When Should Eid Al-Adha Be Celebrated?

Dear Brothers in Islam,
This booklet is prepared for the sole purpose of clarifying the
confusion in the Muslim Ummah about the actual day of Eid Al-Adha.
Please read this with a careful understanding.
The Islamic calendar is based on sighting of the Moon. The beginning
and ending of the months relies on witnessing the Moon sighting. Allah
Subhanahu Wa-Ta'ala clearly mentions this in the Holy Qura'an :
'They ask you about the new moon. Say you, 'They are the signs of time
for the people and pilgrimage (Hajj).' 2:189 (Sura Al-Baqarah, Verse
189)
"And We made night andday as two signs, then put the signs of the
night blotted and the sign of day shining, that you may seek grace of
Allah and that you may know the numbering of years, and the reckoning.
And We have explained well every thing separately.' 17:12 (Sura
Bani-Israil, Verse 12)
In both of these verses the timings and days areappointed based on the
Moon. The counting of years is also dependent on the passing of nights
and days. The Noble Prophet of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) also
clarified this very plainly for the simplicity of his Ummah in a
complete form of law.
"Allah Subhanahu Wa-Ta'ala created moon for mankind to determine time.
So by sighting the Moon, start fast and end fast (Eid). If that Moon
does not appear then complete the count of thirty (30) days.' (Tafseer
Ibn-e-Katheer, Book 1, Page 214)
For the Muslim Ummah, Qura'an and Hadith are the norm. By virtue of
the Qura'an and Hadith we know that Islamic months begin and end upon
sighting of the Moon. The day after the Moon is sighted is the first
day of the followingmonth. If the Moon does not appear, for any
reason, on the 29th day of any given month, then 30 days of that month
should be completed and the following month be started after the
completion.
Some people, upon sighting the New Moon, start assuming that the New
Moon seems to be of the second day. They rely upon the supposition of
the second day Moon and say this is not the first day Moon (New Moon).
The following Hadith will be sufficient to nullify these comments:
"Hadhrat Abul Bakhtari (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) said, 'We
started our journey for Umrah. When we reached Batn-e-Nakhla, we saw
the Moon. Someone commented that this seems like a third day Moon.
Another person suggested that this is a second day Moon. Then we
approached Hadhrat Ibn-e-Abbas (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) and
respectfully informed him that we saw the Moon on the way. Some of us
made comments of it being a second day Moon and others, third day
Moon. Then Hadhrat Ibn-e-Abbas (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) asked
which night you saw theMoon. We told him such and such day. He replied
that the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said that the night you
witnessed the New Moon is the night you rely on.'"
(Tafseer Qurtabi, Book 1,Vol. 2, Page 344)
This dilemma is now quite clear that Moon sighting is the basis of a
month's beginning and ending. If the Moon is not sighted on the 29th
day of a given month, then thirty (30) days must be completed. At the
same time when the Moon, if appearing to bethicker and staying longer
on the horizon, issighted upon a completion of 30 days, do not start
speculating or assuming that it may be such and such day's Moon. This
is against the commands of our Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).
In the context we hear people saying that this isthe age of science,
technology, and advancements in astronomy. They conclude that we can
measure the velocity andlocation of the Moon. Based on this, many
people assume one mustfollow scientific means and that there is no
need to observe the Moon.
With due respect, we saythat Islamic Shariah bases its verdict in the
light of principles of astronomy. According to astronomical
explanations, at the end of the month when the Moon is waning, the
time between the disappearance and appearance of the Moon by the
horizon is called "Muhaaq" or the Unseen Time. During this phase, the
Sun and the Moon are at approximately thesame level on the horizon.
Due to this, the Moon's visibility is drowned by the Sun's light. In
result, the Moon is invisible. The period of"Muhaaq" ranges from 36 to
50 hours. However,after this phase, the Moon enters the New Moon
period and emerges from the horizon (and the vicinityof the Sun).
