90% of the islamic world are having eid tomorrow, most of the UK are having eid tomorrow, why is it that Glasgow do their own thing, this appears to be some kind of political decision rather than one of faith and i think it's absolutely shameful, especially when the moon has been sited in the majority of countries.

I guess Indonesia is included to the 10% then. Because Indonesians are having eid on Wednesday.

I completely agree. I don't understand this decision. Muslims all over the world should display unity, and this would be a perfect time to do so.

Absolutely in agreement with the first comment. Eid should be celebrated on Tuesday alongside the decision made by Masjid Farooq in the southside of Glasgow. Shameful conduct by the committe - once again for lack of unity.

It's pathetic that the Muslims cannot decide on a united day for eid. Islam is about unity and brotherhood but we cannot even agree on Eid day!

It is good that the Muslims of Glasgow are collectively, as a small community, coming to a decision as to when Eid should be. Not everyone in Manchester are doing Eid tomorrow, likewise other cities in the UK. I do agree with you in that the UK as a whole should be more united.

is any mosque in Glasgow doing it on Tuesday? Thanks

So is there any official decision if Eid is tomorrow or on Wednesday?

Al Furqan mosque, originally, was doing Eid tomorrow. However, after meeting with other mosque imams - they are now doing it on Wednesday.

Hmmm..

if people here in Scotland follows what the people in England do, i mean for Ramadhan timing, we guys had ramadhan at the same time as London , then why dont they follow the Eid timings as well?

Al-Furqan wouldn't make a decision by themselves. For a start, they're part of the Moonsighting sub-Committee of the Glasgow Imams :-o

Its a known tragedy that Muslims are not united. So how come they could be on Eid day. Impossible!!

please check the web site of the european council for fatwa and research. they have stated that there is no possibility to view the helal and eid will be on wednesday.
DONOT claim something you can not prove.
http://www.e-cfr.org/ar/index.php?ArticleID=353

Celebrating Eid on the same day will not signify any unity and not celebrating would signify the other. Most important factor is to consider the Hadith of moon-sighting. Where ever moon is sighted Eid should be celebrated there. I know its difficult here in Scotland to sight the moon but logic also should be taken into account that according to Islamic calender no two consecutive months would have 29 days. The last month we had 29 days and hence Ramadan should have 30 days.

More over its good thing that Eid is celebrated across the world through 3 days which is good that the celebrations remain for 3 days on the earth unlike other non muslim festivals.

ALLAH knows best !!!

I'm sorry to say but this 'moonsighting commitee' is in danger of becoming a joke, evey year is the same,'wait untill 3/4 of the world muslim popullation have decided when Eid is going to be and we'll do the opposite', the people of Scotland are patient and go along with this, but what is their reasoning behind it, they need to come out and say why these decisions are being made, not only are they making us a laughing stock around the world but more importantly making us SIN. Obviously somebody is wrong when our Umma are having Eid on 2 different days, so if were not allowed to fast on Eid because the shitan fast on Eid, then...work it out...somebody is fasting with brother iblis.

Again the muslims of this country can not celebrate Eid on the same day countrywide let alone worldwide and you wonder why other religions laugh at islam.

This is a joke! We in Kilmarnock are celebrating Eid today because Al Furqan made a decision and we had to arrange Eid Prayers according to their decision
.
Why did Al Furqan change their minds? This is a serious mistake or they had their arm twisted by other mosques either way they are fools!
Al Furqan have ruined our Eid. Thank you.
It's an insult to all of us that we all live on one island and we cannot celebrate Eid on one day. What a shame on us.
According to Islam if one sane person sights the moon it is good enough. Yet you have a moon sighting committe and still cannot get your houses in order!

S Mirza
Kilmarnock

How is this a political decision? Did you see a moon yesterday? i for one did not.

They did make a decision that Eid would be on Tuesday. It was announced on the radio plus the imam of that mosque was brought live on air and he gave the reasons as to why Eid should be held on a Tuesday.

