Are we following Cultural Islam or Real Islam (Living Qur'an)? This is what is happening, "Cultural Islam". If calculation indicates with certainty the impossibility of sighting, even then should a testimony of sighting be accepted? Why Muslims are not using the common sense in following the Qur'an and Sunnah?

Allah categorically states in Qur'an (10:5) that He has assigned the moon Manaazil so that we would know the number of years and the reckoning of time. However, according to people advocating naked eye sighting of the new moon, the Islamic dates result in 3-4 days on a globe without any relevance to Manaazil of the moon mentioned in Qur'an (10:5). It would mean that this Qur'anic verse is meaningless and Allah made a mistake (NAOOZU-BILLAH)) to state that Manaazil of the moon have to be reckoned to determine number of years and the count of time in days of the month.

Has Qur'an asked us to search the Hilal in order to begin fasting on the first day of Ramadan? Can any one show me one Hadith (even a weak one) that Rasoolullah himself or the closest Sahabah (Abu-Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali - Radi-al-Allahu Unhum) stood to see the Hilal? Do you know that the word 'Hilal' is not even mentioned in Qur'an? Qur'an (2:189) mentions "Ahillah", which has been wrongly translated as "New-Moons" in some recent translations. Older Tafaseer translate "Ahillah" as the increasing and decreasing phases of the moon, which is also called "Manaazil", mentioned in Quran (36:39) which says: "Qaddarnaahu manaazila hatta aada kal urjoonil qadeem". We have appointed manaazil for the moon till it returned like an old shrivelled palm leaf. We have to see Manaazil of the moon in order to count the number of days in a month and start the month on the correct day, the day after the moon disappears. In Tafsir Ibn Kathir in the explanation of Qur'an (71:16), it is very clearly written that the day on which moon gets veiled/disappears shows that the previous month has passed.

It is a general principle accepted by all Fuqaha' that a rule is always dependent of its reason (illah) and when reason is absent the rule is no longer applicable. Quran (8:60) commands us "to prepare against them all you can of power and of horses of war to deter thereby the enemies of God and your enemies.....". Here we cannot consider horses of war as a requirement of Allah�s commandment but a specific means to build a deterrent force that proved useful during many past centuries but which is no longer useful in the present times when enemies are armed to the teeth by nuclear weapons, cluster bombs etc. Also Qur'an (22:27) states proclaiming the people for Hajj that they will come on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path. Here camel is focused because it was a specific and best method used by people during a particular period of time. It is not meant to be applied for all future generations. We do not use the same method used by the prophet to determine different times of prayer, or even starting the month of Ramadan. The Prophet himself fasted in the month of Ramadan according the practice of "Nasi' (intercalation)" for all his life. Those months of Ramadan in each year were not really the correct month of Ramadan according to Allah's reckoning of time as mentioned in Qur'an (9:35-37). The practice of Nasi' was abolished in the 9th or 10th year of Hijra.

We are seeing the confusion and chaos in the Muslim world every year starting Ramadan and Eid. The practice of seeing new moon and ignoring Manaazil of the moon must be a Jewish conspiracy and a plot to destroy Allah's Calendar and what is really shocking is that they have succeeded to create people within Muslims themselves who will spend all their time and energy to oppose Allah's Calendar, and look foolish to the whole world that Muslims start Ramadan on 3 or 4 different days. What a tremendous 'achievement' indeed for the enemies of Islam..!!!

May Allah give us Hidayah and guide all to the right path.

See the moon and fast, see the moon and leave fast: Ever since man knows, the globe has been having the week days as Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The great and unique phenomenon of this is that the entire world has the same days without any confusion, within 24 hours. If it is Monday, for the whole world it is Monday within 24 hours; so with all the other days in a week. Also, all the calendars of the world, like Gregorian calrndar, Jewish calendar, Japanese calendar, Chinese calendar, Hebrew calendar, Ethiopian calendar, and Irish Calendar have the same feature that if it is 1st for a place within 24 hours, it is 1st for the entire globe. Now coming to the point, the week days are the same throughout the year, the dates for all the above calendars are same throughout the world but the most tragic factor about this is the people who have been blessed with the most accurate and precise calendar by the creator have made a mockery of this calendar making 3 or 4 different dates for the same weekday throughout the world.

