Dear Ali Manikfan, Assalamu alaikum,

Thank you for your mail.

Preface: The main thing I could understand about you so far is that you are NOT ready to discuss any area of the Hilal problem. Whenever I write about a point, or I answer your any question with proof you flee from a thorough discussion about the same area, and asking me a/some new question/s about another area/s of the matter.

For example: see some of your recent mails. When you asked me about correctness of the hilal sighting for the month of Ramadan (That occurred on the eve of the 21^st of the August 2009), I answered you in positive manner with astronomical evidence and moon sighting reports, but your answer was very pity one; I like to quote you here: "Dear Ali koya, Assalamu alaikum WR WB, I know what I am telling is the truth. You may follow what you know. You have no right to judge others "What arrogance? Arrogance of ignorance!

Although I pointed out the need of a thorough discussion about the hilal of Ramadan, you fled from it to the waning moon of the Shaaban. I strongly opposed it by denoting that Allah or His messenger did not enjoin us to do it. Your answer was a quotation form the Quran i.e. 36: 39. Really this Quranic verse is not about the date fixing method; but it invites human attention to one of Allah's sign. As you were obstinate in the discussion about the waning moon of Shaaban I yielded to you. In that discussion your stand was utterly baseless. You reported that the waning moon was not seen on the dawn of the 20^th August 2009. According to astronomical evidence your report about your own observation was unbelievable. And I gave you evidence for that the sunrise on that day was 20 minutes after the moonrise. See the time chart of the sun/moon rise/set of August 20:

Moon 20/8/2009	Rise 05:54	Set 18:34	12:15	87.6°	360,649	0.1%	New at 15:31
Sun 20/8/2009	Rise 06:15	Set 18:36	12h 21m 48s	− 25s	12:26	86.1°	151.362

But you kept silence about the above shown astronomical evidence and went to a new area of discussion.

So, you started to discuss about the hilal of Shaaban and challenged me to show you at least a single person on this world who sighted the hilal of Shaaban on the 22^nd of July. I quote you here: "Thank you very much for your reply informing me that you have begun Shaban on Thursday the 23rd of July 2009. Certainly the Qazhis and the Hilaal committee have begun Shaban without seeing the hilaal which could not be seen on Wednesday 22-7-2009.They have committed a mistake. Are these Qazhis and Hilaal committees playing with the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW? If the Prophet SAW has commanded to begin the month after seeing the crescent why did they begin Shaban before they saw the Hilaal on Wednesday? Are they changing the religion of Allah as they like, sometime beginning the month after seeing the Hilaal and sometimes without seeing the Hilaal as they like?. Hilaal of Shaban was seen on Thursday the first of Shaban. Has anyone living in this world seen the Hilaal on the evening of Wednesday 22-7-2009? Please produce your evidence. You cannot play with the religion Allah."

I faced your challenge with these words: "According to astronomy the moon setting time on the 22 July is after 20 minutes of the sunset. Then why sighting hilal is not possible? Is 20 minutes of moon lag time not enough to see it? Do not you believe in astronomy too? Is this foolishness your scientific method?"

Then I added in the next mail to you: "See a report from http://www.moonsighting.com/1430shb.html Dr. Hussain Dashti (MCW member) Gainesville, Florida reported: Today, Wednesday 22/7/09, I was able to see the new moon with a 10X50 binocular ONLY from Gainesville, Florida USA. Mercury was also only visible with binocular. Sunset: 20:25 (behind far trees). Moon first seen with binocular: 20:42 and last seen with binocular: 20:54'. IS THIS ENOUGH? I think Florida is in this world. Do not play with Allah and His religion; do not make people go astray. Do not make people fools."

By these two mails I gave you both astronomical and of eye witness evidences. But alas! You fled from the discussion about the hilal of Shaaban to the hilal of Rajab. I quote you here: "You have been playing with the Shariah. Now you come to the point. I am not talking about your astronomy. Do you know that Allah SWT has made Rajab one of the sacred months? When did you begin Rajab? How many phases did you count in Rajab? I am a witness. You have made a mistake in Rajab. You are changing the months of Allah SWT. He has made some months 29 and some months 30 and appointed phases for the moon on the very He created the Heavens and the earth. You are inter-changing His months. You say that the Prophet SAW has permitted you to make the months of 29 into 30. A blatant lie on the Prophet SAW. He has not permitted anyone to do that. You go your way. Please do not blame others. Let Allah judge on the day of Judgment".

My dear brother, why you are doing like these? When I submit some pieces of evidences what would you have to do? Anyhow, is it right to flee from the light of evidence to the darkness of your mere conjecture. Do not you love and fear Allah? Because of your fleeing habit I did not answer you about the beginning of Rajab, I know the last Rajab is not the first month after the creation of this world, and I am sure that you will not hesitate to flee from Rajab to the previous month, then to the previous one of it. And if I give you any evidence about the starting of Rajab you would not be ready to discuss it, you should have gone to another area.

