السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Due to a lack of reliable moon sightings in North America, and in compliance with our criteria, the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake will complete 30 days of Ramadaan. Thus, there will be taraweeh prayers tonight, and Eid will be on Tuesday, July 29, 2014*.

There will be two programs, an early program for those who must work and/or go to school, and another for families:

Working/Students Program: begins at 7:00 am

Family Program: begins at 9:00 am

JazakumAllah khair.

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 Update: In the interest of avoiding last-day-of-fasting bickering, comments will be posted and responded to after Eid. Please do understand that your comments are appreciated. Thank you.

* There are lots of discussions/inquiries with people confused as to why Eid is not on Monday. So in an attempt to clear up some of the confusion:

• It was scientifically impossible for the moon to have been sighted in North America today. Scientific impossibility does not mean that there is zero chance, for nothing is impossible for Allah to make happen when and as he pleases.
• Thus, going out to look for the moon is a Sunnah practice to uphold regardless of statistical probabilities. And, alhamdulillah, many Muslims in Salt Lake City and across the United States did turn out to look for the crescent.
• However, as with many things scientific, the probabilities can line up with actual happenings, and this was such a case. Had there been reliable sightings, the testimonies would have certainly been accepted. Unfortunately, there were not.
• The website moonsighting.com has a very informative map showing the regions of the world in which the crescent would have been visible, on July 27, 2014, with and without optical aid. We urge you to take a look at the map, and draw your own conclusions, as intelligent beings, about whether or not the crescent could reliably be seen. As stated at moonsighting.com:

“Moon is not expected to be seen in almost the whole world except with difficulty in South America, and with ease in Polynesian Islands, where there are not many Muslims reporting moonsighting. There is small possibility in South Africa but only experienced observers may see it.”

• Do consider that testimonies in North America were sparse to non-existent. Under our criteria of Jaame Ghafeer, it was impossible to accept a Ramadaan of 29 days. InshaAllah, this one more day of fasting can be a blessing for us all rather than a source for bickering.