The Executive Committee of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council convened a significant meeting on Sunday, the 20th day of Sha’ban 1444 AH, corresponding to the 12th day of March 2023. This gathering brought together key stakeholders, including members of the Fatwa and Moon Sighting Committee, the Media Committee, and the regional chairpersons of the Council. The primary objective of this meeting was to deliberate on the approach adopted by the Supreme Islamic Council for moon sighting, aligning it with the sacred teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
Key Highlights from the Meeting:
Following a comprehensive and rigorous discussion, the attendees reached a consensus and passed the following resolutions:
The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council will actively promote the revival of the Sunnah of moon sighting, as urged by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ): “أحْصُوا هِلاَلَ شَعْبَانَ لِرَمَضَان,” which translates to “Count the crescent of the month of Sha’ban for Ramadan.” In line with this, the Council calls upon all Muslims in the Gambia to give special attention to moon sighting and to promptly communicate any sightings to their respective Regional and/or Fatwa and Moon-Sighting Committees.
Anyone who observes the crescent moon must immediately notify their imam and/or the members of the moon sighting Committee in their region, as listed in the pre-sent communication, to ensure timely announcements.
The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council will base its decision regarding moon sighting on the sightings in sub-regional countries, starting with the Gambia, and subsequently extending to other Muslim nations around the world.
Members of the Moon Sighting Committee will establish communication and cooperation with trusted and recognized religious institutions in neighboring countries to investigate crescent sightings.
The Gambia Supreme Islamic Council adopts the position of the Maliki school of thought (Madhab Imam Malik) regarding moon sighting. This choice aligns with the prevalent school of thought in the Gambia and the surrounding sub-region. Importantly, this stance mirrors the consensus among the majority of Muslim scholars.
The contact information for members of the regional chairpersons and the Fatwa and Moon Sighting Committee will be made readily available before the official announcement to facilitate effective communication within the community.
This communique underscores the commitment of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council to uphold the sacred tradition of moon sighting and to ensure that the community remains closely connected to the lunar calendar, in accordance with Islamic teachings.