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Towards the Unity of the Muslim Ummah
Astronomical
Lunar Date Line (ALDL)
Islamic
Jurisprudence (shar’i)
and Scientific Perspective
Mustafa
A. Ahmed, Ph.D.
For
Arabic version please press here
Determination of the lunar calendar should not
constitute a reason for conflict amongst Muslims.
Since there is no dispute with regard to the
practical implementations associated with this issue,
such as the rituals of fasting the month of Ramadan,
paying the zakah
upon completion of the year, or performing Hajj during
specific months. The
determination of the month’s beginning with certainty
is a scientific issue.
The capacity of people to determine it will vary
according to the level of their knowledge, which in
turn, will vary from one group of people to another, and
generation to the next.
Nevertheless, this case is similar to the
determination of the qiblah
direction at a specific location on earth.
There is no dispute with regard facing al-Masjid
al-Haram during our prayers.
The methods associated with calculating the
position relevant to a geographical location, is clearly
a scientific issue left to be determined by the
professionals, such as geographers, navigators, and
astronomers. As
long as an individual has done their best to know the
location of the qiblah, their prayer will be valid, even
if they have faced a wrong direction; since Allah (swt)
will not burden a soul beyond it’s own limits.
Similarly, a person’s fasting will be valid
even if we failed to realize the accuracy of the
existence of the moon.
A
consensus should exist among Muslims, at least for those
who are living at the same town or country, concerning
adopting a specific rule to unite their view about the
beginning of the new month.
Either they will reach the reality or they miss
it, their rituals are valid.
Unity itself is a shar’iah
objective, since the day of fasting is day in which the
Muslims collectively should begin their fasting, and the
day of Eid is the day in which they collectively break
their fast. The
unity is explicitly stated in
hadith of Prophet alayhis-salam,
and the rituals are accurate without dispute, even for
those who are certain of the error of the decision taken
by the people of authority among them. Nevertheless,
even for those who have accurate scientific knowledge,
they should be ready to give up the results of their
knowledge and sacrifice their personal opinions for the
sake of unity of the Muslim Ummah
if can be accrued through other opinion..
The
Shari’ah passages (Qur’an and Sunnah) direct us, as
Muslims, to consider the calculations in order to
realize the positions of the sun and the moon to
determine such rituals as the time of prayer and fasting
among others. In
the event that calculation methods are not available, we
are then directed to consider the sighting of the sun
and its shades and sighting the new moon for the
appropriate time determinations.
However, such permission is negated now due to
our certain knowledge of astronomical calculations
regarding both the sun and the moon.
Additionally, with the advent of
telecommunications, it makes the spread of information
easier between the scientists, Islamic scholars and the
Ummah, thus unifying us more.
It
was clearly pointed out by the earlier Muslim scholars
starting from the time of tabi’in
that the astronomical calculations is the speech of the
Shari’ah (taklif) for those who are possessing the
astronomical knowledge and that the observation of the
moon sighting or completion the month thirty days is for
those who do not possess the required knowledge.
A
group of the early scholars, (the salaf), had decreed
that those who know and understand the astronomical
calculations are obligated to follow this method even if
they are cretin that the visibility of the moon is
impossible due to the early age of the moon or due to
atmospheric conditions.
Others have said that the entire Muslim Ummah
should follow the astronomical calculation either in the
case of affirmation or negation of the moon visibility.
Others have said, it is permissible only, not as
an obligation.
Sheikh
Ahmad Shakir’s (a well known Egyptian scholar of the
mid-20th century AD) view is that the
determination of the lunar calendar depends solely on
the astronomical calculation, while the moon sighting is
permissible for those who lack the knowledge of
astronomical calculation.
Sheik Shakir was free of the condition that the
moon should last enough time after sunset to enable the
observer for the moon sighting.
Dr.
Yusuf al-Qaradawi, (a contemprary Egyptian scholar in
Qatar), emphasizes that the astronomical calculation is
a scientific and practical method to achieve the
objectives of the Shari’ah.
Today, it is readily available, accurate, and
distant from the possibilities of error which exist with
the observation of the moon sighting.
Additionally, he considered that the astronomical
calculations has reached to a level of certainty to the
point of reliability as a condition for the unity of the
entire Ummah, therefore removing the continuous disputes
regarding days of fasting, breaking of the fast, and the
days of celebrating, Eid.
The astronomical calculations should be
considered and accepted according to the rule of Qiyas
al-Awla.
It
is essential that we should make distinction between two
methods of moon calculations.
One is associated with the determination of the
astronomical new moon.
