Answered by Muftī Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
We the board of directors are planning to adopt the calculation method for moonsighting, please advise if this is permissible according to the shari’ah.
Answer:
In the Name of Allāh, the Almighty, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind.
There is no doubt the closest method to the sunnah (prophetic practice) is actual naked-eye moonsighting and is the mainstream position of both classical and contemporary scholars. That being said, if the calculation method is a means to bringing unity and togetherness in your community, it will be permissible and in fact praiseworthy.
“It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a derived light and determined for it phases, that you may know the number of years and the calculation [of time].” – (Qur’ān 10:5)[1]
“The Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings be upon him) has stated, “If the moon is obscured to you, calculate [or estimate] it.” – (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī 1906)[2]
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The fast is the day the people fast [with unity], the ending of the fast is the day the people end their fast [in unity], and the sacrifice is the day the people sacrifice.” – (Tirmidhī 697)[3]
‘Allāmah Badr Al-Dīn Al-‘Ainīy (may Allāh have mercy on him) writes that a number of senior tābi’ūn (students of the Companions RA) have permitted calculations to determine the lunar months and then states that the actual sighting of the moon is not necessary a condition for the fasting of Ramaḍān to be mandated [rather one can commence the month without actual sighting, by relying on astronomical data and information about the moon]. – (See: ‘Umtad Al-Qārī, Vol 10, Page 271, Dār Al-Fikr[4])
The Ḥanafī jurist, Shaykh Sa’ad al-Dīn Mas’ūd ibn ‘Omar ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Taftazānī (may Allāh have mercy on him) writes, “It is the consensus of muslim jurists that the actual sighting of the moon is not the objective, rather what is established by it is, meaning the witnessing of the month.” – (Talwīḥ ‘Alā Al-Tawḍīḥ, Vol 1, Page 401, Dār Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmīyyah)[5]
Imam Ibn ‘Ābidīn (may Allāh have mercy on him), in his Ḥanafī fatwā manual, Rad Al-Muḥtār, has documented that one of the three valid opinions regarding calculated moon sighting is that it is acceptable especially if it is done with unity. – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 2, Page 387, Dār Al-Fikr)[6]
Muftī Khālid Saifullāh Al-Raḥmānī (may Allāh preserve him) writes, giving reference to ‘Umdat Al-Qārī, “A third fiqh position is also that the crescent sighting is established through astronomical data.” [7]
For Canadian Muslims, the following can be considered, to adopt calculations for moonsighting:
- The astronomical calculated method has already been adopted by numerous mainstream muslim organizations including the Fiqh Council of North America, ISNA, ICNA, MAC and countless masājid.
- Once the new moon is born and some hours have passed, the moon exists in the skies. The calculation method is based on this criteria.
- Almost all North American moon sighting committees use calculations and calculated moon-maps to both confirm and or reject new moon sighting reports before determining their verdict.
- The calculation method in almost all situations, synchronizes with one of the actual naked eye moon sighting positions (local or international).
- Most Canadians are required to give advance notice for time off from work, for Ramaḍān and ‘Eīd holidays. Organizations have difficulty booking halls for tarāwīḥ and ‘Eīd prayers. By adopting the calculated date method, this inconvenience will no longer exist.
The current state in the Greater Toronto Area is such that there are at least five establishments that declare the announcements for lunar Islamic months and festivals. In such a scenario one can affiliate with any. If not, each masjid and Islamic center may independently make a decision [obviously] in consultation with their local trusted Islamic expert[s], imām[s] or scholar[s]. There is nothing wrong with this, provided the views and declarations of others, that are not synchronized with a chosen stance, are respected. Argumentation and personal attacks against those disagreeing with your stance are to be avoided. All scholarly views regarding commencement of the lunar calendar are to be respected and appreciated. The general layman is advised to follow the verdict of their local Islamic centers, Islamic scholars and local communities to maintain unity in their localities.
It is worthy to note that all views regarding establishing the lunar islamic months are based in reliable jurisprudence. Whether it is calculations, local, international or Saudi declarations. There is tremendous flexibility in this issue from an islamic point of view.
And Allāh Knows Best.
[1] هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَاءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ – سورة يونس ٥
[2] فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْدُرُوا لَهُ – رواه البخاري ١٩٠٦
[3] عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ الصَّوْمُ يَوْمَ تَصُومُونَ وَالْفِطْرُ يَوْمَ تُفْطِرُونَ وَالأَضْحَى يَوْمَ تُضَحُّونَ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ وَفَسَّرَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا مَعْنَى هَذَا أَنَّ الصَّوْمَ وَالْفِطْرَ مَعَ الْجَمَاعَةِ وَعُظْمِ النَّاسِ – رواه الترمذي ٦٩٧
[4] قَالَ آخَرُونَ مِنْهُم ابْن شُرَيْح ومطرف بن عبد الله وَابْن قُتَيْبَة مَعْنَاهُ قدروه بِحِسَاب الْمنَازل يَعْنِي منَازِل الْقَمَر… وَقَالَ أَبُو عمر فِي الاستذكار وَقد كَانَ بعض كبار التَّابِعين يذهب فِي هَذَا إِلَى اعْتِبَاره بالنجوم ومنازل الْقَمَر وَطَرِيق الْحساب … وَذكر فِي الْقنية للحنفية لَا بَأْس بالإعتماد على قَول المنجمين وَعَن ابْن مقَاتل لَا بَأْس بالاعتماد على قَوْلهم وَالسُّؤَال عَنْهُم إِذا اتّفق عَلَيْهِ جمَاعَة مِنْهُم … وَلَيْسَ حَقِيقَة الرُّؤْيَة مَشْرُوطَة فِي اللُّزُوم – عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري مجلد ١٠/ صفحة ٢٧١ دار الفكر
[5] قَوْلُهُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ يَدُلُّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ إذْ لَيْسَ الْمُرَادُ حَقِيقَةَ الرُّؤْيَةِ إجْمَاعًا بَلْ مَا يَثْبُتُ بِهَا وَهُوَ شُهُودُ الشَّهْرِ – كتاب التلويح على التوضيح لمتن التنقيح مجلد ا / صفحة ٤٠١ دار الكتب العلمية
[6] وَقَدْ حَكَى فِي الْقُنْيَةِ الْأَقْوَالَ الثَّلَاثَةَ فَنَقَلَ أَوَّلًا عَنْ الْقَاضِي عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ وَصَاحِبِ جَمْعِ الْعُلُومِ أَنَّهُ لَا بَأْسَ بِالِاعْتِمَادِ عَلَى قَوْلِهِمْ وَنَقَلَ عَنْ ابْنِ مُقَاتِلٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَسْأَلُهُمْ وَيَعْتَمِدُ عَلَى قَوْلِهِمْ إذَا اتَّفَقَ عَلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْهُمْ – حاشية رد المحتار على الدر المختار مجلد ٢ / صفحة ٣٨٧ دار الفكر
[7] تیسرا نقطہ نظر یہ ہے کہ علم فلکیات سے بھی رؤیت ہلال کا ثبوت ہو سکتا ہے
