KIWI MUSLIM DIRECTORY - Muslims in New Zealand

Moon Sighting in Islam

Bismillahir rahmaniraheem  (In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful.)

  by: Sheikh Khaleel Ahmed Nadat,  Hilal Commitee, Auckland

All praise is for Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala who has with his infinite grace and mercy, has made our deen very easy for us. Among the many wondrous creations of Allah is the moon. As with all the creations of Allah the moon too serves a purpose. Upon the questioning of the sahabah (RA) the following verse from surah baqarah was revealed- (translation of which is, “They ask you (O Muhammad) about the new moons. Say: these are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for the pilgrimage…” [Al-Baqarah 2:189]. This ayah clearly shows that the moon serves as our method for distinguishing time in months etc, this is why the Islamic calendar is the lunar calendar. The Islamic months begin with the sighting of the new moon.

The Prophet (saws) (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Fast when you see it [the new moon] and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is cloudy then complete the month with thirty days.”Although this hadeeth is talking about Ramadan the same principal remains for all the months.A very important point to be taken from this hadeeth which is emphasized by others also is that the month begins on the sighting of the new moon, meaning that the new moon must be seen in order for that particular month to be officially started. A question that arises in this current time of scientific development is about astronomical calculations. Allah in his infinite wisdom and knowledge did not overlook this. In one hadeeth the prophet of Allah (saw) is reported to have said “We are Ummi nation, we do not write or read either, and the month is of 29 days, if it is cloudy that you cannot see the new moon then complete 30 days”.

To translate the wording of mentioned Hadeeth “Ummi” as “illiterate” or “ignorant” is absolutely wrong and insulting interpretation. The meanings of the passage “LA NAKTUBU WA LA NAHSIBU”, as being assumed that: “We neither know how to write nor calculate”, are wrong according to the Arabic Grammar. Its actual meanings are: “We neither write nor make calculations”. The interpretation of this Hadeeth, therefore, is that we Muslims do not depend like other nations on the calculations for the new moon and start of the month. We do it in a simple and understandable method: Start the month by observing the new moon on 29th day, and if it is not sighted then take that month as of 30 days.

 If it is assumed that Rasoolullah Sallallaho alaihi wasallam was unaware of astronomical calculations, then how did he say that the month is 29 days, and if the moon is sighted then complete 30 days. That means he was fully aware of the circulation of the moon around the earth and of calculating its rotation. This means that the Blessed personality of the Rasoolullah Sallallaho alaihi wasallam had the full knowledge as bestowed on his Blessed Personality by Allah Tala of the ‘conjunction of moon between sun and earth’, and the fact that the new moon cannot be generated before 27th or 28th day of the lunar month, thus it cannot be sighted any where in the world before 29th of the month. Modern astronomical interpretations support his established norm that the Lunar months have either 29 days or 30 days. He made the statement about moon sighting only for 29th, and if the moon is not sighted then the start of the next month after completion of 30 days is the only way, which is mentioned in Hadeeth.

That also tells us that he had full knowledge of astronomical calculations, because if he was unaware of it, he might have said that don’t fast until you see the moon, no matter on 29th, 30th, 31st, or 32nd or after that. That means this Hadeeth limits the lunar month between 29th and 30th, and Modern Astronomy does the same. This clearly tells us that we must not depend on mathematical and astronomical calculations and deduction to dictate our months; rather we should follow the commandment of Allah full and rely only on the sighting of the moon by the human eye. As understood from the quraanic ayaat and ahadeeth, it is Waajib Al-Kifaayah (compulsory duty on a representative of a group/locality) to search for the new moon to begin a month especially Ramadan and Zhul-hijjah.  Ruling Concerning Validity Of Testimony Of Moon Sighting Ruling for Ramadan For the beginning of Ramadan one persons testimony (about seeing the moon) will be accepted if these three conditions are met;

 1) He has to Muslim, Aaqil,Baaligh (sane, and of age), not Faasiq

2) He must be giving testimony about himself

 3) the horizon is unclear due to cloud or dust where the new moon should be Testimony should be given in front of Qazi (judge) or an appointed expert Ulema committee. If the skies are clear there should be more than two people testifying that they saw the new moon, enough people that it becomes difficult to deny their testimony Ruling for Eid If the place in which you can see the new moon is not clear than two pious men or one pious man and two pious women can give testimony if above requirements are met.

