3.
Hijra Calendar in the Qur’aan
"Certainly the number
of months with Allah is twelve in His Book since the day He created the Heavens
and the Earth. Of these four are sacred. That is the right religion. So wrong
not yourselves in them. And fight the polytheists all together just as they
fight you all together and know that Allah is with the righteous."
(Qur'aan 9:36) From this verse of the Holy Qur’aan we know that there are 12
months in a year in Allah's reckoning. This has been the measure of time since
the creation of the universe. Allah orders us to follow this system of dating
in our affairs of this world. When there are 12 months in a year, every month
should have a beginning and an end and there should be clear limits, which
separate one month from the other. Allah says, "Wrong not yourselves in
them." We must know the limits of the months so that we may not violate
His orders by transgressing them. Allah has given us the Moon, which is a
satellite of the Earth so that we may discern the months and the dates by
watching her cycle that equals a month.
When the people questioned
the Prophet (saw) regarding the waxing and waning of the Moon, he was asked to
reply: "say they are dates for the people and the pilgrimage."(Q
2:189). In another verse of the holy Qur’aan it is explained "And for the
Moon we have appointed the Manzils (phases) till it returns to the original
stage of Urjoon"(Q 38:38). The Moon has 29 visible phases commencing from
the
shape of Hilal or Urjoon
attaining half at the quarter and full in the middle of the month. Then it
becomes smaller day by day attaining the original shape of the Hilal or Urjoon
just before the end of the month.
The first Hilal sets in the
western horizon just after the sunset, if the preceding month is of 29 days on
the 29th of the Hijri month and the Hilal may be visible under very clear
conditions. If the month is of 30 days the Hilal is not present on the 29th and
may not be visible on the 30th day also anywhere in the world. The next month
in such cases begins after completing 30 days for the previous month,
without seeing the
Hilal. This criterion for the Islamic
Calendar is derived from the Holy Qur'aan and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw).
All months do not begin
after seeing the Hilal as generally believed by people and wrongly recorded in
the books. The Prophet (saw) ordered to look for the Hilal only on the 29th of
the month, not on any other day. So it is imperative that the 29th should
coincide with the Ahillah of the Moon as directed in the Qur'aan. (2:189). If
the Hilal is present on the 29th, the next month begins. If it is not present
30 days should be completed. After completing 30 days there is no need to look
for the Hilal. The next month begins without seeing the Hilal. If the people
looked for the Hilal on a wrong day this method will not give correct results,
the dates will be wrong and it becomes impracticable. The concept that all
months begin after seeing the Hilal with the naked eyes has no meaning. The
Prophet (saw) has not given such an order.
The Prophet (saw) said in
clear words that the months are of 29 or 30 days, sometimes 29 and sometimes 30
days, not alternating in a regular order or sequence. So for a people, who do
not know how to calculate, a method of observation of the Hilals is necessary
to discern the months. He taught them a simple method of observation. But
carelessness in it would make a day of one month go into the other. When a day
of Sha’baan becomes a day of Ramadan it wiould forbid us to eat on its daytime
while Allah has allowed it. Allah (swt) warns us in the Qur’aan. "So wrong
not yourselves in them."
From this we know that
particularly the four months, which are sacred, and Ramadan should not go out
of phase with Allah's calendar (the Moon). Now a day we have no time to look at
the Moon and we have to depend on the calendars, which are not made according
to the rules given in the Qur’aan. Our activities have polluted the atmosphere
and the visibility has become poor and the first crescent is never seen. If a day
of one month goes into the other we would commit the sin of allowing what is
forbidden. Therefore a scientific study of the course of the Moon is very
essential in our times in order to avoid the sin.
Moon is the calendar
designed by Allah for the use of mankind. Calendar is a system for reckoning
the passage of time. The principal problem in drawing up
Calendars arises from the
fact that the immediate units of time, - the solar day, the week of seven days
and the lunar month are not simple multiples of each other. The days eventually
get out of step with the Moon and an adjustment is needed. This difficulty is
usually got over by adding one or more extra days or months at
regular intervals in an
extended cycle of months or years in order to adjust with the natural system.
