiously bound for "sighting" the moon which may not be seen for days together due to clouds or inclement weather, but we are interested in its "appearance" on the horizon on the first day of the moon month. I would invite more ideas to change the present dubious system.