Afterwards, in the waxing phase, when the Moon is 12° (degrees) from
the Sun, it becomes visible to the unaided eye.
Now take the words of Hadith which says, "Startfast with the
appearanceof Moon and end fast with the appearance of the Moon." This
clearly points to the principles of "Muhaaq" (when the Moon is
invisible). Since the New Moon comes after completing its phase of
"Muhaaq", there is a possibility of it being seen on the horizon. This
is why Islamic Shariah does not recognize the birth of the Moon in
blindness; rather it considers its appearance on the horizon. The
ruling of Shariah applies to the observance of the Moon.Only upon
visibility does the month start, not before the appearance on the
horizon.

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Abu Dharr al-Ghifari - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

In the Waddan valley which connects Makkah with the outside world,
lived the tribe of Ghifar. The Ghifar existed on the meagre offerings
of the trade caravans of the Quraysh which plied between Syria and
Makkah.It is likely that they also lived by raiding these caravans
when they were not given enough to satisfy their needs. Jundub ibn
Junadah, nicknamed Abu Dharr, was a member of this tribe.
He was known for his courage, his calmness and his far sightedness and
also for the repugnance he felt against the idols which his people
worshipped. He rejected the sillyreligious beliefs and the religious
corruption in which theArabs were engaged.
While he was in the Waddan desert, news reached Abu Dharr that a new
Prophet had appeared in Makkah. He really hoped that his appearance
would help to change the heartsand minds of people and lead them away
from the darkness ofsuperstition. Without wasting much time, he called
his brother, Anis, and said to him:
"Go to Makkah and get whatevernews you can of this man who claims that
he is a Prophet and that revelation comes to him from the heavens.
Listen to some of his sayings and come back and recite them to me."
Anis went to Makkah and met the Prophet, peace and blessingsof God be
on him. He listened to what he had to say and returnedto the Waddan
desert. Abu Dharrmet him and anxiously asked fornews of the Prophet.
"I have seen a man," reported Anis, 'who calls people to
noble qualities and there is no mere poetry in what he says."
"What do people say about him?" asked Abu Dharr.
"They say he is a magician, a soothsayer and a poet."
"My curiosity is not satisfied. I am not finished with this matter.
Will you look after my family while I go out and examine this
prophet's mission myself?"
"Yes. But beware of the Makkans."
On his arrival at Makkah, Abu Dharr immediately felt very apprehensive
and he decided to exercise great caution. The Quraysh were noticeably
angry over the denunciation of their gods. Abu Dharr heard of the
terrible violence they were meting out to the followers of the Prophet
but this was what he expected. He therefore refrained from asking
anyone about Muhammad not knowing whether that person might be a
follower or an enemy.
At nightfall, he lay down in the Sacred Mosque. Ali ibn Abi Talib
passed by him and, realizing that he was a stranger, asked him to come
to his house. Abu Dharr spent the night with him and in the morning
took his water pouch and his bag containing provisions and returned to
the Mosque. He had asked no questions and no questions were asked of
him.
Abu Dharr spent the following day without getting to know theProphet.
At evening he went to the Mosque to sleep and Ali again passed by him
and said:
"Isn't it time that a man knows his house?"
Abu Dharr accompanied him andstayed at his house a second night. Again
no one asked the other about anything.
On the third night, however, Ali asked him, "Aren't you going to tell
me why you came to Makkah?"
"Only if you will give me an undertaking that you will guide me to
what I seek." Ali agreed and Abu Dharr said: "I came to Makkah from a
distant place seeking a meeting with the new Prophet and to listen to
some ofwhat he has to say."
Ali's face lit up with happiness as he said, "By God, he is really the
Messenger of God," and he went on telling Abu Dharr more about the
Prophet and his teaching. Finally, he said:
"When we get up in the morning, follow me wherever I go. If I see
anything which I am afraid of for your sake, I would stop as if to
pass water. If I continue, follow me until you enter where I enter."