This is known as intercalation, which is not allowed in the Shariah.
"Surely intercalation is an addition to disbelief. The disbelievers are
led astray there-by. They allow it in one year and forbid it in another year in
order to adjust the count with the period that Allah has made sacred and thus
they allow
what Allah has forbidden.
The evil of their deeds is made fair seeming to them. And Allah does not guide
the disbelievers." (Q 09:37) Allah orders the believers to follow the
phases of the moon for their dates and calculate the passage of time basing on
the natural system without resorting to intercalations, which create confusion
in reckoning time.
In the days of the Prophet
(saw) people did not know how day and night alternated and how the Moon waxed
and waned. The Prophet (saw) was not sent to teach science and celestial
mechanics. People could learn such things by their own investigations and
studies. The mission of the Prophet (saw) was to teach mankind the spiritual
knowledge of right and wrong, the laws of God which man cannot learn by his own
efforts. So their question regarding the Ahillah (phases) was answered in a
simple way, that it was meant for showing them the dates for programming their
affairs of this world and to reckon the passage of their time.
We have the week of seven
days that are known by names. The dates of the month stand in place of them. A
date denotes a particular day of the week. A date cannot denote two days. We
must be able to know in advance on what day a certain date will fall. Without
this we cannot have a practicable calendar. The lunar dates shown by the phases
of the moon must be predictable by calculations because the moon is subjected
to certain laws, which do not change. Calendars can be drawn up basing on the
phases of the moon and the dates could be used in our daily life successfully.
Observation of the moon can tell us whether the calculations are correct. We
should use them without making careless mistakes in reckoning the months.
In the Qur’aan we read,
"He it is who made the sun radiate a brilliant light and the moon reflect
a luster and ordained for it stages that you might know the ages (of the moon)
and the calculations. Allah has not created this but in truth. He details the signs
for an understanding people."(Q 10:5). These verses clearly tell us that
Allah has not created all these things in vain but that we may investigate and
learn. The sun and the moon are means for us to reckon time, the ages. But
mankind did not care to investigate into them or to learn the laws of their
calculations by observing them. Instead they took them for gods and worshipped
them. It was only in recent times after the revelation of the Qur’aan, that man
started thinking about them.
When Allah says
that the moon is for reckoning time and it contains a date system for mankind
to program their affairs in this world, it cannot be a vague and baseless
system. It must be perfect and foolproof without variations. We must be able to
find out a day or date of a particular event in history by this calculation. It
will be foolish to say that we cannot predict a date of the Hijra Calendar. It
is wrong to change dates of Allah according to the whims of the people, who
look for the Hilal on the wrong day and say that the Hilal is not visible. By
this we ridicule the sayings of the Prophet (saw) and put the blame on him that
he has not given us clear instructions to learn. He has asked us to observe the
moon and find out the dates. But we foolishly look at the Hilal on the wrong
day and make mistakes. Changing dates will allow what Allah (SWT) has forbidden
and our actions will become useless.
It is true that the Prophet
(saw) said "do not fast without seeing the Hilal and do not celebrate
Eidul Fitre without seeing it." This does not mean that the date cannot be
predicted. It only means that we should not be so careless as to fast on the
wrong day and celebrate Eid on the wrong day as it is done now a days. The word
'seeing' should not be given the literal meaning. If we take it in the literal
sense the words of the Prophet (saw) will become ridiculous. The Hilal seen in
one town will not be seen in the other town. Will it mean that the dates of the
two towns will differ in the Islamic Shariah? Allah has already warned us against
wronging ourselves in fixing the months carelessly and violating His laws.(Q
9:36).
Change of dates would
violate Haram and Halal of Allah. It is a very serious matter. How can we
change a date all of a sudden and postpone a sacred period? For example, if
Wednesday is the first of a month, then the 5th will be Sunday. To say that 5th
will be Monday is absurd. This will happen when a date is changed all on a
sudden. A calendar, which is liable to such changes, cannot be used in this
world.