Really I like to discuss this matter with you, but you are not in a positive manner. Anyway I have to ask you some questions, many of them are which asked by me within two weeks, and you did not answer to.

One: According to Islam a day begins from the sunset. E.g. when we say Lailathul Jumua (the night of Friday) means the night before the day-time of Friday. The night of Friday starts from the sunset of Thursday. So the Muslim world recites Surah Kafiroon and Ikhlas in the Magrib prayer immediately after the sunset of Thursday, and in Ramadan they start their Tharaaweeh on the night previous to first day of observing fast, and they do not perform Tharaaweeh on the night previous to Eid al fithr. But you opposed this and judged it non-Islamic and blamed it a custom of the Jews. I repeatedly asked you to show me a piece of evidence supporting your argument. I am sorry to say, you utterly failed to do it. And this is clear-cut evidence that you are lying about beginning time of a day (of 24 hours) in Islam. You should withdraw this false argument and repent Allah, unless he will punish you.

Two: In Islamic world, it is a well known concept that the beginning of a month should be AFTER sighting the new hilal. For example if the hilal is seen after the sunset of Friday the Saturday should be the first day of the next month. If we look in hadeeth books we can see supports only for this concept. The Muslim world from its advent to this day practices thus without any censure. But you dared to oppose the Prophet and this agreed upon method. See your words: "From where did you get the rumour that we should not fast before seeing the hilaal? Why do you worry about it?"

My reply to this was as follows: "According to the observations by many show us that the new crescent of Ramadan was seen after the sunset of the Friday 21st August 2009. What does this observation do for us to understand the beginning of Ramadan?
Please see many reports in Hadeeth books PROPHET STARTED FASTING AND ORDERED MUSLIMS TO START FASTING FROM THE NEXT DAWN AFTER SEEING THE CRESCENT AT THE SUNSET TIME. (Narated by Ibn Umar: I heard Allah's apostle saying "when you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan) start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal) stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can't see it) then regard the crescent (month) of Ramadan (as of 30 days). (Bukhari))
So what was done by the Muslims from many parts of the world have done, this year, is according the method practiced and taught by prophet of Allah (s).THE MUSLIM WORLD SAW CRESCENT AFTER THE SUNSET OF FRIDAY, AND STARTEDTO OBSERVE FAST FROM THE DAWN OF SATURDAY. They are in right path, and Dear Ali Manikfan you are wrong, because you started Ramadan one day before the seeing of crescent, and observing fast on that day is forbidden in Islam. (Abu hurairah reported Allah's messenger saying: Do not observe for a day or two days ahead of Ramadan except a person who is in the habit of observing a particular fast; he may fast on that day. (Muslim)"

Even you agreed that the crescent of Ramadan could be seen after the sunset of Friday, along with this you started fasting from the dawn of Friday. The Muslim world started after sighting crescent, but you did before sighting it. Muslim world follows the path of Prophet Muhammad (s) while you are opposing it. Where is the evidence for beginning fast one day before sighting the new crescent? Did our prophet or his disciple ever practice like that? Why did you start fasting on a fast-forbidden-day? Why you are playing with Islam and its rules?

Three: You wrote that the crescent of Ramadan could not be seen in Shaaban. I quote you here: "Have you ever seen the first waxing crescent in the end of the month? Please let me know this."

The Muslim world does not believe in such a folly. Your utter ignorance about the beginning of a day and month in Islam made you ask like this. As I cleared above, while we are seeing the sunset we are entering into the following day. Along with this if we are seeing the new crescent on the western horizon, at that moment we are entering into the following month too. While some of us, ignoring the astronomical forecast, were seeking the new crescent immediately after the sunset of the Thursday the 20^th August 2009 were not seeking the crescent of Ramadan in Sahaban, but they were seeking to know whether the Ramadan begins from that sunset or not. When they failed to sight crescent they decided to complete Shaban as a 30-day-month. On contrary to this you are started to observe fast from the last day of Shaban, and it is forbidden by the prophet (hadeeth quoted in section number two). Dear Ali Manikfan, please try to study the basics of Islam; it is better than criticizing others and misleading people.

Four: You have received an article written by me, in Malayalam, (copy of which is attached to this message too) criticizing your method, and arguing that your basic concept on the begging of month and day, the concept of Qiblah line are utterly baseless and only conjecture. You have been keeping silence about it. Do not you have to say anything about it? Why?

