Methodology of the Muslim Community of Folsom (MCF) for Establishing Ramadan and ʿEid

To determine the beginning of the Islamic months, MCF adheres to the following methodology:

1. Local Sighting: If the new crescent (hilāl) is physically sighted in Folsom on the evening of the 29th of Shaʿbān, the following day will be declared the first day of Ramadan.
2. ⁠Validated Global Sighting (via AMJA): If the crescent is not sighted locally, MCF will adopt any valid national or international sighting that is officially accepted by the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA). In this case, the following day will also be the first day of Ramadan.
3. ⁠Completion of the Month: If there is neither a confirmed local sighting nor a global sighting accepted by AMJA, the subsequent day will be counted as the 30th of Shaʿbān, and Ramadan will officially commence the day after.

This framework is derived directly from the explicit command of the Prophet (ﷺ):

“Fast when you see it [the crescent], and break your fast when you see it. If it is obscured to you, then complete thirty days.” (Agreed Upon)

As a local congregation, our primary responsibility is to act upon this command within our own vicinity. However, because the prophetic directive is ultimately addressed to the Muslim ummah, valid and verified sightings from other regions remain legally sound and are accepted when a local sighting is not possible.

MCF Imams
Zahed Fettah
Yousef Hussin

FAQ

Question regarding fasting on 2/18/26:

How is it possible that only Saudi Arabia sighted the moon and no one else in the world? Is this sighting valid if astronomers deem it unviable?

Alḥamdulillāh, over twelve countries are fasting today, Wednesday, February 18, 2026. These include Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Lebanon, Palestine, Bahrain, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and others. Several of these nations—such as Yemen, Sudan, and Nigeria—confirmed sightings independently, while others accepted the sightings of neighboring countries.
However, Saudi Arabia often receives the most attention due to political biases and public controversies. In Saudi Arabia, sighting claims are presented to the Supreme Court, which comprises over ten Islamic judges specializing in Fiqh, who then issue a decision. It is not permissible to publicly cast doubt upon the sound judicial process of one country, let alone more than twelve countries that make decisions under the guidance of their senior scholars and judges.

The senior Mufti of AMJA, Dr. Ṣalāḥ al-Ṣāwī, stated that he contacted the Shāfiʿī Mufti of Somalia, who confirmed that they dispatched trustworthy individuals who sighted the moon last night. He also spoke to Yemeni officials who verified their own independent sighting. The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) confirmed the same in Nigeria. Additionally, AMJA contacted expert astronomers who confirmed that while sighting is extremely difficult, it is not entirely impossible in all regions.

It is therefore impermissible to generate discord and doubt among Muslims regarding their worship. In fact, the Ḥanafī, Mālikī, and Ḥanbalī schools consider it obligatory for all Muslims to fast if just two reliable witnesses sight the moon. Therefore, the testimony of dozens of individuals in several regions, as was the case yesterday, is certainly accepted. Those who adopt local sighting are also following a valid opinion. Consequently, every Muslim should follow their local community or country with full confidence that they are fulfilling the command of Allāh.

Alḥamdulillāh, this has been the advice of leading scholars around the world for decades, but social media chaos, even from those who are sincere, often leads to confusion for some people, thus the need to clarify this matter repeatedly and sufficiently.

Zahed Fettah
Folsom, CA