Abu Dharr did not sleep a wink the rest of that night because of his
intense longing to see the Prophet and listen to the words of
revelation. In the morning, hefollowed closely in Ali's footsteps
until they were in the presence of the Prophet.
As-salaamu Alayka Yaa Rasulullah, (Peace be on you, O Messenger of
God)," greeted AbuDharr.
Wa Alayka salaamullahi wa rahmatuhu wa barakaatuhu (And on you be the
peace of God,His mercy and His blessings)," replied the Prophet.
Abu Dharr was thus the first person to greet the Prophet with the
greeting of Islam. After that, the greeting spread and came into
general use.
The Prophet, peace be on him, welcomed Abu Dharr and invitedhim to
Islam. He recited some ofthe Quran for him. Before long, Abu Dharr
pronounced the Shahadah thus entering the newreligion (without even
leaving his place). He was among the first persons to accept Islam.
Let us leave Abu Dharr to continue his own story...
After that I stayed with the Prophet in Makkah and he taught me Islam
and taught me to read the Quran. Then he said to me, 'Don't tell
anyone in Makkah about your acceptance of Islam. I fear that they will
kill you."
"By Him in whose hands is my soul, I shall not leave Makkah until I go
to the Sacred Mosque and proclaim the call of Truth in the midst of
the Quraysh," vowed Abu Dharr.
The Prophet remained silent. I went to the Mosque. The Quraysh were
sitting and talking. I went in their midst and called out at the top
of my voice, "O people of Quraysh, I testify that there is no God but
Allah and that Muhammad is themessenger of Allah."
My words had an immediate effect on them. They jumped up and said,
'Get this one who has left his religion." They pounced on me and began
to beat me mercilessly. They clearly meant to kill me. But Abbas ibn
Abdulmuttalib, the uncle of the Prophet, recognized me. He bentover
and protected me from them. He told them:
"Woe to you! Would you kill a man from the Ghifar tribe and your
caravans must pass through their territory?" They then released me.
I went back to the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and whenhe saw my
condition, he said,"Didn't I tell you not to announce your acceptance
of Islam?" "O Messenger of God," I said, "It was a need I felt in my
soul and I fulfilled it." "Go to your people," he commanded,"and tell
them what you have seen and heard. Invite them to God. Maybe God will
bring them good through you and reward you through them. And when you
hear that I have come out inthe open, then come to me."
I left and went back to my people. My brother came up to me and asked,
"What have you done?" I told him that I had become a Muslim and that I
believed in the truth of Muhammad's teachings.
"I am not averse to your religion. In fact, I am also now a Muslim and
a believer," he said.
We both went to our mother then and invited her to Islam .
"I do not have any dislike from your religion. I accept Islam also," she said.
From that day this family of believers went out tirelessly inviting
the Ghifar to God and did not flinch from their purpose. Eventually a
large number became Muslims and the congregational Prayer was
instituted among them.
Abu Dharr remained in his desertabode until after the Prophet had gone
to Madinah and the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq had been fought.
At Madinah at last, he asked the Prophet to be in his personal
service. The Prophet agreed and was pleased with his companionship and
service. He sometimes showed preference to Abu Dharr above others and
whenever he met him he would pat him and smile and show his happiness.
After the death of the Prophet, Abu Dharr could not bear to stayin
Madinah because of grief and the knowledge that there was to be no
more of his guiding company. So he left for the Syrian desert and
stayed there during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar.
During the caliphate of Uthman, he stayed in Damascus and saw the
Muslims concern for the world and their consuming desire for luxury.
He was saddened and repelled by this. So Uthman asked him to come to
Madinah. At Madinah he was also critical of the people's pursuit of
worldly goods and pleasures and they were critical in turn of his
reviling them. Uthman therefore ordered that he should go to Rubdhah,
a small village near Madinah. There he stayed far away from people,
renouncing their preoccupation with worldly goods and holding on to
the legacy of the Prophet and his companions in seeking the
everlasting abode of the Hereafter in preference to this transitory
world.