Allah (swt) has prescribed
certain laws of motion for all celestial bodies. They do not transgress the
laws. Allah does not make any change in his laws. He says, "Have you not
seen that Allah makes the night pass into the day and makes the day pass into the
night. And he has put the Sun and the Moon into service each pursuing its
course till an appointed time. And Allah is well aware of what you do." (Q
31: 29). To say that the dates of the Islamic calendar are unpredictable and
liable to change according to the seeing of the people is tantamount to the
denial of the Ayahs of the Qur’aan.
From the lessons of Science
learnt through the past ages we know that night passes into day and day passes
into night because the globe (earth) spins on its axis. The Earth goes round
the Sun. The Moon goes around the Earth. The Moon has no light of its own. It
reflects the Sun's light. The changing positions of the Moon, the Earth and the
Sun causes waxing and waning of the Moon, causes
the eclipses of the Moon and
the Sun. Because these things move with precision and there is no change in
their laws we can predict their positions and time. We can predict the date and
time of a solar or a lunar eclipse exactly. But ignorant people think that a
future date of the Islamic calendar cannot be fixed! Any future date of the
Hijra Calendar can be prefixed exactly. If it is necessary we can check our
calculations with the observation of the Moon so that we may not make a
mistake. We do this with the sun. Why should we not do the same with the Moon
too? We should not wrong
ourselves by making mistakes due to our neglect of observations or
calculations.
The Solar and Lunar eclipses
occur when these bodies come in a line. They can be predicted by
calculations. The seasons change
because of the Earth's rotation on a slanted axis around the Sun. Allah has
ordered us to reckon the time depending upon the Moon's rotation around the
Earth as seen from the Earth in relation with the Sun. Anyone with common sense
can easily understand that the starting point of the month can be only from the
point when these three bodies viz. Sun, Earth and Moon come in a line.
Just as we know when the
shadow of an object disappears totally, the Sun must be overhead, we know when
an eclipse occurs the Sun, the Earth and the Moon, must be in a line. The
Qur’aan explains, “And the Moon is eclipsed and the Sun and the Moon are
brought together.” (Q 75:08,09). The moon begins its course from this point and
when she makes a round and reaches the line again it marks the end of a month.
It takes about 29.53 (30 or 29) days.
For finding out the emerging
of the Moon from the other side of the Sun after crossing the Sun, people who
had no knowledge of Science and calculation in the days of the Prophet (saw)
looked for the appearing of the Hilal in the evening sky. After the Moon's last
phase, which is seen just before the sunrise early in the morning, the Moon
sets after the Sun. In those days the atmosphere was not congested and the
first Hilal would be seen in places like Medina situated at higher latitudes.
The Prophet (saw) asked them to look for the Hilal on the 29th day. If we go
wrong in fixing the 29th, certainly we will make a mistake, a day of a month
may go into the other and what is allowed will be forbidden and vice versa by
that. (Q 09:37) This is very serious in the sight of Allah (swt).
Day has a fixed time and
night has a fixed time. Our ancestors could not measure it accurately. They had
no watches or chronometers and they had no need to be so accurate because they
were not able to move fast. They were not so busy in the worldly affairs. Now
we are able to move very fast and time has become a very important factor. An
error of few seconds can cause death to millions of people. Muslims were very
particular about time even in those days because they had to perform the
prayers at the correct time.
Magrib cannot be prayed in
the day i.e. before nightfall. One must
be sure of the nightfall. It will be difficult to know this on a gloomy day.
They invented and used many devices for the purpose before the invention of the
clock. Had the Muslims continued their research they only would have been the
inventers of everything. But they gave up thinking and research and others
followed suit. Even today, mankind does not have a perfect and foolproof date
system, which is essential for recording the events of history and that, is
because the Muslims have given up their calendar.
