As practiced over 1,000 years ago, Muslims in the Philippines will scan the sky today just minutes before the setting of the sun to look for the new crescent moon that ushers in the holy month of Ramadan. The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) said yesterday it will deploy for the task its National Moon-sighting Committee (NMSC) nationwide.

Start of Ramadan hinges on moon sighting today - Yahoo! News Philippines: "Ustadhz Esmail Ebrahim, NCMF commissioner and NMSC chairman, said the commission will also coordinate with the Islamic Houses of Opinion (Darul Iftah) in Mindanao on the moon-sighting's results.''We will then be able to say by Monday night, based on the 'fatwa' (opinion or ruling) of the 'ulama' (religious leaders), on when is the first day of Ramadan,'' said Ebrahim.Sighting the new moon, he said, takes place just minutes before sunset." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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