I am disappointed in the double standards shown by the Muslims in the world who lead our communities.

On the one hand, Islam promotes science, education, logic, reason and constructive dialogue. There are many Muslims now who are highly skilled and educated professionals such as doctors who are now becoming leading academics. Even in others fields such as engineering and business, the intellect of many Muslims is starting to shine through, both locally and abroad. Why is it that when it comes to sighting the moon, or declaring Eid all this is lost, and people decide to follow another country for Eid which is many miles away that has made a decision without giving the evidence to support it? Subhanallah, we accept calculation when we say 2+2=4, but when we use astronomical calculation (which many of the early middle eastern muslims were pioneers in), it has no position in aiding and facilitating decisions?

Doesn't the above exmaple highlight a degree of hypocrisy in our practice, even though our religion is supposed to be a way of life for all times? What about our children who may be laughed and teased by thier classmates because of a split celebration of eid in the class?

Unitiy is important, and we can start in the UK by celebrating Eid on the same day. Afterall, the UK is supposed to be more organised and scientifically advanced countr compared to most. Shouldn't the Muslims also be a part of this? Imagine the benefit and insha allah the reward that could follow if we set this example?

Also, is blind following a good way to do Dawah, when so many books and people highlight logic and reason as strong points in Islam? What about the reverts, are we helping or hindering their Islam?

In any case, even if Saudi was to have Eid on one day, and the whole of the UK was to have Eid on the next, as long as their is a logical explanation for it, no one will dispute or indeed make a mockery, as some other communities may be doing at present? Afterall, we accept that there is an international dateline, where Fiji and Alaska are only a couple of hours apart in time, but a whole day apart on the calendar.

We are all accountable for our knowledge and what we did with it in front of Allah, so try rehearsing your answer now when Allah asks us why celebrated Eid on the 30th of Ramadhan.

At the End of the Day, we are all blind without Allah's mercy and guidance, so let us pray that in 12 months time if Allah blesses us with life till then, we are blessed with these needed attributes.

It was masjid farooq (dixon avenue mosque) that changed decision

I know many brothers and sisters are upset at the decision to make Eid one day or that day year in year out.

There will always be difference in the whole Ummah its the way Allah swt has created us.

Why are we fighting and having big debates over this issue. Why don't we have these debates about place of hands in prayer, gusl procedure, etc etc

Unity will never be achieved just look at the state of the um mah today where majority of so called Muslim countries have there alliance to the west.

Unity on the day of Eid could be acheived by the sahabas and early generation today people want to debate the day of Eid and they can't even get up for Fajr prayer, thats the times were living in.

So let Eid be 2 days. 2 Jummah more praise to Allah swt more time for non Muslims to see Muslims enjoy themseves.

Sorry my mistake.....smirza

Dear Brother/Sister,
The moonsighting commitee has to make the decision. This way to reach a decision in matters not clearly settled by God and His messenger is the principle of majority. In one Hadith, the Prophet (may God bless him evermore) is reported to have said:
"Follow the largest group" (Ibn Majah, on the authority of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar)
and "It is your duty to be with the community and the majority" (Ahmad ibn Hambal, on the authority of Mu'ad ibn Jabal)
Thus on questions relating to Eid days we should first determine the views held by a majority of (knowledgeable) persons in the community and then all of us should follow those views.
So it does not matter if you saw the moon or not.

Mr S Mirza

The decision to declare Eid causes disunity amongst Muslims, as such would the Prophet (pbuh) have evolved a different way to determine Eid (eg use of technology). There are many examples where he has changed during his lifetime.

