Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

On the evening of Tuesday November 17, 2009 (Dhil Qa'adah 29, 1430 AH) there was no verifiable physical moon sighting report from anywhere in North America.

This report has prompted several communities and organizations to complete the 30 days of Dhil Qa'adah. Their decision is based on the criterion of contiguous (mainland) USA and Canada to be one Matla.

This position was agreed upon by an overwhelming majority of Muslims of various schools of thought after long deliberations.

However several groups of Muslims who believe in sighting moon versus calculating as the basis of the beginning of an Islamic month have accepted multiple moon sighting reports from Trinidad ( outside of contiguous (mainland) USA and Canada widely agreed to be forming one Matla) on Tuesday evening (November 17) and have declared Wednesday November 18 to be the first day of Zil Hijjah and Friday November 27 to be first day of Eid-ul-Adha.

We humbly urge Muslims to hold firmly to their agreements and decisions by always keeping in mind the most precious advice of our Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: “Leave that which causes you doubt for that which eradicates doubt.”

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