Announcement (30/10/08)Our selves and Many people in other parts of UK have attempted to sight the Hilal of Zil Qa'dah, but were unable to so, nor did we receive news of reliable sighting from any where else, hence the Wifaq ul Ulama announces that Thursday 30th of October 2008 shall be the 30th of Shawwal 1429 AH in UK and 1 Dhul Qa'dah 1429 AH will be on Friday, 31 October 2008

News (29/10/08) On Wednesday 29 October 2008, corresponding to 29 Shawwal 1429 AH, I and a scientist colleague of mine have tried to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) from York after the Magrib (sunset) prayer to practice upon the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (S). The sky was overcast with patchy-clouds on the left side of the sunset position and so it was not possible to sight the Hilal by the naked eye or binoculars (Bessel 10x50).

Many people in other parts of UK have also attempted to sight the Hilal, but they could not do so either. Furthermore, we have been unable obtain any reliable Hilal sighting news from any countries in the east of UK either (as per the criteria adopted in UK).

Therefore, the Ulama (including Wifaq and Batley) have decided that tomorrow, Thursday 30 October 2008 shall be 30 Shawwal 1429 AH in UK and 1 Dhul Qa'dah 1429 AH will be on Friday, 31 October 2008 (completing 30 days of the month), Insha-Allah.

Qamar Uddin, York (UK). Dated: 29 October 2008, 19:30 GMT hrs.

Two of us attempted to perform the sighting tonight for the Dhul Qa'dah crescent in Oxford on 29 Shawwal, Wednesday 29 October, immediately after Maghrib prayers at the usual site. The local horizon is cloudy and the new crescent could not be sighted. By 'Isha time there were no reports of any credible sighting east of our location; rather, we received news of negative sightings in Morocco, South Africa, and Indonesia. Therefore, we should be completing 30 days [istikmal] for Shawwal, so the first day of Dhul-Qa'da should fall in the UK on Friday 31, October (beginning from Maghrib, 30 October).

Dr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti - Oxford UK.