The Green Islamic Foundation

The time for the new month is determined in one of two ways:

• If sighting the new moon on the 29th day is confirmed, the following day is counted as the 1st day of the new month.
• If not, one more day (the 30th day) is added and the following day is counted as the 1st day of the new month.

There are two ways to confirm that the new moon has been seen.

• Two trustworthy witnesses testify to the relevant authorities
• If many people (defined as too many to make it inconceivable that they conspired to lie) testify together to the relevant authorities.

The 15th of December 2023 corresponds with the 1st of Jumada Al Akhir 1445 AH. 
The month of Jumada Al Awwal 1445 has completed its cycle of 30 days. According to local sighting and traditional criterion of determining the new hijri month, yesterday, 13-Dec-2023, corresponded with the 29th of Jumada Al Awwal. The moon was sought by moon sighters throughout the continental United States. The skies were clear with very few obstructions. However, last evening, there were no sightings of the new moon (hilal). Due to this, we declared that Jumada al Awwal would have a 30th day and the first day of Jumada Al Akhir would begin on 15-Dec-2023. This has been doubly confirmed with the sighting of the hilal this evening, 14-Dec-2023. The hilal was witnessed by approximately seven men and two children tonight at the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton (MCGP) as the congregation exited the masjid after the maghrib (sunset) prayer.

The 13th of January, 2024 corresponds with three 1st of Rajab 1445 AH. The Hilal was sighted in several locations in the continental United States tonight, 12-January-2024. Two witnesses from Rome, GA sighted the hilal.  They reported it on the website. Central Hilal Committee and Crescent Watch determined the new month with sightings from Florida, Texas, Arizona and California. It was also reported that the Hilal was sighted in Toronto, Canada. It was too cloudy to sight the moon at MCGP and in other locations in New Jersey.

The 11th of February, 2024 corresponds with the 1st of Sha’baan. The mystification of Hilal sighting continues in the American Muslim community with the lack transparency and lack of care for the science. I went out to MCGP and searched for the moon which was at 1.6% luminosity at around 9 degree’s altitude at the time of sunset. It was far too cloudy for anything to be seen. This was also confirmed by colleagues in Monroe, NJ and Willingsboro, NJ.  The Hilal was not sighted in Baltimore Atlanta, Memphis or Mobile, Alabama due to cloudy conditions and rain. The usual sighters from Blacksburg, Virginia and Sanford, Florida also did not report a sighting on moonsighting.com. A colleague in Houston, Texas reported that it was also cloudy in that region. The central Hilal committee declared  a sighting in the “Midwest region” without going into any further details. This is declaration is strange as usually this committee provides the city and state of the member that reported. They failed to do so and failed to answer any follow up questions. The Chicago Hilal committee reported naked eye sightings throughout North America without giving any further information which also strange as they usually work in tandem with the central Hilal committee. In addition, both organizations made their declarations before the sunset on the west coast of the U.S. The Toronto Hilal committee declared based upon sightings. I called Toronto Hilal committee. I was told by the new coordinator that he received no reports from the U.S. and that he received reports from Granada, Panama and Trinidad.  Crescent Watch declared based upon sightings in Wisconsin and California. I followed up with all of these organizations and only one provided a response. Regarding the sightings in Central America and the Caribbean, no news regarding about the number of sighters, whether optical aids were used, etc was provided. Due the lack of transparency and use of vague terminology regarding where the sightings even took place. On 12 February, 2024, Crescent Watch responded to my inquiry regarding their confirmation of moon sightings in North America. They also requested further information about the “Midwest Region” sighting and were told that the sighting took place near Madison, Wisconsin. They were provided photos of the sighting. They also provided me with information of a sighting in Phoenix, Arizona by Phoenix Hilal, a group of naked eye Hilal sighters as well multiple sightings in California. I also received information and images of sightings in California. They also informed me that there were unverified sightings in Florida and Texas. For this reason I decided to agree with the declaration that the first of Shabaan 1445 AH corresponds with the 11th of February 2024.

The 12th of March, 2024 corresponds with the 1st of Ramadan 1445 AH. On this night, March 10th, 2024, I went out to sight the Ramadan hilal with my family in New Jersey. The sky was clear with some clouds. We were unable to sight the moon. When we got to our sighting destination, the moon was already expected to be at 2 degrees above the horizon, which is quite low. The luminosity of the moon’s brightness was only 0.5%. The exact spot in the western horizon where the moon was supposed to be was covered by one of the clouds in the sky. Unfortunately, we were not able to sight hilal in our local area. Throughout the night, I awaited reports throughout the United States of a sighting. There were no positive and confirmed sightings in the United States or in Canada. Based upon this information, The Green Islamic Foundation announces that tomorrow conclude the month of Sha’baan as the 30th day. Ramadan will commence on the evening of March 11th, 2024. The first day of the blessed month of Ramadan and first day of fasting will be on March 12th, 2024.

