Eclipse, Eid and start of new month Shawwal

Given there is a solar eclipse at the end of Ramadan would the scholars consider that seeing it occur is seeing new moon? Or must the crescent be sighted?

Waalaykumussalam,

This is a good question. The solar eclipse at the end of Ramadan has exactly the same rulings as at any other time of the year and the new crescent is neither relevant to them, nor at all perceivable in a solar eclipse. The rulings of the eclipse take primacy because of the brevity of the phenomenon in sha Allah and because it is diurnal. People must head for the mosques and start praying in congregation as soon as its starts and until it ends with abundant Qur’an and duaa. This is the most emphasized Sunna prayer of all in the above modalities, even more than Tarawih and Eid. Then, if Allah grants life and after sunset on the same day, the crescent of the new moon should be searched for in the sky as usual on the 29th of Ramadan. And Allah knows best.

Hajj Gibril Haddad