Epigraph
And for the moon We have appointed stages, till it becomes again like an old dry branch of a palm-tree. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day. All of them float in an orbit. (Al Quran 36:40-41)
Source: The Huffington Post
By Munira Syeda: Blogger, Journalist
As a child, I have fond memories of making my way to Karachi’s rooftops and hunting for a new, barely-there crescent in the sky. Sighting the crescent meant Ramadan would start the next morning.
This beautiful tradition of moon-sighting has been carried on for over 1,400 years in the Muslim faith, and is rooted in a hadith (a saying) in which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) directed the faithful to view a new moon to mark the beginning and end of Ramadan.
However endearing, it is time for the American Muslim community to phase out moon-sighting and replace it with astronomical calculations as a standard to determine the annual Ramadan schedule (quick note: the Islamic calendar marks each new month with the advent of a new moon and is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar).
It is embarrassing to see, every year, a segment of the Muslim community start fasting on one day while the rest start a day later. I remember one year being particularly worse. There were three Ramadan start dates in one local Muslim community, which comprised a geographical span of no more than a few hundred miles. One group complied with calculations, another group followed Saudi Arabia, and the third followed what, I haven’t a clue.
With multiple start dates, we as Muslims neither feel nor appear united. Plus, the confusion — actually the unwillingness — of Muslims and our leadership to begin Ramadan and celebrate Eid on a single day across the nation contributes to frustration and discord in the community at one of the holiest times of the year.
On top of that, we are never quite sure how to explain to fellow Americans, a vast majority of whom have only some understanding of Islam, why we have two Eids at the end of Ramadan. That’s akin to celebrating two Christmases.
The debate over moon-sighting vs. calculation adherence is futile and unnecessary. It’s not as if our faith deems science as ungodly. The Quran is filled with verses urging the faithful to study, observe and apply knowledge for the betterment of humanity. For instance:
“It is He who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His signs in detail, for those who understand.” (10:5)
In other religious routines, Muslims embrace science without a hitch — we consult our instruments to help us pray on time, we consult our compasses to determine the direction of Ka’bah, and we use arithmetic to compute the annual zakat (alms-giving). But when it comes to wholesale acceptance of astronomical calculations, a significant segment of mosques and Muslims in the U.S. recoil.
This segment neglects the fact that astronomical computations, among other benefits, ensure the Muslim community properly takes time off for Eid, and for congregations to be able to organize Eid prayers effectively for the masses. Can any American mosque afford the “wait and see” approach to make Eid prayer arrangements the night before for several thousand of its worshippers?
Now, I understand all ethnic and religious communities harbor some level of disorganization. My community is known for it. But the split over calculations doesn’t make sense, religiously or otherwise. Indeed, it’s a Muslim problem, not an Islamic problem.
The Prophet was a forward-thinking man of his time, and he fully embraced the nature of the Islamic faith, which possesses an amazing ability to adapt to age and time without compromising on principles. If he were alive today, I don’t believe he would direct Muslims to make our lives unnecessarily burdensome by forgoing calculations in favor of moon-sighting.
The Muslim community, if united more on such core religious matters, would be better able to spend its limited resources tackling a plethora of key issues — fighting worrisome hate speech aimed at our faith, building stronger ties with other communities particularly the black community, expanding efforts to fight homelessness in our neighborhoods, and guiding our nation through the issue of immigration reform.
France’s Muslim heads earlier this year decided to adopt calculations as a standard to determine Ramadan dates. That’s real leadership.
American Muslims ought to give heed.
As for moon-sighting, let’s aim to preserve this beautiful tradition for future generations, but in an unofficial capacity.
Very well written article, just to clarify that my Muslim community adopts the calculation method, however, efforts are made to ensure that the calculations are based as a guideline to the actual source – the Moon.
Given the fact that the calculations have a 99% accurate success rate, it provides a greater platform for all Muslims. to unite on the same day to celebrate their festival.
What next? You would be asking to do away with Ramazan altogether. You fool, the 7-day week, and the Sun & the Moon have been created by Allah for our benefit. saudi Arabia follows the English Calendarin which the Amavasya is called the New Moon. How foolish because there is No Moon on that day. On that day the Moon is directly in front of the Sun. Saudi Sheikhs are not true Muslims if they observe the months without waiting to see the Moon. Even the Jews do not begin their religious holidays before seeing the Moon. It is haram to declare Eid without waiting for the Hilal to appear in the Eveenig Sky. I am steeped in Hindu Astrology. At one time the Arabs lead the world in Astronomy. Now they have become dependent on Calculations published in Western Nautical Almanacs. Better than you are the Jews and the Hindus who have some respect left for the heavenly bodies created by God. You want to be like Abraham who held his own Dad in contempt because he thought his Dad had started to worship the stars. If you do not believe in what you can see then how can you believe in the Unseen God? Happy Eid any way which is due on the 9th. btw this has also been ‘calculated’ by the Hindu Panchanga. Chandra Darshan is on 8th when the Moon has slightly moved away from the Sun.
