Eid
In the Name of Allah, he Gracious, the Merciful
Assalaamu alaykum,
Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated here in Mumbai (India) on Thursday, 2nd of October, 2008. In Pakistan, it was celebrated on Wednesday, 1st of October. And in Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday 30th of September. On 3 different days in 3 different parts of the world! ‘What’s wrong with that?’ some Muslims ask me. ‘Don’t Muslims say their prayers at different times at different places?’ they ask.
If Muslims in Mumbai are saying their Maghrib prayer now, those in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) can offer the same prayer 2 hours and 30 minutes later. That’s true. But consider what happens when the Eid is celebrated on different days. The 1st day of the Islamic month of Shawwal occurred on Thursday the 2nd of October in Mumbai, on Wednesday the 1st of October in Pakistan and on Tuesday the 30th September in Saudi Arabia. 3 different calendars in 3 different parts of the world! No wonder then that the Islamic calendar is dicarded even by the Islamic countries. They have to use the Gregorian calendar for international transactions. The world has virtually now become one global village. The use of such Islamic calendars is impracticable. If I have my son’s marriage ceremony to be performed next month, say, on the 10th of November, I can’t give the corresponding Islamic date, because I don’t know when the 1st of the next Islamic month will fall. Our Islamic calendar is useless for fixing any appointment beyond the current month. It cannot give us a definite date for our next Eid. There is a perpetual indefiniteness in it. We cannot fix any Muslim holidays in advance. In short, our lives would be more difficult, if we did not have the benefit of the Christian (Gregorian) calendar.
Can this state of affairs be that of a religion perfected by Allah Almighty Himself!? What is the cause of this evident imperfection? Is Allah wrong in declaring Islam to be perfect? If we say yes, we’re clearly then outside the pail of Islam. What then has made the Perfect Religion seem imperfect, particularly in this context? We don’t need the Google Search to find out. We know it very well. It’s the hadeeth that has made new-moon-sighting the criterion for determining whether a particular Islamic month has 29 days or 30.
This hadeeth, which has caused this imperfection, cannot then be part of the Allah-perfected Religion of Islam! The divine Guidance - Qur’aan - does not make new-moon-sighting the criterion, but makes (Verse 2.189) the fixed time - fixed for the entire mankind living on the earth - when the phenomenon of the new moon occurs every month in the cosmos, the criterion.
During the Prophet’s time there was no means available for determining the fixed time of the occurrence of the new moon. The Prophet (peace be upon him) had therefore no alternative but to take new-moon-sighting as the criterion for change of month. It did not matter since the Islamic world then was restricted to the area now known as Saudi Arabia. The hadeeth was time-specific, whereas the Qur’aan is valid for all times till the Last Day. Alas! The Muslims today are blind to this reality.
The Muslims can still have a viable international Islamic calendar by adopting the criterion prescribed in Verse 2.189. I have no reason to doubt that it shall be more accurate than the Gregorian calendar; for, the former is Allah-sponsored, while the latter is man-devised. But will the Muslims awake??
Wassalaam,
Mohammad Shafi
islam-n-interest.com
October 4th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
“But will the Muslims awake??”
We should think about it … Tnx
October 4th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
sALAM, PLEASE READ AL-BAQRA 189 & 197 CAREFULLY U WILL GET ANSWER WHY MOON SIGHTING IS MUST FOR ISLAMIC FARAZ & RITUALS.
Mohammad Shafi responds:
Neither Verse makes new-moon-sighting a must.
October 5th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Calculations=Logic!
We use calculations for everything, our salahs and most importantly our iftar time. Imagine, if we use it for our iftar times, which is very important, then calculations must be considered very reliable. Else our fasts could be voided. Why not rely on it for eid as well?
October 5th, 2008 at 7:51 am
So you don’t follow the Sunnah eh?
Mohammad Shafi responds:
I do not follow that which is contrary to the Qur’aan.
October 5th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Asalam wa Rahmatullah ,
You ara right and i am agree and i am the same condation what u said i always use the Gregorian calendar but from today on i will use both at i should know the date and try to make my habet .
wasalam
Taiba Taib
October 5th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Mohammad Shafi Aga…speaks with a “FORK TONGUE.” You remind me of the description of the Dajjal. The Dajjal will be very convincing in his speech and we are told that we Should Not Listen To Him. The only person that will be able to distinguish between his lies and the only one that will be able to fight and win against him is…Nabi Isa (AS).
We Must Remember that…Shaitan Believes in Allah (S.W.T) and Shaitan also Prays to Allah (S.W.T.). The Shaitan Hates Us and Rebels Against Allah (S.W.T) by Not Bowing Down to Adam (..which is Mankind). Shaitan Believes and Thinks that he is Better than Adam…because Adam is Made of Clay/Mud and Shaitan is Made of Smokeless Fire.