The Holy Qur’aan guides
people to a perfect date system. But the Muslims want to bear witness to the
world that this date system is baseless. They look for the Hilal on the wrong
day and make a date disappear. A date system in which a date can disappear all
of a sudden cannot be relied upon. Allah (swt) has fixed the
limits of the months when He
created the heavens and the Earth. People have no right to change them. The
Qur’aan explains the limits of the months. "And for the moon we have
appointed stages till she returns like the old 'Urjoon'(dried and shriveled
date stalk).(Q 36:39).
"Therefore whosoever of
you witness the month let him fast" (Q 2:183) and according to Hadith,
those who witness should convey the message to others. Everybody is not charged
with the observation of the Moon or the calculations. Those who have knowledge
in astronomy can know the onset of a month by calculations. They must take up
the responsibility and witness the month correctly for the others. We have many
sayings of Rasulullah (saw), which explain the matter. We have to examine all
of them in order to arrive at a final decision.
People of the Prophet's time
did not know astronomy. They had no knowledge of celestial mechanics. They did
not know how to calculate the movements of the Moon. Their method was only
naked eye observation of the Moon. The Prophet (saw) himself said, "We are
a community who does not write or calculate. Our month is 29 or 30 days".
The tradition says that the
Prophet (saw) was very particular to observe the Moon, especially for Ramadan.
This is because a day of Shaban cannot be made a day of Ramadan. Allah has
forbidden eating in a day of Ramadan, but He has not forbidden eating in a day
of Shaban. That is why the Prophet (saw) forbade beginning the fasting of
Ramadan one or two days before Ramadan. He has forbidden the fasting on Youmus
Shak (doubtful day). People have a wrong belief that every month has a Youmus
Shak. It is only when people fall into doubt owing to clouds or some other
reason that they are unable to distinguish the months.
Violation of the orders of
Rasulullah is equivalent to the violation of the orders of Allah and such
actions will render all our Amals (actions) useless. So it is very important
that we should have clear knowledge of his orders about the ending of Shaban or
Ramadan. The Prophet said, "Do not fast without observing the Moon and do
not celebrate Eid without observing it", because there are some months of
29 days and some months of 30 days. Neither every month is of 29 days nor of 30
days. So we must distinguish the months of 30 days and the months of 29 days.
The beginning of the months
can be found out without calculations only by careful observation of the Moon.
Mere seeing of the Hilal only on a single day, cannot
guide us to the correct
beginning of the month. One must observe the waxing and waning phases of the
moon carefully in order to find out the true beginning of the month. The months
do not follow a simple order of alternating or a sequence. So one cannot
predict by this method whether such and such month will be of 29 or 30 days.
To predict the months we
must have the data of the Moon. We must learn astronomy and Lunar Sciences and
the Celestial mechanics to calculate the moon's orbit to tell the months in
advance. The knowledge of Astronomy required for calculating the lunar months
will come under Farz Kifaya. If no one learns this, all will fall in error and
sin. The expert astronomers prepare the data of the Moon. The laymen can use
these data just as they use a calculator and draw the Hijra calendars.
Astronomy and Astrology are
two different categories of knowledge. Astrology is forbidden in the Islamic
Shariah. There is a misunderstanding that Astronomy too comes under the banned
Sciences. Even today some people regard it as a forbidden Science. Ulema of the
past, i.e. before 1700 AD believed so because in those days astronomy and
astrology were practiced by the same people and so they were thought to be the
same kind of knowledge. But after the invention of telescope the two got
separated.
Astrology remained a
superstition based on mere conjectures while Astronomy developed into a Science
based on experiments and facts. Rasulullah (saw) had banned the use of
Astrology. People had no knowledge of real astronomy in the days of Rasulullah
(saw). Some people would have thought that the banning of Astrology is
applicable to Astronomy also because the same people practised these two
disciplines in the days of Rasulullah (saw). This is certainly a
misunderstanding. The Holy Qur’aan invites our attention to the observation of
celestial objects and their movements and admires those who study them. The
Hijra Calendar itself is based on this faculty of Science.