The astronomical new moon is defined to occur
when the sun and moon have the same geocentric ecliptic
longitude. The
results of this method are definite and certain.
There is no dispute between any of the
astronomers regarding the accuracy of this method.
The second type of calculation is associated with
the possibility of the moon visibility at a specific
geographical location at a specific time – after
sunset on the given day. by sighting, which begin when
the thin crescent.
The moon is actually sighted in the western sky
after sunset within a day or so after new moon.
The scientific base is agreed upon, but the
results vary with a margin of error since it is not only
depending on the mathematical calculations but on the
atmospheric conditions which beyond our control or
prediction in addition to other astronomical factors
affecting the possibility of visibility.
The
method of mathematical calculations, concluded at this
study, as supported by the passages of the Shari’ah,
is the first type, which it is called the
‘astronomical conjunction’.
The
new moon (the beginning of the new month) begins at the
same moment for all inhabitants on earth.
Yet it falls in two consecutive days due to the
spherical shape of the earth and the conventional system
of time people proposed and agreed upon.
According to the conventional system the
reference point of time being with Greenwich Mean Time,
the time zone differences from GMT should be
considered/adjusted.
Thus, the moment of the new moon is logically
going to be daytime for some locations while beings
nighttime for other locations, depending on the
geographical location.
Nothing in the Shari’ah, let alone science, can
tell you that the new moon would only being at night.
Nor should it be considered as a new crescent if
it had existed before sunset and should last on the
horizon until it’s visibility through the naked eye
after sunset.
The
conclusion of this study, ALDL, is characterized by its
clarity and ease of implementation.
At a specific location (longitude) on earth, the
time of the new moon begins before dawn either during
daytime or night time.
The rituals will begin from the dawn of that day
for fasting or Eid and night time for tarawih.
Towards the Western Hemisphere, the age of the
moon is maturing and in the Eastern Hemisphere, the
people will start their day after the completion of the
circle around the globe.
In other words, the rituals of the new month
begin at the same moment for everyone, no matter where
their location is on earth. The
name of the day may vary due to the time zone
differences around the world.
The very near by two islands Alaska’s Little
Diomede and Russian’s Big Diomede have a distance of a
few miles from each other, but they have 24 hours time
zone difference since they are separated by the
International Date Line. For
example, when it is Thursday in Little Diomede, it is
technically, Friday in Big Diomede, which is just a few
miles away. The
agreement of the name of the day will result in one day
different between them. If you miss your Friday prayer
at Big Island, you can perform it on the next day at the
near by island.
As
a result of this method, we will have a clear lunar
calendar which would be similar to the Gregorian
calendar. This
will bring unity to Muslims and help them publish
information about their holidays for years in advance
assisting with holiday planning.
This will also facilitate business transactions
and international relations at the global level.
Implementing
of such a system will also remove the perceived notion
of ignorance and the failure to comprehend simple
astronomical facts made towards Muslim Ummah and their
fuqaha’ and their lacking to apply accurate scientific
information that is readily available to all.
The
early Muslim generations had achieved a superior level
in scientific fields such as, astronomy, physics and
mathematics. The
Islamic scientific achievements in the past are the
bases of the modern world development today.
Among the most important causes for their
advancement at that time was the implementation of the
shari’ah passages.
If we as Muslims are to advance past the previous
achievements of the Tabi’in and the Salaf, it is time
to implement the calculation of the astronomical new
moon which the scholars had instructed us to follow as
early as the end of the first hijri century.
For more information, please contact:
Mustafa
A. Ahmed
The
Foundation for Islamic Education
1860
Montgomery Ave.
Villanova,
PA 19085
Phone:
(610) 520-9624 Ext. 221
Fax:
(610) 520-9625
Website:
www.fiesite.org
e-mail:
mahmed@fiesite.org |
::: Speakers
:::
::
Dr.
Imad- Ahmad
President
and Chief Scientist of Imad-ad-Dean Inc. and expert in
astronomy and astrophysics
::
Mr.
Khalid Shaukat
Consultant
on moon-sighting for ISNA, Fiqh
Council, and Islamic
Shura Council of
North America
::
Sheik
Mahammed Al-hannti
Consultant
to the Fiqh Council of Islamic society of
North America ( ISNA )
::
Dr.
Muhib Durani
Consultant
to the Fiqh Council of Islamic society of
North America ( ISNA )
:::
Conference
Chair
:::
::
Dr.
Mustafa Ahmed Professor, President of the Islamic
Academy for Scientific Research, and Director of the
Foundation for Islamic Education
Conference
Coordinator
::
Dr.
Khalid Solayman
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