ICCNC's Guiding Principles for Declaring Eid ul-Fitr

The followings are ICCNC's guiding principals in determining the beginning and the end of Ramadan and the other Islamic lunar months:

• ICCNC follows the opinion of the eminent Shia Jafari legal scholars such as Ayatollah Sistani and Ayatollah Sanei who believe that the new moon must be sighted within the relative localities, in our case anywhere in North America.

• If the probability of sighting the new moon in Northern California does not exist or is very low based on the scientific calculations or cannot be seen due to clouds, then we will rely on the greater network of Shia scholars in North America. Currently, the Council of Shia Scholars in North America and the office of Grand Ayatollah Sistani in the U.S. are the largest and most prominent of such networks that ICCNC uses for reference.
• Scientific calculations - http://www.phys.uu.nl/~vgent/islam/islam_lunvis.htm
• Site of Grand Ayatollah Sistani - www.imam-us.org
  

• ICCNC follows the fatwa (rulings) of the majority of Shia scholars who require that the new moon to be seen by naked eyes without using any tools such as telescopes or binoculars.

• ICCNC does not follow the use of astronomical calculation methods to determine birth of the new moon because the majority of Shia scholars have not accepted it.

• ICCNC does not go by the announcements of Eid in other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, South America, etc. The moon has to be sighted in North America.

• ICCNC will follow the above guiding principles until further notice and will not announce Eid as a matter of convenience for itself or others.

• Most importantly, according to all of the Shia Jafari scholars, determining the beginning of a new month is an individual inquiry. If an individual believes that a certain day is Eid, then that individual is obligated to follow his/her conviction.

Based on the attached visibility maps the new moon for Shawwal 1431 AH will become visible to the naked eyes in North America on Thursday September 9, 2010.  Therefore, most likely Eid ul-Fitr will be on Friday September 10, 2010.  However, this has to be verified by sighting the new crescent.  First prayer is at 8:30 am and the second prayer is at 9:30 am.  Dr. Hamid Mavani will lead both prayers.

We pray to God and ask Him to strengthen the unity of Muslims in America and to bring unity of opinions to the scholars in this regard so we all can witness only one day to start the month of Ramadan and one day to end it in America, Inshallah.