Moonsighting (4)

Having discussed the main sources on the topic, I think a quick summary of the views and rationale of the main scholars on the topic, is useful. In this blog we will look at the view and rationale for requiring physical sighting with the eye; and the view and rationale for seeing even with an optical aid.

The basic reasoning for all the rulings comes from the narration in the previous blog, which essentially says fast after you “see the moon” (it is more complex but this hopefully will elucidate the differences). There are three ways of interpreting this from a linguistic perspective and each method is acceptable in the usul al-fiqh framework:

1. Physical sighting with the eye: “see” is literal and the common man (‘urf) would understand this to mean see with your eye (e.g. Ayatullah Wahid Khorasani and potentially Ayatullah Seestani – see next blogs for details on this). By this in usul al-fiqh the meaning is that the sighting is considered an integral part of the rule (موضوعيّة دخيلة في الحكم) i.e. there is no rule without the sighting, even if you have certainty that the moon has been born and is bright in the sky. There are three main reasons for this point of view:
• The ‘urfi (natural) meaning of the term, is sight with the eye
• This is the only thing that was there at the time of the Prophet/Imams. If optical aids/astronomy was possible, then that means that the Prophet / Imams (AS) may have fasted on Eid, which is Haram!
• The usage of this term at the time of the Prophet (SAW) was with the eye (not with optical aid…etc.).

2. Sighting using an optical aid: “see” is literal and seeing with an optical aid would still be considered (by the common man) as seeing (e.g. Ayatullah Khamanei). The main rationale for this is that the narrations talking about “seeing” are seeing in any way possible (itlaq) and this would include seeing with an optical aid

In the next blog, we will look at the usage of calculations.

Sources:

General: Fiqh works by the major maraji’