The people of the Prophet's
(saw) time could tell the date by watching the changing phases of the Moon even
though they did not know celestial mechanics. They had no confusion and they
did not need calendars. Their calendar was the Moon. They looked for the Hilal
and found out the end of the months correctly. If the Hilal is seen or known to
be present, they ended the month in 29 days. Otherwise, one day was added and
the month was taken as 30 days, by this time certainly the Moon would have
crossed the Sun and come to the other side. It rose before the Sun in the
Eastern horizon and now it is in the West setting after the Sun. The average measure of the month is 29.53
days. Without knowing, if they made a mistake that was regarded as forgiven by
Allah, because Allah forgives our shortcomings. The mistake is not intentional.
The Holy Qur’aan says: "He knows that you cannot keep its exact measures. So
He has turned to you in mercy". (Q 73:20). But the blunders committed
today will not be forgiven because they are intentional and due to ignorance or
arrogance.
The first Hilal in a month
of 29 days can be visible in a very clear sky even when the difference of
sunset and moon set is only 5 minutes at places like Medina situated at higher
latitudes. It would be silly to look for the Hilal from inside a house or a
hilly place where the setting sun cannot be seen on the horizon or from a place
where the atmosphere is polluted. If we totally depend on the naked-eye
observation method we should look for the Hilal from a suitable place.
Otherwise we can go wrong. If we look for the Hilal on the 30th day instead of
the 29th, certainly we will make a mistake because some times the Hilal will
not be at the visible angle on the 30th. So in our busy days those who look for
the Hilal should learn astronomy and know the lunar calculations. Otherwise the
whole Muslim community would be led astray because the month would begin on the
wrong day and this always happen in our times. It is like the blind leading the
blind.
Now we have watches and
chronometers and we know how to measure time. There is no need for us to look
at the shadow for knowing the prayer time as our ancestors did. We can rely on the watch and we can pray at
the correct time even if we do not see the Sun. We have the data of the Sun. We
have tables of prayer times prepared in advance. We know at what time the Sun
would set or rise on a particular date and place. We have the same data of the
Moon also. We know at what time the Moon would set or rise at a given place on
earth. These are published every year by the concerned departments of Science.
Even a difference of seconds will not be there in these tables because a
mistake in them can create problems in navigation.
It would be foolish to
change the date by saying that the Moon is not visible or the Moon has not
crossed the Sun when we are able to know the exact time of its crossing. If the
Qazis and the authorities had the slightest knowledge of the movements of the
celestial bodies, they would not commit such blunders and the Muslims would not
be misled. Allah's religion will not be ridiculed.
At the time of the Prophet
(saw), the Sahaba wanted some clarifications regarding the observation of the
Hilal. They asked the Prophet (saw) various questions. What should be done if
the Hilal was not seen on the 29th? He said complete 30 days
(because the Moon would not have crossed the Sun by that time as it happens in
a month of 30 days but it may not be at the visible angle on the 30th
also and there is no need to see the Hilal on that day). How many times can
this repeat? Every month is not of 30 days. So the Prophet (saw) made this
clear by clapping the hands three times and saying Hakadha, Wa Hakadha, Wa
Hakadha and holding the thumb and he repeated three times for making it very
clear that the months of 30 days repeat only 3 times consecutively and the
fourth month will be of 29 days even though the Hilal is not seen. This is in
conformity with the Lunar
Data. The fourth month
getting 30 days is a rare occurrence, which happens only after a hundred years.
A man of Prophet's (saw)
time would not have known this. This itself is enough to prove that Muhammad
(saw) was the Messenger of Allah. Otherwise from where did he get this
information, which nobody would have known in those days? Even today people are
unable to realize this fact. Only those who are well versed in lunar mechanics
can know this. But the most wonderful thing is that our Ulema
behave in such a way as to
hide all these facts and show the world that the date system prescribed for
mankind in the Holy Qur’aan and taught by the Prophet(saw) is absurd and not
practicable in this world! They try to blow the light of Allah with their
mouths.
