In his article published in October 2005, a London based editor of a Urdu daily has criticized the practices of Saudi Authorities for determining Islamic dates and  in an attempt to justify regional moon sighting for determining Islamic date he wrote, " Firstly, if Allah had willed that Muslims all over the world should celebrate Islamic festivals on the same day, then he would have made the day and night at the same time everywhere. But he has made the day and night each for half the world." 

The fallacy of this argument becomes obvious when we consider the time difference between places like Karachi, Mecca, London and Houston (USA). Juma prayers are offered every Friday first in Karachi than in Mecca, London and Houston with a difference of 3 to 15 hours or so. Therefore the  time difference for Eid prayers should not be allowed to go beyond that what is experienced every Friday. But due to the 
mistaken belief in regional moon sighting, the gap of  more or less 24 to 48 hours occurs in Eid  prayers timing, which is much more than earth's rotation time. 

It is simply illogical that the whole of Thursday be 29th Ramzan 1426 AH in Karachi, London, Houston etc. but the whole of Thursday be First of Shawwal in Mecca or vice versa. If we read the verses in Holy Quran relating to months, moon and sun we find that they are mere aids for our calendaring. 

What is more illogical is the fact that we observe the birth and death anniversaries of Holy Prophet (sws) by Hijri dates but on different weekdays and new months and years under Islamic Hijri calendars begin on different weekdays in different regions. 

Because of the practice continuing for the last 13 centuries the majority of Muslim have the mistaken belief that sighting of crescent- in our own region- is necessary to determine if a month under Hijri calendar has ended on 29th day. But the fact remains that Holy Quran does not make it necessary to see the moon every  month. It merely describes sun and moon as signs for counting dates and time i.e. basing calendar on lunar cycle. 
See Quranic verses  2:189, 10:5  and  9:37 

The following verses also make a mention of moon, sun and months.
002.185; 055.005; 036.037; 036.038; 036.039; 036.040; 009.036 and 009.037; 010.005 and 054.001

Hadiths about moon sighting have been interpreted without appreciation of realities of that time and the reasoning behind them. A few from Sahih Bukhari are mentioned below.

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 131:  Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: 
Allah's Apostle said, "The month (can be) 29 nights (i.e. days), and do not fast till you see the moon, and if the sky is overcast, then complete Sha'ban as thirty days." 

(Like most other Hadiths this one does not show the date, occasion and to whom the advise was given and whether it was meant for the entire Ummah for  all times to come.) 

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 132: Narrated Ibn 'Umar: 
The Prophet said, "The month is like this and this," (at the same time he showed the fingers of both his hands thrice) and left out one thumb on the third time. 

Volume 3, Book 31, Number 133: Narrated Abu Huraira: 
The Prophet or Abu-l-Qasim said, "Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwal), and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha'ban."

The practice of forming Central Ruiyet Hilal committee is negated by such Hadiths specially in those countries where different time zones exist and the use of Hijri calendar for global affairs is made impracticable and we have stopped using it for various social and business purposes. But we do celebrate birthdays or death anniversaries of Holy Prophet and Hazrat Ali according to Hijri calendar on different weekdays in different countries. 

In many sayings of Holy Prophet and verses of Holy Quran we find similes and allegories have been used For instance: Heaven is below the feet of mother, pay the wages of a laborer before his sweat has dried, hold fast the rope of Allah etc. In all such Hadiths relating to moon sighting the reference to seeing the moon is akin to consulting the lunar calendar. This contention is supported by the facts:
 

• That Fatmid caliphs abandoned the practice the seeing the moon every month and started relying on the lunar calendar to maintain uniformity in their vast empire. 
• The other rulings in different sects are contradictory or based on personal opinions and conclusions. For instance Imam Shafayee's ruling that a moon sighting within 24 Farsaskh (about 20 km) is good enough even if the moon is not seen in other towns.
• There were no printed calendars and watches at the dawn of Islam the prayer timings were determined by watching the shadows. The concept of hour and seconds had not developed and printing machine had not been invented and means of communication had not developed. 
• The following Hadith indicates the reason for the advice and also that all such advices about calendaring were addressed to people of that time.

•  The Islamic Calendar, which is based purely on lunar cycle, was introduced in 638 C.E. by the second Caliph, `Umar ibn Al-KHaTTab (592-644 C.E.). He  rationalized the various, at times conflicting, dating systems used during his time. The actual starting date for the Calendar was chosen (on the basis of purely lunar years, counting backwards) to be the first day of the first month (1 MuHarram) of the year of the Hijrah marking the migration of the Prophet Muhammad (sws) from Makkah to Madinah in September 622 C.E. 
• The problem in Hijri calendar is whether a month comprises 29 or 30 days.  That should not be difficult to solve as the advanced technology measures that more accurately than humans could. However, the Arab astronomer Albairooni is credited with solving the problem few centuries ago. 

It appears that Saudis like some Egyptians do not follow the Egyptian calendar and they had  developed their own calendar and now they have started adjusting it every month and their contention is that visibility of new moon in Saudia is prescribed. However, the proponents of separate dateline for lunar Hijri calendar do not agree with making Mecca as the point for lunar date line as the moon can appear in other parts of the globe earlier, It takes about 12 to 15 hours for the new moon to become visible all around the globe with certain exceptions like weather conditions etc.

Prayer Timings and Rotation of Days and Months
The argument, which is usually advanced is that since prayer timings differ the celebration of Eid or Ramzan fasting etc. can also differ. This argument is valid only for a gap of 12 hours or so when earth rotation is complete. It is not valid for a gap of one or more weekdays. It is illogical that Thursday be First of Shawal in Saudi Arabia but in Karachi Thursday remains 29th Ramzan even though Thursday had started in Karachi 
about 3 to 4 hours earlier. 

The fact is that prayer timings are regional and weekdays (including Juma), months (including Ramzan) and years are global. OIC has been trying in vain for the last several years to find consensus on uniformity in onset of new months with weekdays. 

For the last several centuries millions of Muslims may have deviated from the course advised by the Holy Prophet but that they are doing it under the advice of their leaders and the sin, if any lies on the shoulders of their rulers or the rulers of Saudi Arabia who allegedly make millions of Muslim perform Hajj etc. on the dates which may be not exactly in accordance with the advice of Holy Prophet. That makes many believe that the communities that go strictly by Egyptian calendar and do not think it necessary to go through the ritual of moon sighting every month - do maintain uniformity in their ranks better than other communities and they take care of their poor and needy in much better way than most us. From charitable hospitals established by them many of us draw benefits.

However, the criticism of Saudi practice of declaring Islamic dates appears to be based on facts and bodies like OIC should try to persuade Saudis to involve other Muslim countries in committees for adjustment of dates once a year or more instead of every month and that calendar should be globally be used. 

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Paklink eDigest has summarized different views in the following articles and hopes that OIC may be able to solve the problem of different dates under Hijris calendar occurring on different  weekdays in different countries and even communities.

Is Moon sighting necessary? If yes where? 
See article at http://www.netvert.biz/paklink/articles/eid.html

How to maintain Uniformity in dates under Hijri Calendar? 
http://www.netvert.biz/paklink/articles/islamic-calendar.html

Hijri calendar's History and usage 
http://www.netvert.biz/paklink/articles/HijriCalendar.html

The moon sighting suspense
Comments on  a seminar organized jointly by the Pakistan  Academy of Sciences, the ministry of religious affairs, 
http://www.netvert.biz/paklink/articles/moon-suspense