Ramadan 2023: How residents in Sharjah gathered to spot crescent moon

Ramadan 2023: How residents in Sharjah gathered to spot crescent moon

Most Islamic schools of thought accept use of telescope for sightings, says expert

Published: Wed 22 Mar 2023, 8:13 PM Last updated: Wed 22 Mar 2023, 10:49 PM

The sighting of the Ramadan crescent moon is a time all Muslims eagerly look forward to. For over 1,400 years, Muslims have gathered during Maghrib prayer time to sight the crescent as part of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH).

Like all the other Islamic countries, this Sunnah is widely practised among UAE citizens and expats as well.

But with the advancement of technologies, telescopes are now widely used by authorities and scholars for sighting of the moon. Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) on Wednesday hosted its annual event to observe Ramadan Crescent at Sharjah Optical Observatory.

Khaleej Times also got the opportunity to attend the event and witness the sighting of the crescent.

Much before the Maghrib time, dozens of Emirati and Arab families, including children, turned up, making it a nice family gathering to see the crescent.

Few highly-advanced telescopes were installed outside the Observatory’s building where the officials had gathered for a crescent sighting. A big screen linked to the observatory was put on display as well for people.

The event started with