Shaitan Speaks With A “Fork Tongue.” He is Very Very Very Tricky!
Mohammad Shafi Aga…is not Right. The Qur’an and Sound Ahadith are Right.
Your opinion and saying that…”The use of such Islamic calendars is impracticable AND “The hadeeth was time-specific.” …shows that it is YOU that Allah (SWT) has put blinders on Your Eyes, Ears, Brain, and Heart.
Instead of our Ummah praying to Allah (SWT) to guide us to perfect the knowledge of the Qur’an and Ahadith…you suggest that we adopt the Kuffars way…the Georgian Calendar, of which is named after one of the Kuffar’s Kings.
You say: “The world has virtually now become one global village.” You are Wrong Again. Our Ummah Is Not and Should Not Be Part of the Kuffar’s Village. We are of course in the Dunya…but We Should Not Be Of and Part of the Dunya. We Should Be on Our Journey Back Home to Jannah.
I and my Ancestors have been in the West for more than 15,000 years (Native American)…but I am Not Part of the West or the so-called Global Village.
I consider myself as a Mu’min travelling…giving Dawa…trying to get back home to Jannah. Therefore, I’m Not Interested in Adopting any of the Kuffars Mentality, Ideology or Practices.
Ya Allah…sometimes Scientific Education can make us Crazy…If We Allow Ourselves to Think and Believe that We are Smarter than Others…
Aisha S. Sharif-Rashid
Mohammad Shafi responds:
The Dajjal has already influenced the minds of most Muslims like you, Sister! He is preventing you from returning to the pristine purity of the Qur’aan. Jesus (peace be upon him) was sent by Allah Ta’ala when the recalcitrant Jews had deviated from the pristine purity of the Torah. I do not know what Allah’s plans are for the recalcitrant Muslims of today who stubbornly refuse to abide by the Allah-given and Allah-protected Qur’aan, but who would rather abide by man-influened and error-prone ahaadeeth.
Sister! You seem to be very confident of going to Jannah. Just like the Christans, who believe that the ‘Son of God’ has guaranteed for them a sure ticket to Paradise! Sister! Take my brotherly advice: study the Qur’aanic instructions carefully and sincerely try to abide by each and every such divine instruction. Please do that, before it is too late and you find that your dream of going to Jannah is just a mirage as the dream of the Christian of going to Paradise is.
October 6th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Br. Shafi has made a good point about the different days for Shawwal. But the source of the problem is not sighting, but wrong sighting. If the sightings are correct then once a moon is correctly sighted in one place, all the place where the sun is going to set after the sunset in that location will or should be able to see it at some latitude.
The most problematic sighting is in Saudi Arabia. They have a track record of sighting the crescent when it cannot be sighted there. For example this Eid, they claimed the sighting on Monday evening, when the moon had already set before the sun set in Makkah. They declared the sighting while Muslims over there were breaking the fast, which means that within ten minutes they received the report, verified the report and announced the sighting. That puts a question mark on their methodology of sighting. One of the conditions of crescent sighting is that the setting time of moon is after the setting time of the sun. They have done this on more than one occasion. They could not have seen the crescent of the month of Ramadhan, but they declared it anyway. It is because of their wrong sighting, they had 28 days Ramadhan in 1992.
The sighting in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia lags behind two days of Saudi Arabia because Saudi sighting is one day ahead of actual sighting. If the Saudis had done the correct sighting, they would have seen the new crescent on Tuesday evening and the Eid there should have been on Wednesday. The rest of the countries where the sun was going to set after Saudi Arabia would have seen the crescent at some latitude. Since the next night fall in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Malaysia would have been on Wednesday, they would have and except Pakistan they did see the crescent on Wednesday evening. Pakistan sighting in the past has been consistent with sightings in India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Their decision this year of sighting on Tuesday is being questioned by many there.
The other point I would like to make is that there is a difference between the new moon and new sightable crescent. The sightable crescent is about a day old. A new moon cannot be sighted, because it is very close to horizon. It can only be sighted when it is about 10 to 15 degrees above the horizon. For more information you can go to http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/). Muslim astronomers like Khalid Shaukat (moonsighting.com) have zeroed in on predicting when a new crescent can be sighted. It is about time that just like we use calendar to determine prayer times and breaking fast instead of going out and observe the sun setting, we use these calculations to predict new crescent sighting. Since this calculation can tell us where crescent could be sighted first, all the countries where sun is going to set after that will follow suit.