Five: The Quran and our prophet enjoined us to look for new crescent at the time of sunset, on the western horizon, and if it seen then to begin fast from the following dawn. You wrote that you are regularly watching all phases of moon and counting it. And you decide the staring of the next month basing on this observation. Can you show me a piece of evidence which proves that your method is correctly according to the Quran and Sunnah? Why do you look to the eastern horizon before sunrise; while we are enjoined to look to the western horizon immediately after the sunset? Once in a mail I asked you: "Where is the evidence to seek crescent in the eastern horizon?" But you kept silence!

Six: Once you asked me:' If the Prophet SAW has ordered us that we should begin the month after seeing the crescent then we must do so. We have no other alternative. Please reply me to the point.' As you know global level discussions being held on this issue, but our scholars could not reach to a conclusion. Anyhow I am sure that your formula is not a solution but a problem and a Fithna, because you are putting everything upside down. According to this you are seeking for the new crescent of Ramadan after breaking first fast. Once in a mail I asked you: "Where is the evidence for seeking new hilal after observing one day's fast?" But you kept silence!

Seven: In the same manner (shown in no Six) you decided to celebrate Eid al Fithr on the last day of Ramadan corresponding to 19^th August 2009, that also another Haram and Fithnah. See carefully this astronomical forecast about sun/moon rise/set on the Saturday 18^th the September 2009:

Date	Sunrise	Sunset	This day	Difference	Time	Altitude	Distance
							(106 km)
18/9/2009	06:12	18:21	12h 08m 41s	− 27s	12:16	83.3°	150.313

Date	Moonrise	Moonset	Time	Altitude	Distance	Illuminated	Phase
18/9/2009	05:31	17:56	11:44	82.5°	366,602	0.5%

There are three objections to your decision to celebrate Eid on 19^th August 2009. Firstly: on the 18^th of this month Sun sets on 18:21 while moon sets on 17:56. The moonset is before 25 minutes of the sunset. No need for explanation, see hadeeth quoted in section number two: "when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal) stop fasting", But you are going to stop fasting one day before seeing the new crescent. Secondly: On the same day sun rises on 6:12 while moon rises on 5:31. Moon rising is before 41 minutes of sun rising, so the waning moon can be seen on that day. See your words: "The hilaal of Sha’ban 1430 was seen on Thursday (23-07-2009) evening the first of Sha’ban. The last waning crescent, like an old urjoon mentioned in the Book of Allah also seen on Wednesday (19-08-2009) The crescent is not seen on Thursday (today) morning. This indicates that Thursday (20-08-2009) is the last day of Sha’ban So Ramadan will rightly fall on Friday 21-08-2009, The entire Muslim Ummah should begin fasting on Friday". And one more quotation from a letter forwarded by you: "We have seen it on 19 August, Wednesday morning and we have not seen the moon on Thursday because it had no phase. It was the last day or 29th of Shaban." According to your concept the day on which the waning moon can be seen cannot be the last day of that month, and there should be a day on which waxing or waning crescents cannot be seen, which is the last day of the month. Where is the NO-PHASE-DAY of the month Ramadan? Then how can you celebrate Eid al Fithr on Saturday 18^th 2009? (See the astronomical forecast about the waning moon on 20^th August 2009 in the preface.) Thirdly: The press release by your Hijrah Committee published in Malayalam Daily Madhyamam states that the moon lag time of less than 48 minutes lacks the visibility of waxing crescent, if it is true the waxing crescent will not be seen on the eve of your Eid al Fithr. Because the moon lags time is only 21 minutes on that day. See time chart:

Sun 19/9/2009	Rise 06:12	Set 18:20	12h 08m 13s	− 27s	12:16	82.9°	150.272
Moon19/9/2009	Rise 06:25	Set 18:41	12:34	76.0°	370,026	0.5%	New at 00:14

If the data, given by your committee, about the visibility of waxing moon is true how can you celebrate Eid al Fithr on Saturday? Once I asked you: "Where is the evidence for seeking Hilal AFTER celebrating the Eid?"

Eight: You wrote that the International Date Line should be considered as the Qiblah Line too. In my above said article in Malayalam I questioned this concept and cleared that there could not be a Qiblah Line at all, and proved that it is mere conjecture. You wrote, forgetting that earth is a globe, that the QIblah of Alaska is eastwards. But the truth do not follow your conjecture, see the Qibla direction of Alaska in the picture, it is northward direction.

Can you show me evidences for that your arguments about Qiblah line are right, and Alaska's Qiblah is eastward direction?

Nine: You wrote that the people of the Book in Madeenah were performing Hajj. Can you show me evidence for that?

Ten: You wrote that the first Muslims of Madeenah came from the people of the Book. Where is the historical evidence for that?

alikoyakk@gmail.com