Sallah Uncertainties: Crescent Moon Sighting Brouhaha

The Qur'an always refers to Muslims as people of understanding.

Ordinarily, there are two Eds in Islam. Weekly Ed and annual Ed Weekly The Ed Edul Adolf Edul Adha during the pilgrimage (Hajj) period.

It is worth noting that these three Eds (Festivals Prayers) are done once and a specific day and time.

The weekly Ed (Jumu'ah) which is the Friday prayer is done on Fridays in the afternoon. Edul Fitr comes off immediately after Ramadan and Edul Adha is done after Yawmul Arafat at Makkah during the pilgrimage.

Traditionally, the Friday (Jumu'ah) prayers could not be observed on Saturday. Because Jumu'ah is once in a week.

Likewise, the annual Eds (Festivals): Edul Adha and Edul Fitr occur once in a while. Once a believer (s) misses them they can not be followed later, say the following week or even the following day.

In any case, if one postpones Friday Jumu'ah prayer to Saturday or any day, is no more Jumu'ah.

You can call it what you like.

Now, the crescent moon is sighted Ramadan begins and Sha'ban ceases that very night.

That is why we usually and traditionally starts Tarawee prayers on the night of the crescent moon sighting.

In this case, the moon is sighted again, Shawal starts and the following day, just like Ramadan started when the moon was sighted in Sha'ban, Shawal begins the following day and the Edul Fitr must be observed on the first day Shawal!

If for any reason, it was possible to observe the Edul Fitr on the first day of Shawal, until the following year, that's all. One can not decide to watch it on a different day. Just like it. Friday Jumu'ah prayer can not be observed on a Saturday.

Islamic calendar, we determine the beginning of a month by the appearance of the crescent moon.

And, indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is reported to have said in an authentic prophet Hadith (Saying of the Prophet), that 'sight the crescent moon to begin fasting in Ramadan and to sight the crescent moon again in order to end the fasting in the month of Ramadan. "

This was the tradition of the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

As every one is concerned, there are some interpretations of the sayings of the Prophet on Matters of Fiqh (Jurisprudence) who interpret and ruled out the basis of the sharia of some of the sayings of the Prophet meant.

These scholars are Imam Ahmad Hanbali, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik b. Anas, and Imam As-Shafi '.

Their interpretations of the prophetic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) have given birth to the famous schools of thought in Islam.

Thus, Hanbaliyya to Imam Hanbali; Shafi'ayya to Imam As-Shafi'a; Hanafiyya to Imam Abu Hanifa, and Malikiyya to Imam Malik b. Anas.

These eminent scholars and rulings are all acceptable. It is a matter of preference and choice for a choice of interpretations or verdicts (fatwas) to rely on and follow.

For instance, in the matter of performing Ghusul, the Qur'an says we should purify ourselves after "contact" with women.

The Prophet says the purification is taking a spiritual bath.

Now, these scholars interpret and ruled out to the spiritual bath.

Some say a believer should divide himself into two sides (1,3,5,7 etc.) times follow by the left side .

Yet, they should be horizontally divide themselves by "up and down" by the waist, and from the waist to the feet. Another scholar says he should be swimming in the water.

These various interpretations and fatwas (verdicts) have been cataloged into schools of thought.

Whichever of the above a Muslim prefers, he or she chooses and uses.

However, because of the fact that these authors are contemporaries and lived in different jurisdictions, it is recommended that one particular matter of their rulings and interpretations, believers should follow the one of many agreed upon.

In the matter of the sighting of the crescent moon, however, it is only Imam As-Shafi'a who would be more likely to believe in a particular country than to be in the world. not sighted in their country on the 29th day of Ramadan.

This ruling of As-Shafi'a has divided the Ummah into Local and Global sighters, where the local sighters rely on sighting the world in their own country.

As Edul Edr Edul Adha Edul Adha is one of the most popular edu

The prayers must be observed on the first day of Shawal since it is a year in a year.

