The Crescent Moon of the Month of Rabi al-Awwal, 1445 A.H.

September 15, 2023

In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Announcement Concerning:

The Crescent Moon of the Month of Rabi al-Awwal, 1445 A.H.

 اضغط هنا لملاحظة بيان هلال شهر ربيع الأول ١٤٤٥ هـ

To the respected believers in North America,

Peace be upon you.

The Moon-Sighting Committee of the Council of Shia Muslim Scholars of North America announces that Sunday, September 17th, 2023 will be the first day of Rabi al-Awwal, 1445 A.H. for the entire region of North America.

This determination is based on the fact that there were no verified sightings of the crescent moon by the naked eye at sunset on Friday, September 15th, 2023 in any region of North America. Therefore, Saturday, September 16th, 2023, will be the last day of Safar, 1445 A.H. 

We ask God, the Most High, to accept your fasting, grant success in performing good deeds, and to hasten the Return of Our Master, Imam Mahdi (p). 

Moon-Sighting Committee
Sayyid M. Rizvi, Toronto, Canada
Sayyid Mehboob Mehdi Abidi, Chicago, Illinois
Shaykh Ahmad Bahrani, Potomac, Maryland
Shaykh M. Jafar Bangloori, Miami, Florida
Shaykh M. Taqi Zakeri, Springfield, Virginia 

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Important Islamic Events this Month:

(Click here for a note about varying dates for Islamic events)

• 8 Rabi al-Awwal (Sep. 24): Martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askari (p), 260 A.H.
• 12 Rabi al-Awwal (Sep. 28): The arrival of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) to Yathrib city (al-Madina) marking the start of the Islamic calendar.
• 17 Rabi al-Awwal (Oct. 3): Birth Anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp), 53 B.H.
• 17 Rabi al-Awwal (Oct. 3): Birth Anniversary of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (p), 83 A.H.
• 18 Rabi al-Awwal (Oct. 4): Establishment of Masjid al-Nabi in the city of al-Madina in the first Hijri year.

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Note:

• This announcement from the Crescent Committee is per the request of numerous community members across North America to help in identifying the beginning of the Hijri months.
• To learn about our basis for determining the beginning of lunar months and the theory about the unity of horizons, click here.
• To read Frequently Asked Questions about the Announcements of the Crescent Committee, click here.

The Moon-Sighting Committee was established during the seventh annual conference of The Council of Shia Muslim Scholars of North America, and has been providing monthly sighting announcements to the North American Shia Muslim communities since 2007. The Council adopts/renews its members on an annual basis.To learn about our basis for determining the beginning of lunar months and the theory about the unity of horizons, click here.