Once a man visited him and began looking at the contents ofhis house
but found it quite bare. He asked Abu Dharr:"Where are your
possessions?""We have a house yonder (meaning the Hereafter)," said
Abu Dharr, "to which we send the best of our possessions." The man
understood what he meant and said: "But you must have some possessions
so long as you are in this abode." "The owner of this abode will not
leave us in it," replied Abu Dharr.
Abu Dharr persisted in his simpleand frugal life to the end. Once the
amir of Syria sent three hundred diners to Abu Dharr to meet his
needs. He returned the money saying, "Does not the amir of Syria find
a servant moredeserving of it than I?"
In the year 32 AH the self-denying Abu Dharr passed away. The Prophet,
peace be upon him, had said of him: "The earth does not carry nor the
heavens cover a man more true and faithful than Abu Dharr."

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Why will there be more women in Hell than men?

Why are there more women in hell than men?
Praise be to Allaah.
It was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) that women will form the majority of the people of Hell. It
wasnarrated from 'Imraan ibn Husayn that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "I looked into Paradise andI
saw that the majority of its people were the poor. And I looked into
Hell and I saw that the majority of its people are women."
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3241; Muslim, 2737)
With regard to the reason for that, the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) was asked about it and he explained the reason.
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Abbaas said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "I was shown
Hell and I have never seen anything more terrifying than it. And I saw
that the majority of its people are women." They said, "Why, O
Messenger of Allaah?" He said, "Because of their ingratitude (kufr)."
It was said, "Are they ungrateful to Allaah?" Hesaid, "They are
ungrateful to their companions (husbands) and ungrateful for good
treatment. If you are kind to one of them for a lifetime then she sees
one (undesirable) thing in you, she will say, 'I have never had
anythinggood from you.'" (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1052)
It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri said:
"The Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
went out to the Musalla on the day of Eid al-Adhaor Eid al-Fitr. He
passed by the women and said, 'O women! Give charity, for I have seen
that you form the majority of the people of Hell.' They asked, 'Why is
that, O Messenger of Allaah?' Hereplied, 'You curse frequently and
are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient
in intelligence and religious commitment than you. A cautious sensible
man could be led astray by some of you.' The women asked, 'O Messenger
of Allaah, what is deficient in our intelligence and religious
commitment?' He said, 'Is not the testimony of two women equal to the
testimony of one man?' They said, 'Yes.' He said, 'This is the
deficiency in her intelligence. Is it not true that a woman can
neither pray nor fast during her menses?' The women said, 'Yes.' He
said, 'This is the deficiency in her religious commitment.'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 304)
It was narrated that Jaabir ibn 'Abd-Allaah said: "I attended Eid
prayers with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). He started with the prayer before the khutbah, with no
adhaan or iqaamah. Then he stood up, leaning on Bilaal, speaking of
fear of Allaah (taqwa) and urging us to obey Him. He preached to the
people and reminded them. Then he went overto the women and preached
to them and reminded them. Then hesaid, 'Give in charity, for you are
the majority of the fuel of Hell. A womanwith dark cheeks stood up in
the midst of the women and said, 'Why isthat, O Messenger of Allaah?'
He said, 'Becauseyou complain too much and are ungrateful to your
husbands.' Then they started to give theirjewellery in charity,
throwing their earrings and rings into Bilaal's cloak."
(Narrated by Muslim, 885)
Our believing sisters who learn of this hadeeth should behave like
those Sahaabiyaat who, when they learned of this, did good deeds which
would be the means, by Allaah's leave, of keeping them far away from
being included in that majorityof the inhabitants of Hell.
So our advice to the sisters is to strive to adhere to the rituals
andobligatory duties of Islam, especially prayer, and to keep away
from that which Allaah has forbidden, especially shirk in its many
forms which are widespread among women, such as seeking one's needs
from someone other than Allaah, going to practitioners of witchcraft
and fortune-tellers, etc.