Chris Mike, New Delhi
Christopher, the Islamic faith requires the sighting of the Moon, thus the day right after the New Moon phase is considered, not the New Moon itself. The article meant to demonstrate that more modern methods of observation can be taken to account, not merely observing with the naked eye. The article is a suggestion and not a distributor of change. Nothing is more certain than seeing something rather than inferring that it is there. An example of observing on cloudy nights is using astronomical observatories and their observations instead of relying on the naked eye. This would improve observing the Moon, not change the ruling on the start of Ramazan.
By the way, if someone does away with Ramazan, then they are no longer a Muslim because holding the fasts of Ramazan is mandatory for all Muslims and is a requirement of our faith. Keep your comments to yourself about Islamic Fiqh since you should go learn about it first before you attempt to speak about it. When a person speaks without knowledge it makes them look like a fool.
OK, thanks for the clarification.
Chris Mike, New Delhi
Three major mainstream Muslim organizations in US:
The Fiqah Council of Northern America
ISNA
ICNA
have all announced the celebration of Eud Ul Fitr and Eidul Adha ahead of time relying on published calendar.
Even as far back as 10 years they were opposing the Ahmadiyya approach but social and political situation now prevailing across the world have compelled them to come to their senses and accept the truth of modern science.
We should compile examples of where the Ahmadiyya Jama’at was first and others followed. The list will be long. (Translations of the Holy Qur’an included).
Similarly a list of ‘western laws’ that were in place in the Islamic law a long time ago, for instance ‘divorce’ but many others too…
In Islam moon has to be seen with Naked eye in order to start new month.. thats it!
Even though it is reported that the prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s. had advised to start fasting by seeing the moon (I would call it Crescent), the exact words of that hadith should be checked, There was no other sensible way to know the appearance of the new moon in those days.
Now some one is suggesting that moon must be seen with naked eye. But looking through the telescope is no more seeing through naked eye.
Telescope is an instrument being used. So is a Camera and computer which should be used. Why not calculate the age of the new moon and a reasonable figure agreed upon for all Muslims? It will be a good method to bring peace and unity among all Muslims.
The Egyptians follow a pre-calculated Hijra Calendar for the whole year. The Saudis normally keep observing moon in the morning (DAWN) and they have a method of declaring new moon. They do not observe in evening like it is done in India/ Pakistan.
We should wisely use the words of the prophet s.a.w.s. and not to follow them literally at all times. Otherwise, it would mean that any one who had not seen the new moon personally with his own naked eye, he/she will not observe ( SAUM ) fasting. The words of the prophet s.a.w.s. should be interpreted wisely. It is same rule for the understanding of the Quran.
the congregation of the muslim communities takes precedent over fiqh issues.
hence if the majority and the community leaders follow the moon sighting method then the muslim community should agree with them since its based upon the quran, sunnah and the madhabs.
none of the madhabs left moon sighting for calculations.
but if the majority follow the calculation then follow the majority. the rule is that unity is more important than fiqh issues that have 2 valid positions
With reference to the subject what I have to present is the basic principle of Islam ie.keep away with increase in “Haram” [ ziyaadathum fil kufr ]For this all the Muslims in the world have to follow The position of the moon in Mecca’s Sky. The Prophet [s] have guided the man kind how to calculate the Islamic months until the resurrection of the world.One of them is the sighting of the moon with naked eye because there was no other way for the Muslims of the 6th century because of their illiteracy in Astronomy[go through the wordings of the Hadees] Likewise Prophet instructed his followers to measure the shadow of the sun fixing a stick in the ground to decide the Prayer times.After more than one thousand years the watch was invented and Muslims started using watches to perform aadaan. Prophet also instructed to calculate the prayer time by calculation when dajjaal comes because the maximum length of a day at that time will be one year.Today we have places in the earth where the sun sets after four months.How can we the Muslims sight the moon these days?Remember the Latest example happened in Kiruna in Sweeden.A group of Seven hundred Muslims have arrived in this Arctic land from Syriya.No singhting of the moon is possible there because the sun which raised in 28th May will be in sky for fifty days where the holly ramazan passes in between.So only the calculation method is helpful for not happening the “ziyaadathun fil kufr” We can very well have an Astronomical calculation from the holly Quraan and I am ready to present it if needed.
Abdul latheef P.C.Kerala India