If the sky is clear than testimony is need from such a huge number of people that it difficult to deny their testimony. It should be remembered that the new moon can only be sighted on the 29th or 30th, not before the 29th. In the case of the moon not being sighted in the country the question arises as to what should be done, can we take the moon sighting of another country for our own? According to Jamhoor Aimma, every locality has its own area for sighting of the new moon, which is described by the ulema to be of a 1000 km radius. If news of the moon being sighted comes from a locality further west, and through the proper sources then the Ulema committee will accept it as long as that place has the same day (same or similar time zone) One countries moon sighting can be taken for another if they have the same day i.e. there is not much difference in time between the two countries. As will be evident from the incident below, for the moon sighting to be accepted the news must be given as a direct message between ulema of the localities with a testimony and oath. Otherwise the local moon sighting is sufficient for each locality A narration of Ibn ‘Abbas(ra) in Sahīh Muslim indicates that local moon sighting alone was the prevailing method in the time of the Blessed Prophet (pbuh) and was a part of the teachings of the Blessed Prophet (pbuh) to the Sahabah(RA).

 Sahīh Muslim Book 6 Chapter 5: THERE IS A SIGHTING OF THE MOON FOR EVERY TOWN THE SIGHTING AT ONE TOWN CANNOT BE HELD VALID FOR THE OTHER TOWN SITUATED AT A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE FROM IT Kurayb narrates that Umm al-Fadl sent him to Mu‘āwiyah (ra) in Sham for something. Kurayb says,"I went to Sham and finished the job. I was in Sham when the month of Ramadan began and we saw the moon the night of Friday. When I reached Madinah at the end of the blessed month, Ibn ‘Abbas(ra) asked me about Sham. (After answering him) He then asked me when we saw the moon. I said, 'We saw the moon the night of Jumu‘ah.' He asked, 'Did you see it as well?' I said, 'Yes, I saw it too and many others saw it and we all kept fasting and so did Mu‘āwiyah (that is according to that moon sighting).' Ibn ‘Abbas(ra) said, 'But we saw the moon on Saturday night, therefore, we will keep fasting for thirty days according to that unless we sight the moon on the 29th.' I asked, 'You don’t think the moon sighting of Mu‘āwiyah(RA) and his fasting is enough for you?' Ibn ‘Abbas(ra) replied, 'No, this is how the Blessed Prophet (pbuh) taught us.'" (Muslim H.1819, Tirmišī H.629, Nasa'i H.2084, Abū-Dāwūd H.1985, Musnad Ahmad H.2653 Dar-qutni H.2234) This hadeeth is clear evidence. When Ibn ‘Abbas was informed by the person who himself sighted the moon that the people of Sham had begun Ramadan one day before, he responded that it was not only his opinion, but also the teachings of the Blessed Prophet (pbuh) that the moon sighting of another locality was not compulsory upon them. In light of the Quran and hadeeth under the guidance of the ulema here in New Zealand, the hilaal (new Moon) committee, practice as follows: -looking for the new moon locally; in all parts of new Zealand-accepting proper messages from anywhere in New Zealand or nearest countries in the time zone such as Fiji.-considering the astronomical information as evidence for accepting message of new moon sighting Allah knows best. May Allah in his infinite mercy grant us the taufiq to practice on our deen.  Aameen  

Article by: Sheikh Khaleel Ahmed Nadat,  Hilal Commitee, Auckland