The beginning of Zul Hajj
1414 H had gone wrong even at Makkah al Mukarramah because of carelessness.
This is absurd in these days of science and technology. It happened only
because of carelessness and lack of knowledge of the concerned authorities and
people have no fear of Allah in observing His ordinance. Allah says, "O ye
who believe, fear Allah as he should be feared and let not death overtake you
except when you are in a state of full submission." (Q 03:102).
In Shaban 1414 H Hilal was
not seen. It had 30 days. In Ramadan the Hilal was not seen and it had 30 days.
In Shawwal the Hilal was not seen and it had 30 days. Then how could Zul Qaida,
which is the 4th month, have 30 days according to the instruction of the
Prophet (saw)? They made Zul Qaida also a month of 30 days and miscalculated
the Zul Hajj, which is also a sacred month, where strict observation of the
Moon is very essential to keep in step with Allah's Calendar. And Allah has
informed very particularly that the phases of the Moon are meant for dates to
program the important events such as Hajj. "They ask you about the phases,
tell them they are dates for the people and the pilgrimage." (Q 02: 18)
By postponing a date of Zul
Hajj, the day of Arafa (Hajj) had changed and it fell on Friday which made it a
Hajjul Akbar, a rare occasion and supposed to be very auspicious, the Sawab of
which is said to be 70 times more. It was a false Hajjul Akbar. People do not
know about this. More crowds gathered and it led to a stampede only to prove
that Muslims are ignorant and ill disciplined.
People are so ignorant even
in this age of education and literacy as to believe that the dates of Arabia
and India would differe. People go to Arabia and return the same day and yet
they do not understand this simple matter! How can the date be different at any
two places in the world when the Friday is same for all? The Prophet (saw) has
declared the Friday as the 'Sayyidul Ayyam' (the leader of the days). If the 'Sayyidul
Ayyam' falls on another day (Saturday), then there will not
be any meaning to what the
Prophet (saw) had said! How can the date that stands for a day differ when the
day is same?
Anybody will
laugh at us if they see what we are doing. Muharram 10th, 'The Day of Ashura' is Sunday in Arabia. In
Kerala, Maldives and Malaysia it is Sunday, same as Arabia. In Sri Lanka, it is
on Monday and in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India, it is Tuesday! How can we
have Ashura on different days when the Prophet (saw) said in clear words that
the Muslims should observe these sacred days on the same day? Ignorance and faithlessness among us give
rise to such funny and unhappy incidents. Are we not far away from Islam?
Let us have a look at the
details of the dates for Muharram 1415 H, the first month of the Islamic year.
Even a child can tell that the Hijra dates are not in order. Then what is wrong
with our educated grown ups, who are doctors and advocates and judges. They
cannot understand this.
Makkah 12-06-1994AD = 03-01-1415AH = Sunday
Kerala
12-06-1994 AD= 03-01-1415AH = Sunday
Tamil Nadu
12-06-1994 AD= 02-01-1415AH = Sunday
Sri Lanka
12-06-1994 AD= 02-01-1415AH = Sunday
Delhi
12-06-1994AD = 02-01-1415AH = Sunday
Pakistan
12-06-1994AD = 02-01-1415AH = Sunday
Malaysia
12-06-1994AD = 03-01-1415AH = Sunday
Maldives
12-06-1994AD = 03-01-1415AH = Sunday
Afterwards again Delhi Imam
ordered to postpone by one day under the pretext that he could not not see the
Hilal, making Youm Ashura fall on Tuesday 21-06-1994 = 10-01-1415 and the
Chairman of Kerala Hilal Committee ordered to postpone by one day in Kerala
under the pretext that he could not see the Hilal and made Youm Ashura fall on
Monday 20-06-1994 = 10-01-1415. This is how the authorities play with the dates
of Allah's calendar. If Muslims behave like this how would the others accept
Islam as the right religion?
Such baseless actions of the
religious leaders would appear ridiculous to anyone. Allah says in His book,
" Today I have perfected your religion and completed my favors upon you
and I have chosen for you Islam as the religion."(Q. 05:03). How
can the date system of the
perfect religion be imperfect? It only proves that we have not cared to learn
or follow the Holy Qur’aan or the Sunnah of the
Prophet (saw) though we have
been with it for more than 1400 years. We are no better than the Asses who
carried the books! We have false calendars in use to mislead the people. We do
not know that all calendars should be same and that the dates should tally with
the phases of the Moon.