Alas! What a great tragedy. The great Lord blessed us with a unique calendar, far far more accurate than all the calendars and here, we are making a mockery of it by not following the Qur'an and Hadith and implementing it. What�s more, using the same lunar calendar the entire world prays Jumu�ah on the very same day with a difference of 24 hours but the funny part of it is, though the very same week day Jumu�ah there are invariably three or four different dates all over the world for the one and the same week day Friday and no one seems to see the atrocious truth of the whole thing and it has been going on like this for many centuries; and based on these gibberishes they say that they cannot pray Eid on the same day or start fasting on the same day throughout the world within 24 hours difference; they don�t for a moment seem to realize as to how it is possible to pray Jumu�ah using the same lunar calendar throughout the world on the very same day. Wal qamara qad darna_hu mana_zila hat ta_ a_da kalurju_nil qadim (Qur'an: 36-39), which means: And for the moon, We have appointed mansions (phases) till she return like an old shrivelled palm leaf (urjunul Qadeem). Hadith says, "Ja'alAllah ul ahillata mawaaqeeta linnasi fa soomoo li ru'uyathihiwa afthiroo li ru'uyathihi, fa in gumma alaikum fauddoo salaaseena youman". The commentary of this by Ibn Katheer is the following:"Allah (swt) has appointed phases of the moon as dates for the people, so fast according to its view and celebrate Eidul Fitr according to its view and if it became doubtful for you then count the month as 30 days". The above Qur'an and Hadith very clearly state that we have to observe the moon to start fasting, and we have to observe the moon for discontinuing fasting; nobody was told to look at any particular moon, they were advised to observe all the phases of the moon especially the Urjunul Qadeem. And common sense would tell you that someone who advises you to observe the total phases of the moon throughout the month, would not tell you to go out in the end of the month to observe the next month�s crescent � something impossible for anyone to do. The people have wrongly understood it because of the Jewish practice of starting the day at Maghrib. Today, Science tells us in a crystal-clear manner that seeing the first crescent at Maghrib is not an easy task, very rarely can we see the first day�s crescent at Maghrib; Even so, that crescent would be for that day which started at Fajr and seeing it at Maghrib would only mean that we have lost the first day already, and we could only go to the second day.

In the Qur'an (2:238) "Haafizoo alas-salawaati was-salatil-wusta". Salatul-Wusta has been considered as being the middle prayer, Allah (swt) clearly states that the day starts at Fajr and not at Maghrib. Hadith stating, �see the moon and start your fast, see the moon and give up fasting, �is not looking at the first crescent moon, meant that we have to see the phases of the moon all through the month especially the Urjunil Quadeem, which specifically determines the end of the phase of the moon and the next day automatically is the no-moon day or conjunction day where throughout the world, you cannot see the moon anywhere on the globe, and the next day invariably would be the 1st of the lunar month.

It is a sad state of affairs that Saudi supposed to be the pioneers of Islam and pioneers of the rules and regulations of Islam. The world is far ahead of the Saudis; North America, Turkey, France, Bosnia and 20 other countries along with them, started the fasting on an accurate day following the accurate lunar calendar precisely on 9th July 2013, one day ahead of the Saudis. Searching for a crescent moon on the 6th of August 2013 is absurd, when the world of astronomers and world of scientists have all stated that it is impossible to see the crescent anywhere on the earth on the conjunction day or the no-moon day. The Saudis neither see the crescent moon nor do they adhere to accurate calculations though Allah (swt) permits accurate calculations in the Qur'an. The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) calculated (Qur'an: 55: 5). They are making a fool out of themselves wasting the precious virtues and the A�maal of the common Muslims in many parts of the world who follow them. Not only Ramadhan; also in Hajj, their wrong technique of observing the moon invariably makes them erroneously fix Arafat day whereby the majority of the Hajis lose their Hajj. This has been happening for several decades when they started bogus or dual calendar; one for the government and one for the civil purposes. They are making themselves laughing stocks amongst the literate societies of the world. This confusion does not stay with them alone, but also gets to all those who emulate them, making them forcefully commit Haraam and Kufr (Ziyadatun fil Kufr (Qur'an 9: 36-37). Since the people, who donot follow the accurate lunar calendar, are forced to fast on the Eidday thereby forcing the former month Ramadhan to one or two moredays, (Ziyadatun fil Kufr) and also fasting on the Eid day is Haraam. So, fasting on the 7th August 2013, would not be Haraam as it is Eid-ul-Fitr per the accurate lunar calendar. May Allah (swt) guide us to follow His path unerringly and with ease and comfort and gain tremendously all the blessings and benefits needed for a successful life here and hereafter; Aameen!