Praying it on any other day from Shawal is like postponing Jumu'ah prayer to Saturday.

Furthermore, those who are still fasting on the ground that they have not seen the moon are fasting in the world.

Therefore it is important to get a good view of Edul Fitr accurately.

It is also important to understand that the ruling of As-Shafi'a that one should wait to see the crescent in their own country. made the ruling even if the crescent moon was sighted in say Egypt on the 29th day how would the information get to Muslims in Yemen?

And according to the Qur'an, earth has only one moon and it appears to the whole world.

Not only according to the Qur'an the earth has only one moon, scientifically, there's only one moon to the earth and its natural satellite.

Other planets scientifically have more than one moon and others do not have at all.

For example, Mercury and Venus do not have moons. Mars has two moons and Jupiter has a total of 67 moons.

Hence it is pointless to be waiting for one's country's moon on earth if it is sighted in another country, because it is only one.

Apart from American Samoa 24 hours, no country is ahead or lagging behind the rest of the world with 24 hours.

If so the moon is sighted in those other places, it is still that same day.

Our differences in hours and in making it accurate to rely on the sighting of the crescent moon by other countries.

And if the moon is genuinely and creditably sighted, it does not matter to you in your country or not, it appears to the world in that particular day.

It does not mean it does not appear.

Because it is only one moon.

Interestingly enough, Makkah, where the Islamic religion came from in the center of the world. This means no country, can not be expected or lagging behind Saudi Arabia's time zone with twenty four (24) hours (full day).

That means, Saudi Arabia sights the moon it is the same day in every country across the globe!

The Qur'an refers to Makkah in Suratul Ashura 42: 7 as the mother of all cities.

The fact that Islam is coming from Makkah (Saudi Arabia) and it is an Islamic state of the world (Muslims to rely on Makkah (Saudi Arabia) regarding the sighting of the crescent moon.

Yet, another compelling reason is the natural geographical location of Saudi Arabia in the center of the earth.

The Ka'ba is on the golden mean point of the earth. That is why birds or planes can not fly over the Ka'ba, it is not magic. Generally, pull of gravity in Makkah does not support flyers.

Therefore, Saudi Arabia must be the country all other countries rely on and follow in the matter of crescent sighting.

In any case, if there is still one in the world, and some still want to wait for their own countries, let them perform the pilgrimage using their own countries' moons!

Because it is the Saudi calendar Muslims rely on to perform pilgrimage (hajj). And he of Shawal affects the date of Arafat and all other processes involved when performing hajj.

It is primitive that some Muslims find it to fast on Yawmul Arafat day, observes the other pilgrimage processes in line with the Saudi Calendar Edul Fitr and Adha.

Edul Fitr and Edul Adha in line with the Saudi Arabia's calendar, it's always a good time to have a good time. Rather, they must fast on the day, according to their calendar, falls on their Arafat day.

Of course, this misunderstanding is bound out of leadership.

There are many misguided imams for the sake of leadership, who seek to establish their own calendars out of arrogance, parochial interest, personal whims and aggrandizement.

Otherwise, it is mind-boggling why the crescent moon will be sighted and the information is credible from Saudi Arabia, and yet people want to manufacture their own moons.

Does not the Qur'an say "It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision." And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error. " 33:36

Continuing fasting after the moon has been sighted is flagrant disrespect and disobedient of the Prophet and his saying that "sight the crescent moon to begin the fasting and to sight in order to break".

And if this anomaly of developing one's own calendar is out of pride and arrogance, does not the Prophet say anybody with an atom size of pride in him or her does not go to Paradise?

I end with this quote from Suratul Talaq 65:10

…. "So fear Allah and keep your duty to Him, O men of understanding who have believed! – Allah has indeed sent you to Reminder (this Qur'an)."

Is it not time? Muslims rise above partizan interest and recognize one source as the leader of Muslims as men of understanding?

The writer is a student at KNUST, Department of Religious Studies.

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