Morocco # English board

Islamic satellite will track the moon's tricky phases
April 25, 2005

Riyadh - Muslim countries are to use satellite technology to help in moon sightings, used to determine Islamic holidays.

The 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the world's largest Muslim body, plans to launch an $8-million satellite within two years to take pictures of the moon to calculate lunar calendar dates.

It says religious scholars will have access to accurate pictures of the shape of the moon instead of having to rely on naked-eye sightings, which have in the past created discrepancies between Muslim countries or mistakes.

"Hopefully the satellite will stop the problems associated with lunar sightings," OIC spokesperson Ahmed Imigene said yesterday.


A moon-sighting committee in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, frustrated millions of worshippers when it said it got the date wrong by a day for the peak of this year's hajj pilgrimage in January.

The OIC will fund the project, which was conceived by Cairo University's Space Science Centre.

But there is already some criticism of the idea from religious officials in Saudi Arabia.

"The shape of the moon has to be seen from the ground," reckons Osama al-Bar, the dean of the Institute for Hajj Research in Saudi Arabia. - Reuters

The dean of the Institute for Hajj Research in Saudi Arabia does not need a scientific mind to do his research. Satellites are interfering with God´s business. Just use your eyes and then you fantasy in order to be a muslim.Or
May be he is afraid satellite will make him loose his job.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2005 03:06 by Krim.

Dear Krim

It’s very good news.

I await this decision since a few years, but the problem is the radicals muslims which are against this progress.

friendly

Dear Moughrabi,
I am amazed that a so called dean of a so called research institut allow himself to do such a stupid statement. He does not need to be a space scientist, all what he needs is to think of cloudy days.
take care
Krim

lot of Saudi Arabia’s theological institute held by Salafists, which are against the progress of Islam.


I am sure that he never criticized the slave system of the immigrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

Salam all

It is a very good thing indeed! they should have thought about that years ago, but alhamdoulilah it's never too late!
Islam is not against progress, on the contrary, if it for the well being of religious matters , then it's encouraged. This "dean" should revise his statement before he gets fired...come to think about it...maybe he's afraid to be fired by the satellite! LOL