Video | The moment the Imam of the Grand Mosque announced the mistake in the start of Ramadan 1404 AH… and it ended with only 28 days!

Arab Weather - In one of the rarest incidents in the history of sighting the crescent moon, Saudi Arabia announced the sighting of the crescent of Shawwal on the evening of the twenty-eighth of Ramadan in the year 1404 AH, so that Eid al-Fitr would be declared the following day, so that the number of days of fasting would be only 28 days, which is not possible astronomically or legally, since the lunar month ranges between 29 and 30 days.

This incident has resurfaced following the dispute that occurred between Arab and Islamic countries at the beginning of this Ramadan, and has opened up the debate about the relationship between visual sighting and astronomical calculations.

How did Saudi Arabia make a mistake in Ramadan 1404 AH?

• The crescent moons of the months of Rajab and Sha'ban could not be seen due to weather conditions, so each of them completed 30 days.
• On the evening of the 28th of Ramadan, the sighting of the crescent moon of Shawwal was officially announced, making the following day the first day of Eid al-Fitr.

The astronomical and legal problem

Astronomical calculations showed that the total number of actual fasting days was only 28 days, which is not legally possible.

Therefore, a fatwa was issued stating that it is obligatory to fast a day to make up for the missed day after Eid, since the minimum duration of Ramadan according to Sharia is 29 days.

Why does this incident remain relevant even today?

The incident of Ramadan 1404 AH became an important reference point in jurisprudential and astronomical discussions about:

• Accuracy of vision certificates
• The role of astronomical calculations in supporting legal rulings
• Differences in the beginnings of the Islamic months between Islamic countries

This incident is still brought up whenever the debate about announcing the start of Ramadan or Eid al-Fitr in the Islamic world is renewed.