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ACJU under a cloud over moon sighting
View(s):The All Ceylon Jamiathul Ulema (ACJU), once at the centre of a nationwide controversy over halal certification, is now engulfed in a bigger controversy within the Muslim community. This time it was over the sighting of the new moon on Wednesday night to enable Muslims in Sri Lanka to celebrate the Eid festival on Thursday or whether the fast should continue on its 30th day so Eid festival would be on Friday.
Like in the past, the practice is for ACJU branch organisations or Muslims throughout Sri Lanka who with the naked eye sight the moon to inform the Colombo Grand Mosque. That is where the ACJU hierarchy waited for intimation so the sighting, after authentication by witnesses, could be announced over the radio and television channels. All the mobile phone numbers of those concerned have been given to the branches.
A.M. Inayathullah, President of the Kinniya Branch of the ACJU told the Sunday Times, “the new moon was sighted in four different locations in the area at 6.28 p.m on Wednesday.” He said, “I went around from place to place and obtained authentication from others who had sighted it. Thereafter we had a meeting and decided unanimously to inform the Grand Mosque in Colombo where the Ulemas (theologians) had gathered.” After a first intimation to Colombo, he had sought more authentication.
Mr. Inayathullah complained that when attempts were made thereafter to reach those who had to be informed, “all of them had switched off their mobile phones. By then, it was after 8 p.m.” Hence Muslims in Kinniya and the neighbouring villages celebrated Eid on Thursday.
ACJU President Rizvy Mufti who faced a string of accusations during the halal certification issue told the Sunday Times, “Our members had to fulfil different criteria so they could accept a moon sighting.”
He claimed that “the Meteorological Department had declared that the visibility of the new moon would not be possible due to prevailing weather conditions on Wednesday night. Therefore we could not accept the claim by our Kinniya branch members,” he added.
However, Mohamed Faleel of Dehiwala countered Rizvi Mufti’s claim. He told the Sunday Times, “In the past, the ACJU has always been guided by new moon sightings by their membership. This was the case even last year. This time, for some strange reason, it was being guided by the Meteorological Department projections.”
During sermons he delivered at Friday Jumma and Eid prayers, Rizvi Mufti defended the ACJU decision. He claimed they were right.
However, for the first time, there were Mulsim households in Colombo where some continued their fast on Thursday while others celebrated Eid. An irate Muslim, a devout follower who did not wish to be identified, added, “the ACJU has also now been politicised.
We may all have to now depend on the Met Department’s forecast to begin the holy month of Ramadan and decide on when the Eid would be celebrated.” Even the efforts of some Muslim ministers to persuade the ACJU failed.
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