We ask Allaah to keep usand all our brothers and sisters far away
from theFire and the words and deeds that bring one close to it.

Conditions for deeds to be acceptable to Allaah

When a Muslim does an action, what conditions make it acceptable and
therefore rewarded by Allah. Is it simply that you intended to follow
the Qur'an and Sunnah, and therefore you will be rewarded even though
you may have been wrong in your action. Or is it that you must have
the intention, but you also need to follow the correct Sunnah as well.
Praise be to Allaah.
For acts of worship to beacceptable to Allaah and for a person to be
rewarded for them, there are two conditionswhich must be met:
The first condition: it should be devoted to Allaah Alone. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And they were commanded not, but that they should worshipAllaah, and
worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to
Him)"
[al-Bayyinah 98:5]
The meaning of worshipping Allaah alone is that the person should
intend in all his words and deeds, both inward and outward, to seek
the Face of Allaah (i.e., His pleasure). Allaahsays (interpretation of
the meaning):
"And who has (in mind) no favour from anyone to be paid back,
Except to seek the Countenance of his Lord,the Most High"
[al-Layl 92:19]
"(Saying): "We feed you seeking Allaah's Countenance only. We wish for
no reward, nor thanks from you"
[al-Insaan 76:9]
"Whosoever desires (by his deeds) the reward of the Hereafter, We give
him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this
world (by his deeds),We give him thereof (what is decreed for him),
and he has no portion in the Hereafter"
[al-Shoora 42:20]
"Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, to them We
shall pay in full (the wages of)their deeds therein, and they will
have no diminution therein.
They are those for whomthere is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire, and
vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which
they used to do"
[Hood 11:15-16]
It was narrated that 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: "I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) say:
'The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will
get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated
for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for
what he emigrated for.'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Bad' al-Wahy, 1).
It was narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah, may
He be blessed and exalted, says: 'I am so self-sufficient that I am in
no need of having an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone
else's sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to
him whom he associated with Me.'" (Narrated by Muslim, al-Zuhd
wa'l-Raqaa'iq, 5300)
The second condition is that the action should bein accordance with
the only way which Allaah has prescribed for worship, which is by
following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in
the laws that he has brought. It was narratedthat the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever does any action
that is not in accordance with this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will
have it rejected." (Narrated by Muslim, al-Aqdiyyah, 3243).
Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:"This hadeeth forms one
of the most important principles of Islam. It is like a scale for
weighing up deeds according to their outward appearance, just as the
hadeeth 'The reward of deeds depends upon theintentions' is the means
of weighing up the inner nature of deeds. Just as every action which
is not intended for the sake of Allaah brings no reward to the one who
does it, so too every deed which is not in accordance with the command
of Allaah and His Messenger will also be rejected and thrown back at
the one who does it. Everyone who innovates in Islam something for
which Allaah and His Messengerhave not granted permission, that thing
is nothing to do with Islam.
(Jaami' al-'Uloom wa'l-Hukam, part 1, p. 176)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined
following his Sunnah and teachings, and made them binding. He (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "You have to followmy
Sunnah (way) and the way of my rightly-guided successors (al-khulafa'
al-raashidoon); bite ontoit with your eyeteeth (i.e., cling firmly to
it)." And he warned against bid'ah (innovation), as he said: "Beware
of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is a going
astray." (narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-'Ilm, 2600; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2157)
Ibn al-Qayyim said: "Allaah has made devotion of worship to Him alone
and followingthe Sunnah the means ofdeeds being accepted; if these
conditions are not met, then deeds are unaccaptable."
(al-Rooh, 1/135)
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is
best in deed"
[al-Mulk 67:2]
al-Fudayl said: "'best in deed' means, most devoted to Allaah alone
and most in accordance with the Sunnah.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.

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