Assalamu alaikum!

Peace be upon you my dear readers. Every year I hope to see the new moon of Ramadan. There is something magical about being able to spot the new moon in the few minutes that thin crescent will be visible before it sets a few minutes after the sun. So this year for the first time I formed my own ‘hilal’ committee (hilal is the arabic word meaning ‘thin crescent’) and drove out to try to see the moon from various good vantage points in the city. Why you ask, did I not do this before? Well, Vancouver is not unfamous for its rain, and indeed this is a rare year where we have had blue skies running the past few weeks. Below are some pictures…unfortunately the blue skies gave way to sunset time cloud cover over the horizon so I did not spot the moon the first night, instead caught a beautiful sunset

 

 

The second night, I did see it and glory be to God, it was beautiful! But I could not get a picture, for by the time I reached a place I could park the car the moon had gone behind cloud. I spotted it in a teeny glimpse while driving and it was magical. I wish I could have shared that with you.

But what I can share is this picture; of the hilal of the third night of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah! What a feeling to witness it and know one is in the blessed month. To gaze at that moon and know it was the same moon that saw the beloved prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) watching it so many centuries ago. Our beloved, the prophet (peace be upon him) used to make a beautiful supplication or ‘du’a’ when he saw the moon. I repeat it as do many Muslims. He is reported to have said;

‘O Moon, as you do worship God, so do I’

 As we believe, every natural object is in a constant state of worship, simply by virtue of fulfilling its natural laws and purpose if not by more.

And O Moon, as you do worship God, so do I! May the peace and blessing of this blessed month continue to envelope you.