Unfortunately the incorrect Saudi sighting sends a shock wave among Muslims all over the world. Innocent Muslims, not knowing their fouled methodology, trust their sighting and scold others who do not follow them and are pressured to accept their incorrect sighting. The incorrect sighting in Saudi Arabia always causes a big division among Muslims in Europe and North America. It also puts pressure on scholars in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and sometimes forces them to make decisions which is incinsostent with correct sighting.
May Allah guide us all to the right path.
Mohammad Shafi responds:
The Qur’aan does not insist on the actual sighting of the new moon. In Verse 2.189, it clearly directs mankind to measure time and base their common calendar on the fixed time when the new moon happens every month out there in space. And the Verse also wants mankind to associate their time-keeping so devised to the Hajj. And since the Hajj is performed in Saudi Arabia, it is essential that the parameter relevant to Mecca should be used.
So, if the calculated new-moon-timing occurs before sunset in Mecca, say, on Monday, the next day (Tuesday) ought to be the 1st of the next month throughout the world, whether anyone anywhere physically sees the new moon or not.
October 7th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I read content of letters and think where we stand what we are doing and when we will use our brain and develope understanding among outself. please muslims brothers try for UMO instead of uno UNITED MUSLIM ORGANIZATION and the Head Quarter should be MECCA and discuss all matters relating to religion relating to politics relating to Developmen t of Muslim. IS IT NOT MENTIONED IN QURAN. then why you do not use your brain please muslim brother awake now otherwise your enemies like usa will eat you…….
October 7th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
thanks jazakallah khair
October 8th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I did not say that I WAS going to Jannah…I SAID…that I am on a trip TRYING TO RETURN TO JANNAH! Adam (AS) and his Zaouja are from Jannah…their home was Jannah…and they were put onto the Earth to Pray, Fast and do Dawa to cleanse themselves…inorder to Return to Jannah.
We are the children of Adam and Hawa…and as I said before…I am on a Journey…by Praying To Allah (SWT), Fasting, Doing Dawa and Believing in the Allah (SWT), Qur’an and Sound Ahadith…TRYING to Return to Jannah.
Take Your Own Advice and also Accept the Sound Ahadith…BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE FOR YOU!
I understand that the Ullama sites the Moon in Saudi and the Saudi Government hires NASA to also Scientifically site the Moon. I understand that the Ullama and NASA are always correct in their Moon Siting.
Aisha S. Sharif-Rashid
October 8th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Brother Mohammad,
I am a relatively new muslim, and I have only managed to read several transliterations as I cannot read Arabic and I will not be able to for quite some time, however, the versions I have read are all very clear as you say. I am always shocked at how scholars that have so much knowledge become confused as to the direction Allah has given us.
I am of European descent and although I believe and trust Allah, I sometimes have difficulty in western society. I pray that Allah will make me strong and make my journey a successful one.
I appreciate the work you are doing in your transliteration work and find it very useful in my studies. May Allah continue to help you in your work.
Kim
January 4th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Actally wahat is this Eids, Is there any Quranic evidence for Eid and Eid prayer? These are innovations by the corrupted peoples
I think and believe that Quran is complete , perfect and fully detailed.
The 12th month of the Islamic calendar is called Zul-Hijja and it is the first of the four consecutive months 12th , 1st , 2nd and 3rd during which God decreed the Hajj. The birth of the new moon of the month of Zul Al-Hijja signals the beginning of the four months of Hajj.
The Duration of Hajj
The duration of Hajj is given in 2:197 which reads:
“Hajj shall be observed in the specified months. Whoever sets out to observe Hajj shall refrain from sexual intercourse, misconduct, and arguments throughout Hajj. Whatever good you do, GOD is fully aware thereof. As you prepare your provisions for the journey, the best provision is righteousness. You shall observe Me, O you who possess intelligence.”
Some of the Muslim scholars corrupted the law of God and reduced the time of Hajj from four months to the first ten days of the 12th month. They’ve justified their claims by corrupting the meaning of verses such as:
“….They shall commemorate God’s name during the specified days” 22:28
“……You shall commemorate God for a number of days” 2:203
They deliberately ignored the fact that Hajj itself can be completed in few days but observed during the four specified months. The example of fasting the month of Ramadan, makes it clear as God describes this fasting also as specific days although the ritual of fasting is for the whole month.
Mohammad Shafi responds:
The subject matter of my post “Eid” was not whether the observance of the Eid is in accordance with Qur’aanic tenets. The fact that Muslims do observe the Eid was just taken as the background. The subject dealt with was however ‘Islamic Calendar’.
Having said that, I have no hesitation in saying that Brother Najeeb does have valid points for consideration on the subjects of Hajj and the observance of the Eid per se.