AMMAN — The Kingdom’s Grand Mufti Ahmad Hasanat on Tuesday announced that Thursday will be the first day of the holy month of Ramadan for the Hijri year 1447, after the crescent moon was not sighted on Tuesday evening, at an event organised by the Department of Iftaa to sight the Ramadan crescent at the King Hussein Bin Talal Mosque.

 

Hasanat said that the Iftaa, Research and Islamic Studies Council reviewed the results of both Sharia and astronomical observations conducted in cooperation with relevant authorities. Consequently, Wednesday will be the final day of the month of Shaban, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

 

Grand Mufti extended his deepest congratulations to His Majesty King Abdullah, HRH Crown Prince Hussein, the Hashemite family, and the Jordanian people on the occasion of the holy month. He prayed for Ramadan to bring goodness and blessings to Jordan and the Arab and Islamic nations.

 

The Iftaa Council, established under the 2007 Iftaa Law and comprising 11 scholars and jurists headed by the Mufti, is the sole authority designated to confirm the sighting of the Ramadan crescent and other lunar months.

 

In its decision-making, the Council relies on criteria including the birth of the crescent before sunset on the 29th day (sighting day) and its setting after sunset. It also considers astronomical conditions such as the moon’s altitude, elongation, and illumination, in addition to actual physical sighting via the naked eye or modern equipment within Jordan or a country sharing part of the night with the Kingdom.