The 10th of April, 2024 corresponds with the 1st of Shawwal 1445 AH. The hilal was widely sighted in multiple locations locally and internationally, including Burlington, Massachussetts, Connecticut, and Princeton, NJ. The hilal was also sighted in Morocco and the United Kingdom.

The 09th of May 2024 corresponds with the 1st of the Sacred Month of Dhul Qa’dah. On the evening of May 8th, 2024, the hilal of the Sacred Month of Dhul Qa’dah was sighted throughout the continental United States of America. Some of the places where experienced moon sighters reported their sightings were Phoenix, Arizona, St. Paul, Minnesota, and various locations within the state of California. Due to these confirmed sightings, the first day of the sacred month of Dhul Qa’dah 1445 AH will correspond with May 9th, 2024. I went out to sight the Hilal on the evening May 8th and was not able to see the Hilal through the clouds. The Hilal’s luminosity was at around 1.2%. I saw many phantoms. After reviewing some of my pictures that I took of the western horizon and comparing them to the pictures of this month’s Hilal from other areas west of my location in West Windsor, it is possible that one of those phantoms was actually the Hilal. Below, I highlighted it in one of my photos. By itself, I would not accept my account to determine the new moon. Therefore the more confirmed sightings are more sufficient.

The 08th of June, 2024 corresponds with the first day of the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah, 1445 AH.  Dhul Qa’dah completed 30 days this year as the hilal was not sighted on June 6th, 2024 / 29 Dhul Qa’dah 1445 AH. Saudi Arabia earlier on did not report any sightings within the country. They declared June 7th, 2024 to be the first of Dhul Hijjah based upon the testimony of one Saudi Arabia astronomer in the Najd region of the country. As it was only one testimony and it was outside of the realm of regional boundaries, this sighting was not accepted by many moon sighting organizations. The Fiqh Council of North America follows Saudi Arabia for the declaration of Dhul Hijjah due to the relation between their declaration and the start of the Hajj in the same country. The hilal was sighted on the evening of June 7th, 2024 across the world while on the evening prior, no one reported seeing the hills with the exception of that lone sighting.

The 07th of July, 2024 corresponds with the first day of the sacred month of Muharram, 1446 AH. The month of Dhul Hijjah, 1445 AH had a total of 29 days. The hilal was not seen by the naked in Central New Jersey despite it being a clear sky after the sunset. However, the hilal was sighted by the naked eye in several locations including Memphis, TN, Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Santa Fe, NM, Las Vegas, NV and San Diego, CA. The Kingdom of Morocco also declared the start of the new month as the 07th of July, 2024. May Allah bless this new year of 1446 AH and guide us to what is best within it.

The 06th of August, 2024 corresponds with the first day of the month of Safar, 1446 AH. The Month of Muharram 1446 AH was a 30-day month. The 30th of Muharram 1446 AH corresponded with August 5^th, 2024. The month of Safar began on the evening of August 5^th, 2024. It rained nearly the entire week of August 5th, 2024. The horizons were cloudy and hilal couldn’t be seen in New Jersey. The hilal was also sighted in California. The first day of Safar, 1446 AH corresponded with August 6^th, 2024. May Allah bless us as we continue through this auspicious year of 1446 AH.

The 05th of September, 2024 corresponds with the first of Rabi’ Al Awwal 1446 AH. The Month of Safar 1446 AH was a 30-day month. The 30^TH of Safar 1446 AH corresponded with September 4^th, 2024. The month of Rabi’ Al Awwal began on the evening of September 4^th, 2024. The hilal was also sighted in California. TMay Allah bless us with an auspicious and blessed Rabi’ Al Awwal.

The 05th of October, 2024 corresponds with the first of Rabi’ Ath-Thani 1446 AH. The blessed month of Rabi’ Al Awwal ended on the evening of October 04, 2024. This year the month consisted of 30 days. May Allah bless us with an auspicious and blessed Rabi’ Al Thani.

Crescent Moon Observation Report Details:

1. Exact location: Not only town or city, but more details on where so that we can research the location’s details and perspective on the horizon.
2. Exact time: Of the initial sighting and the exact time when it disappeared again. (If you did not note the exact time, estimate how long it was after sunset.)
3. Orientation of the moon: The direction the moon was facing and the size and location of the limbs/tips of the crescent. Can be described as if overlaid on a clock. (i.e. “the tips were at 1 o’clock and 7 o’clock.”)
4. Altitude of the moon: Described using an outstretched horizontal hand and number of finger widths above the horizon.
5. Location of the moon: In relation to where the sun had set. (i.e. to the left, to the right, directly above). Can be described using an outstretched vertical hand and number of finger widths or degrees to the right or left of the sunset location. Also known as azimuth, this can also be described by the use of a magnetic compass.
6. Crescent movement: Did it move over the time of the sighting? Up, down, left, right, etc.
7. Number of adult witnesses: Sighting without optical aid (binoculars/telescope, etc.).  If optical aid was used, pleased describe who used it and how.
8. Phone number: For follow-up questions if necessary (This will not be shared publicly).