One remains perpelexed why there is such opposition to relying on instrumentation to determine a new moon. It was our Islamic ancestors who, once were, the masters of knowledge (why are our current leaders afraid of it). What Islamic principle does this contravene. After all the hadith says seek knowledge even it lies in China (the question is knowledge of what?).

i dont think it is double standards. both positions (following far away countries and following local) are based on a particular school of thought which is derived from revelation and the way of the prophet (saw). calculation/science are just tools that aid these decisions, whether islamic law uses them at particular points and in particular ways it up to it.

There are factors in addition to whether the moon is (as proved by calculation) above those grey clouds of the UK. The ulema know this very well, they know this for 1400+ years and each such fiqh position (whether to follow local or far away sighting) has much reasoning behind it [subhanallah, muslims have traditionally been more careful about getting their religion right than scientists are about getting their science right]. Whether kids make fun of kids at school is immaterial, kids make fun of people with beards/hijabs/niqabs, we dont need to look for appreciation from people who dont have a clue. People need Islam, Islam doesn't need people.

Both sides - those who celebratd Eid on Tuesday and Wednesday - had dalaail(evidence). Both "sides" also have great ulama. Now unless you want to call any of those ulama liars or decievers- which is a great sin in itself - don't abuse the other side.

The Ulama in Glasgow came to a unanimous decision that Eid was on Tuesday (albeit one mosque who alhamdullilah, realised the effect that their decision would have on the community hence humbly joined in the eid celebrations on Wednesday), The committe consists of respectable, senior and pious Ulama who made this decision based on their knowledge. If a group of doctors disagree over something, no one, except those who can compete with them in their medicinal knowlegde, have a right to criticise them. If you have extensive knowledge on what's required to determine such a decision, then maybe you could disagree with them. If your knowledge is derived from merely reading something on the net, or merely "the moon was sighted in such and such a place so why aint we doing eid here" , then I know who I would rather follow.

And another thing, it wasnt Masjid Al-furqan. It was Masjid Al Faruq. Shows us how reliable second hand information really is.

The very first thing people must realize is,

in order to fast or make eid the most important factor is "RU'YAH" sighting! Seeing the moon with the naked eye!

The second thing people MUST realize is,

The moon is not visible all over the world.

The third thing people MUST realize is,

because of the combination of the first two points, the issue becomes very complicated.

As to why the moon is not visible all over the world, there are various reasons, two reasons that concern us in Glasgow are -

1. Weather, it could be hidden by clouds.

2. The moon setting before the sun (the new moon has to be viewed after the sun has set (sometimes the moon sets before the sunset and therefore is not visible)

Sometimes the moon sets a little while after the sun set (we are talking about minutes here), but is not visible as the moon and sun are very close together in the sky - this is what usually happens here in Glasgow. (sometimes this happens in other places and calculations are done or, sighting with use of some tools and equipment is done, these things are helpful, but remember the ruling above)

The common answer to the above is follow another country.

This is an extremely extremely complex problem.

1. Which country should we follow?
One may say Morocco, one may say Saudia Arabia, one may say another country,

2. What criteria should we use to decide which country to follow?

3. How do we know that country saw the moon or have used calculations to figure it out (which is common in many countries (including Islamic ones))

4. then there is issue amongst some that one should not follow any other city, let alone country!

This is just the tip of the iceberg! There is so much more! It's not as simple as just deciding a day, so many factors have to be put into the formula and the biggest variable is "the ego!" The "I am right and you are wrong" phenomena that sweeps these meetings! I have sat in a few of these meetings and my grandad has been studying this subject of "moon sighting" since the 70's!!!!!

It's not simple and one should just trust the Ulema, (albiet some who go to the meetings are not Ulema) follow your local mosque. If we have eid on two days, fair enough! It's two days! if someone in another country is tomorrow or yesterday or two days difference (yes sometimes there is a two day difference) just accept it and move one, it is not disunity, disunity is the fighting afterwards, the people insulting Ulema calling them a joke!!!!!!!

If you think you can do better, do so, go and study this and create your own sighting committee! then we will see unity in all it's colors!!!!

Aasim Azam