Ramadan Articles - Moon Sighting: Between Sharee’ah and Astronomy- II

… Continued
Allaah The Almighty is aware of the great progress of astronomy in the
future. However, He did notconsider it crucial in confirming the
causes of acts of worship. Allaah The Almighty revealed this to the
Prophetand so he said:"We are an unlettered nation, weneither write
nor know calculations. The month is like this and this )pointing with
his hands; sometimes of 29 days andsometimes of 30 days(."
This is clear proof that using astronomical calculations in confirming
the crescents is rejected under Sharee'ah. The Hadeeth commands us to
sight the crescent, as if we are unlettered and have no ability to
write, read or know the astronomical calculations. This, however, does
not mean belittling or disdaining the value of astronomy. Rather,
astronomers can play a great rolein many areas of life. However, they
should stay away from religious issues, because they arenot allowed to
play any role in confirming the causes and reasons of the acts of
worship. Allaah The Almighty has made the rulings contingent on
tangible causes and reasons.
The scholars of Fiqh unanimouslyagreed that the Sharee'ah-approved
cause for confirming the beginning of fasting is sighting the crescent
and that using astronomical calculations in this regard is rejected,
whether the sky is clear or cloudy. Only a group of the late scholars
contradicted this consensus and introduced a cause which is not
prescribed by Allaah The Almighty. Their opinion is meaningless and is
nullified by the preceding consensus of the scholars as wellas the
practical consensus. Muslims during all ages, even when they were
advanced in astronomy and establishing astronomical observatories, did
not use this in confirming the causes of the Sharee'ah rulings.
Since Islam recognized the judiciary system, it did not happen that a
judge gave a rulingaccording to astronomical calculations. Still
judges sight thecrescent or wait for trustworthy witnesses to confirm
the sighting. In Egypt or example, since the establishment and
untilits abolishment, the Supreme Sharee'ah Courts there never adopted
astronomical calculationin confirming the sighting of the crescent at
all. Then Dar Al-Ifta of Egypt )the entity responsible for issuing
Islamic rulings( adopted the same approach. It happened lately that
some Muftis introduced this religious innovation and rejected the
Sharee'ah-cause )sighting the crescent by eyes( and introduced a new
cause which is not prescribed by Allaah The Almighty )astronomical
calculations(. By doing so, they contradicted the scientific and
practical consensus of the MuslimUmmah since the era of the
Prophetuntil the current time. They considered astronomical
calculations something deducible and certain,even though they are
based on assumptions, calculations and astronomical instruments,
whichare prone to right and wrong. As evidence, there are
contradictions between calendars which are based on astronomical
calculations. What is based on assumptions does not confirm certainty,
because there is always room for error.
Still we have to be alert to three issues:
First: The lunar month from the astronomers' view is the period
between the gathering of the sun and the moon twice after
thedisappearance and before the appearance. According to them, this
period is )29( days, and )12( hours and )44( minutes.
However, the lunar month from the Sharee'ah view is sighting it at
sunset, i.e. when the moon appears for the first time after darkness.
The month from the Sharee'ah view is neither more than )30( days nor
less than )29( days.
Accordingly, there are differencesbetween the Sharee'ah considerations
and the astronomical considerations from several aspects:
1 – According to astronomers, the month begins before its beginning is
admitted by Sharee'ah, and thus it ends earlier.
2 – According to astronomers, the month is estimated by a fixedunit of
time, which is different from the duration admitted by Sharee'ah, as
indicated above.
3 – According to Sharee'ah, the month begins based on sense, which is
sighting, or by the completion of 30 days of the previous month.
According to astronomers, however, the month begins based on
assumption, not certainty, when the previous month ends.
4 – According to astronomers, there is no difference when the
gathering of the sun and the moon occurs during the day or night. When
there is a gathering and separation )of the sun and the moon( even
shortly before dawn, the day starts immediatelyafter dawn. When it
occurs during the daytime, the day begins immediately a moment later.
The Sharee'ah, however, considers sighting at sunset. When the moon is
seen during the daytime, after midday, it is for the next night and
that day must not be fasted. Scholars unanimously agree on this.
Second: There must be a differentiation between two distinct matters:
one, the acceptable difference in opinions among scholars of Fiqh
regardingthe issue of difference in sightings )i.e., whether sighting
it in one country suffices, or that each country must sight it in
order to start fasting(, and second, the impermissibility of depending
on astronomical calculations in confirming the beginning and end of
the month.In the second case, difference is unacceptable because it
contradicts the relevant consensus. Although scholars differ regarding
the issue of difference in sightings, they unanimously agree that the
sole means to determine the beginning and end of the month is the
Sharee'ah-approved sighting, not astronomical calculations. Some
people mix between the two matters and quote words of the scholars
regarding the first issue to prove their view regarding the second
issue. So, one should be alert in this context.
Third: It is an advice for the one who contradicts the official Mufti
in his country if it is proved that he relies on astronomical
calculations in confirming the crescent. One should not publicly
declare his contradiction. Rather, he should keep this matter hidden
and act according to the Sharee'ah-approved sighting. He should not
invite others to adoptthe same attitude in order to make Muslims avoid
dispute and disunity and to block the means that could lead to
unfavorable results. This is also not to give the secularists and
hypocrites from the enemies of religion an opportunity to cast doubt
into people's hearts regarding their religion and question the
sanctityof fasting within the souls of ordinary people. We ask Allaah
tohelp us avoid all the evil of the enemies of Islam.