Malaysia’s Ramadan Moon-sighting Practice Now An International Reference - Zulkifli Hassan

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- The practice of sighting the new moon or hilal to determine the start of the Ramadan fasting month, as carried out by Malaysia, has now become a reference at the international level.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hassan said the recognition is due to the systematic and authoritative approach that integrates ilmu falak syarie (Islamic astronomy) with modern technology, in addition to the consistent and high-standard implementation of moon-sighting observations nationwide.

“Malaysia is known for high-quality hilal sighting and has become a reference for several foreign countries. Many refer to the observations we carry out, and some even regard our observations as the best.

“This shows that the development of the country’s talent and expertise in Islamic astronomy is proven,” he told Bernama at the official Ramadan New Moon Sighting 1447 Hijrah ceremony organised by the Mufti of Federal Territory Department (JMWP) here last night.

Zulkifli said the sighting was carried out at 29 locations from Sabah to Perlis, thus proving the government’s determination to ensure that the early determination of Ramadan is done systematically, transparently and based on recognised methods.

He said the strengthening of the country’s knowledge of Islamic astronomy is further reinforced through strategic collaboration with several institutions of higher learning, including Universiti Malaya and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. 

“Alhamdulillah, the development of Islamic astronomy in our country is very good. In universities, and even in terms of technology, we are integrating Islamic astronomy with other fields of knowledge and technology. The ‘Imkanur Rukyah’ approach, which is a combination of physical sighting (rukyah) and astronomy calculation (hisab), shows the compatibility between traditional Islamic disciplines and current scientific advances,” he said.

Meanwhile, JMWP Falak committee member Ts Shahrin Ahmad said the use of various high-precision optical instruments helps elevate the accuracy of sighting data, including high-powered telescopes mounted on computerised ‘mount’ systems, high-resolution CCD cameras to capture images of the new moon and specialised astronomy software to accurately calculate the positions of the moon, sun and elongation angle.

“We no longer rely solely on the naked eye. Technologies like automatic tracking systems and image analysis software help ensure that sighting data are more accurate and can be verified.

“The use of this technology also allows sighting data to be coordinated in real time with the control centre before an official report is submitted to the relevant authorities for announcement. The combination of local Islamic astronomy expertise and technological sophistication makes Malaysia one of the countries with a reliable ‘hilal’ observation system in the region,” he said.

Federal Territories Mufti Ahmad Fauwaz Fadzil, meanwhile, said the new moon sighting ceremony is an important moment that underscores the government’s concern for the religious obligations of Muslims. 

“This decision affects millions of Muslims and, as such, it is carried out with full trust and responsibility,” he said.

-- BERNAMA