Saudi Scholars Threaten To Sue Astronomer Who Questioned Date For End of Ramadan

Arab News reported Saturday that in Saudi Arabia, a number of conservative scholars have threatened to sue scientist-astronomer Khaled Al-Zaaq for questioning the testimony of those who say they sighted the new moon ending Ramadan on August 29.  The Hilal (crescent moon) panel accepted their testimony and declared the end of the Ramadan fast on that day.  Al-Zaaq claims that the moon could not have been sighted on the 29th because it had eclipsed before sunset. The Grand Mufti in his Friday sermon in Riyadh said that those who question the witnesses' veracity were "motivated and deviated people with foul mouths."