Qur'an (2:189) says, "Yas'aluunaka anil-Ahilla.....Qul Hia Mawaaqeet-u lin-Naasi wal-Hajj."
According to Qur'an, Ahillah are means for measuring time, for the general convenience of people (Mawaaqeet-u lin-Naas) and for the Pilgrimage (Hajj). Ahillah means crescent moons and Qur'an states that they are timing mechanisms for the people. Even confining the meaning which is generally understood as "the first sighting of new moons in different months" (unfortunately Qur'an does not state Ahillah refers to first day of a month). Kindly note, in the same verse itself, immediately after the above comment about Ahillah, Allah states; "And it is not righteousness that you come into houses by the backs thereof, but truly righteous is he who fears God. And you should come into houses by the doors thereof; and fear God that you may prosper".
Please pause for a moment and think for the sake of Allah. It is very clear from the verse, "And it is not righteousness that you come into houses by the backs........" that it is clearly linked to the first statement, "Yas'aluunaka anil-Ahilla.....Qul Hia Mawaaqeet-u lin-Naas wal-Hajj." Now think what is the connection here? Normally when we read the verse we generally think the Qur'an discusses two totally unrelated things in a single verse. However, the beauty of the Qur'an is; if you think deeply you will find a clear connection. The verses of the Qur'an are never unconnected. There is a powerful point Allah is conveying through this verse. Though the verse has a valid literal meaning to always enter into our houses through the front door, the point reminded in this verse is that we should always enter into different dates and different months through 'the front door', i.e, after following and confirming the different phases of the moon. If you are entering into different months after watching the initial sighting of the moon you are entering into the month through the back doors and you will be completely lost. This is my understanding of the verse of the Qur'an. There is a definitely a close link between the two statements, no one can deny. Please think. The initial sighting of the moon is possible only after the month has begun. Do not enter through back door. This is what Ali Manikfan Saheb has been stating all along. We should follow the different phases of the moon to determine different dates and months. This is what is further confirmed in the Qur'an (10:5) as "appointed stages for the moon so that you may reckon time and mark the number of year". Any other method, without talking into account and relying on scientific calculation of the different phases of the moon is not Qur'anic.

People generally quote Bukhari, Hadith (3:137) Narrated Ibn 'Umar: The Prophet said, "We are an illiterate nation; we neither write, nor know accounts. The month is like this and this, i.e. sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of thirty days".

Please notice the Arabic word �la� in this Hadith. which in English denotes the present condition of the Muslims at that time (neither write, nor know accounts). In order to refer to past, in Arabic we use �Lum�, just as �Lum Ya lid w alum yu lad� which means � neither born nor gave birth�. And for future the word �Lun� is used. If Prophet had used �Lun� it would have taken to mean that the Muslim community would remain illiterate forever. The prophet did not use "Lun" and what is used is "la nakrubu va la tahsubu", a statement of fact, the present condition of the Muslims at that time, and it is very clear that the prophet did not mean the muslim community will remain forever illiterate.

My biggest concern is, "Can anyone prove that at least one time Muslims all over the world are able to observe fast and celebrate Eid without any confusion using naked-eye "moon-sighting" (sorry moon-fighting!) reports?"

May Allah guide us all to the right path.

Abu Huraira narrated that Allah's Messenger, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, said : "When the month of Ramadaan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." [Bukhari]

The question is "When the month of Ramadaan starts?"

Question 1: If the month of Ramadaan starts on 3 or 4 different days in different parts of the world at different man-made countries, on which day the gates of heaven will be opened ???

Question 2: On which day (out of 3 or 4 different days) the gates of the hell will be closed and devils are chained ???

We are sure all agree that Lailathul Qadar falls on odd night, in the last 10 days.

Question 3: How will it be possible if different cities started Ramadaan on different days?

If it is odd night for someone, that will be even night for others. So, Prophet's (Sallallaahu Alaihi wa sallam) description that it occurs on odd night becomes wrong (NAUDUBILLAH) if on that nigght someone has counted it as even. Only if all started the Ramadaan on the same correct week-day, all will achieve Lailathul Qadar on an odd date. Is it not ???

If all those who advocate "imkane Ruyiah" or "moon-sighting by naked eye" cannot provide correct answers and/or cannot justify their contention of 1st of the month falling on 3 or 4 week-days, then as a True Muslim, you all must accept that in the Kitaab of Allah there is only one calendar and that the dates of which were fixed by Him, the Almighty, on the very day heaven and earth were created and that those dates are shown by the moon-phases and also that neither the vision of man nor the clouds have any role in changing those dates.

Otherwise, openly declare and accept:
- there is only one calendar in the Kitaab of Allah
- dates were fixed on the very day the heaven and earth were created
- the moon-phases are the dates for the mankind
- all the Prophets (Peace Be Upon Them All) were following the same calendar which is there in the Kitaab of Allah
- vision of man nor clouds have no role in the start of a lunar month

Can any one dare to declare so ???

In Tafsir Ibn Kathir in the explanation of verse 71:16, it is very clearly written that the day on which moon gets veiled/covered shows the passing of the month.

Question 4: Do you disagree with this great scholar ???

We request all to please study the subject without prejudices. In Islam, there can be only one week-day for a date for the whole world and having 3 or 4 week-days for the same date is contrary to Shari'ah. Just like Jumu'ah prayers are completed world-over within 24 hours, the Eid-prayer too, if Eid falls on a Friday, will be completed within 24 hours, the world over.

Islam is Perfect and Complete says Almighty Allah. Then why majority of Muslims are in the dark in starting the Hijri month on the correct week-day ??? Iblees is leading astray millions by starting the Hijri months late by one or two or three days !!!! How cunning is he !!! A True Muslim will never get bitten again, from the same hole !!!!

May Almighty Allah keep all of us in the Right Path. Aameen

Top    Updated May 3, 2014