The Juristic Office of the Institution of His Eminence, the late Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah (ra), issued a statement concerning the beginning of the month of Shawwal 1444H. Following is the text of the statement:
The new crescent (central conjunction) for the month of Shawal, 1444H will be born on Thursday April 20, 2023 at 04:12(GMT) that is 07:12 Beirut summer time.
Picture1|20-4-2023
As noticed in the picture above, sighting on Thursday evening by the naked eye is easy in the regions painted green. It can also be sighted if the weather is clear and provided the viewer is experienced in most of North and Central America and a small part of South America. It can also be seen by the armed eye in some of the regions of South America and Africa.
Therefore, Friday, the 21st of April is the first day of Shawwal (Eid al-Fitr), according to the jurisprudential opinion of His Eminence the late Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (ra) who deems it enough to sight the crescent, whether by the naked eye or by the aid of telescopes, in any region with which we share a part of the night. Moreover, there is no difference between the western and eastern parts of the globe, since they both share parts of the night with the regions of sighting.
Picture2 | 21-4-2023
May Allah, The Most Exalted, make it a blessed Eid for the Muslim nation, accept our fast and prayers include us among the winners of His satisfaction and Paradise, relieve our nation from its misfortunes, and triumph them over their enemies. May the Eid return on the Muslims with good and blessings.
We pray that Allah, The Most Exalted, to render it a month of blessings and mercy, and to bless us and grant us success to fast it and make us among its guests and to end it with forgiveness mercy and acceptance. We ask Him to bless the Muslims and unite their word and enable us to defeat our enemy. He is the most Merciful.