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Heba E. Husseyn
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« on: August 03, 2010, 07:37:23 pm »

 BismEm


I am quoting some basic excerpts from the article "An insight into moon sighting" by Haitham Al-Haddad.  The reason I'm quoting and responding to the theme of this article is to expose its folly, so that believers do not get misguided with incorrect information mentioned by Brother Haddad inadvertently.  His intention maybe right, but his analysis is not.

Quote
The issue of moon sighting has never been as divisive as it has become today. In the past, Muslim scholars agreed on a certain method to decide the start and end of the month of Ramadan. In the last few years, advancements in communications and media have turned the world into a small village creating a new context where matters concerning inter-countries relations are involved.
 
A second new context may also be related to the presence of many Muslims in countries that lack one single Muslim authority. Resultantly, readily understood issues related to a number of Islamic rituals have now become controversial and confusing. This confusion is further fuelled by the influence of a Western lifestyle upon Muslims; generally speaking, Muslims are often accused of being anti-Western or even unscientific in their spheres of life. This can influence them to react emotionally and unreasonably. One such observable sphere in which many Muslims have reacted in this manner is with regard to moon-sighting and the establishment of the start of the month of Ramadan, ‘Id al-Fitr and ‘Id al–Adha.

Unquote

All of the above is true, in that, this is what's happening.  However these are no good reasons for this constant confusion concerning moon sighting,  a confusion which is easily avoidable.  We will discuss it as we proceed.


Quote
Leaders or those in charge are commanded to employ one of two principles. The first is to sight the moon with the eye. The basis for this doctrine is numerous Prophetic traditions [ahadith]; Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet, may Allah praise and send peace and blessings upon him, said, ‘Fast when you see it (i.e., the moon) and cease fasting when you see it, and if it is hidden or cloudy, complete the counting of Sha'ban as thirty days.’ This hadith is agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim; similar authentic ahadith are also recorded. The second principle applies only in the absence of the first, which is to complete thirty days for the month of Sha’ban. The basis for this is also the previous hadith and many other similar statements. It is worth noting that the overwhelming majority of scholars unanimously agreed upon using these two principles. {quotes}Furthermore, it has been stated by a number of scholars that the overwhelming majority of scholars also agreed not to consider astronomy or calculations as a tool to confirm the beginning of Ramadan or ’Id.{/quotes}
 
Scholars who quoted this consensus include al-Jassas al–Hanafi1, al-Baji al-Maliki2 Ibn Rushd al-Maliki3, al-Subki al-Shafi’i4, Ibn Taymiyyah5, Ibn ‘Abidin Al-Hanafi6 and others. They added that the effective cause [‘illah, ratio legis] for confirming these events is the visual sighting of the moon or the completion of the month of Sha’ban. This means that the only basis for fasting is one of these two principles.

Unquote

As we can read for ourselves in the above passages, origins of both laws are revolving around the Hadith and the imaginary views of "scholars" that is, to either cite the moon personally/physically with one's bare eyes or simply take the new moon for granted to start the month of Ramadan after completing the preceding month of Shaban.   If good weather conditions allow us to cite the new moon physically with our eyes or binoculars or telescopes, that's fine.  Also, starting Ramadan automatically after completing 29 or 30 days of Shaban is okay.  However, more needs to be said on this moon sighting issue.
 
The point conveniently being missed out is the authority of the Noble Quran.  Nowhere does the Quran state that the moon must be sighted with one's naked eyes only.  That's because the Quran is a Book for all times to come and Allah Almighty is aware of the future.  Allah knew when He revealed the Quran that a time was coming in the future when sighting the new moon with one's naked eyes would no longer be the only method of determining it.  The  unnecessary confusing of moon sighting arises purely from the Hadith, which along with different sectarian rules is the core cause for the endless controversy that accompanies the task of sighting the moon.   My next explanation will clarify my meaning still better.


Quote
We can also say that we have two types of months; the first is the legal month, which is known as Ramadan and the second is the astronomical (scientific) one, which is the 9th month of the lunar calendar. All Islamic rulings are based upon the first month which may or may not coincide with the astronomical month. The latter has no significance in the eyes of the Shari’ah and hence no Islamic rulings are based on it. This means that we are dealing with two different spheres that have no connection with each other; the sphere which is defined by the Shari’ah and that which is defined by astronomy. Therefore, once the sighting of the moon is confirmed and accepted by the leader of Muslims or by the majority of Muslims then there is no need to investigate further let alone claim that the sighting was invalid or not possible due to astronomical calculations. Who has the authority to judge that it is wrong? Someone with astronomical facts? No, not at all, as the astronomical facts are dealing with a different type of month which is different from the one which governs the timings of certain acts of worship. Our month or field of discussion is something else. We are not denying the astronomical facts; rather we are not fasting the astronomical month.
Unquote

The issue of moon sighting has been totally misunderstood in the above passage.  It's not at all a matter of "astronomical" or "scientific" confirmation as  wrongly perceived by the author.   In fact, we don't need to embark upon 'astronomy.'  In Islam we follow the lunar calendar.  According to present technology, the correctness of the lunar sighting itself can be proven by the meteorological departments everywhere in the world, including all Muslim countries of course, which study  all weather conditions in the atmosphere.  Just as the meteorological departments carry out various weather forecasts for the information & convenience of people .. forecasts on rain, hurricanes, sandstorms, extreme cold or heat etc., they can also forecast when the new crescent is due to appear.  Sometimes the new moon (which appears in the shape of the finest crescent as the first day of every Islamic month) may not be clearly visible or may not be visible at all by bare eyes nor with the help of a binocular because of overcast sky or heavy rainfall.  But regardless of such cases, the weather department with its present technological knowhow can determine if the new moon has appeared on that particular night or not.  Therefore, let us thank Allah Almighty for giving humankind this benefit of acquiring accurate information on the appearance of the new moon.  Without the help and mercy of Allah, we would never be able to acquire this expertise.  It should lessen our dependency on the practice of trying to see the new moon with our bare eyes during difficult weather conditions or other situations which may obstruct the visibility of the new moon to be seen physically.   Most importantly, this method of sighting the moon is NOT against the dictates of the Noble Quran.  Therefore, it does not matter a bit if it's against the traditional practices of the man-written Hadith or "scholars."  It's pretty shocking to read the eagerness of the author talking about 'authorities' with references only to man-made laws by completely ignoring the main and real authority that matters, the Noble Quran.


You can read the rest of this article at the following site.   I didn't post the entire article  apart from the information already posted and responded to, because it's a long article and doesn't contain anything important apart from over-emphasis on human practices of moon sighting, ignoring the Quran. 
 
http://www.islam21c.com/islamic-law/964-an-insight-into-moon-sighting
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Zainab_M
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« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2010, 03:39:47 am »

Thank u sister Cat.  Indeed this is an endless confusion experienced almost every year at the start and finish of the month of Ramadan, and it's because of the influx of unwarranted traditional stories.  Different sects and sometimes different imams of the same sect use this issue to oppose each other.  Whatever one groups may say, the other will say the opposite.  You are right.  It's sad how we ignore the bounty of Allah through which He has bestowed on humankind the expertise to learn the method of studying the weather conditions and other factors in the atmosphere which make moon sighting a very straight foward task.  Yet, because of our own desires, we prefer to keep it complicated.
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« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2010, 03:31:12 pm »

You are welcomed my sis.  Let's pray and hope that the coming month of Ramadan is spared of this confusion, that the Ummah gathers some sense, returns to the Noble Quran and gives up its unnecessary practices. 
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« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2010, 01:20:39 am »

Exactly, I pray and hope for the same. 
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