A little practice in
watching the moon will make anyone knowledgeable enough to tell the correct
lunar date prescribed for the people in the Holy Qur’aan. The moon becomes
nearly half on the seventh and full in the middle of the month. It is not
seen at the end of the month
in the morning or in evening and the month is over. The Hilal is present in the
evening sky just after the sunset, but not visible now-a-days due to pollution.
If the Hilal is seen anywhere in the world, that is enough for all. Today it is
not necessary to see because we know how to calculate and we have means to
verify.
When the matter is so
simple, why do some people wish to differentiate in the celebrations of Eid and
sacred days saying that they have not seen the Hilal? Should everyone or every
country see the Hilal? It is only because they want to show that they can
change the laws of Allah, as they like. The Holy Qur’aan says: " But the
fact is that it is not the eyes that are blind but it is the hearts, which are
in the breasts that are lacking the sight" (Q. 22:46)
When it is said to them that
there is a mistake in the calendars and the dates are not in accordance with
Lunar calendar that Allah (SWT), they say, they have been following it like
this long since and their forefathers also were doing so. Regarding such people
the Holy Qur’aan says, "And thus has it always been that we never sent any
Warner before them to any township but the evil leaders thereof said, we saw
our forefathers following a certain course and we are following in their
footsteps."(Q 43: 22)
They are not ready to follow
the right path. They want to stick to their old dogmas, which the Holy Qur’aan
or the Sunnah does not warrant. The example of such people is also explained in
the Qur’aan. Allah says about those who do not want to look at the signs of
Allah but want to see their calendars without observing the moon as commanded by
the Prophet (saw). "I shall soon turn away those who behave proudly on
earth in an unjust manner, from my signs and even if they see all the signs
they will not believe therein and if they see the way of the righteous they
will not accept it as their way. If they see the way of the wicked they will
accept it as their way. This is because they have treated our signs as lies and
were heedless of them." (Q 07:146)
When they are asked to study
and understand the movements of the celestial bodies they simply say, we do not
know it. Why cannot they learn the sciences, which is demanded by the Qur’aan?
Has Allah asked them to be among the ignorant? The Prophet (saw) said,
"Acquire knowledge even if it be from China." Why can't some of the
Alims learn Astronomy and the Celestial mechanics? The
Whole Muslim community is
being misled because of their ignorance. The Khazis declare the sacred dates on
wrong days without observing the Hilal as commanded by the Holy Prophet (saw)
and the others are laughing at the foolishness of the Muslims.
Allah has deputed the
Muslims to lead others. But they are making themselves a laughing stock. All
are busy with their own affairs. No one has time even to talk about this
important matter of the Muslim Ummah. The persons in charge get
salaries for conducting
prayers and marriages. They are compelled to earn more money in order to cope
with others. They have no time to study the religious matters. Yes, they too
have to fill their bellies. But the people are not ready to pay them enough to
meet their expenses so that they may be out of want to divert their full time
and attention to study the matters of religion. Why can't some of them be
deputed for learning such important matters? Allah says in the Holy Qur’aan,
"It is
not possible for all
believers to go forth together. Why then, does not a party from every section
of them go forth that they may become well versed in religion so
that they may warn their
people when they return to them, that they may guard against evil?" (Q.
09:122).
So it will be better for us
to depute suitable Alims to learn the subject and appoint them for computing
the Hijra Calendars according to the Holy Qur’aan and Sunnah and observing the
Moon to see if there is any variation in the calculation so that we may not go
wrong in the months declared sacred in the Qur’aan. We cannot go according to
the false calendars propagated by others and put ourselves into the wrong way
by miscalculating the sacred periods and making ourselves liable to the
displeasure of Allah and His Messenger.
May Allah forgive us if we
have made mistakes and shower his blessings upon us?