ASTRONOMY OR ISLAM - No.2

By SHAIKH ABU ABDUR-RAHMAN YAHYA SILMY BIN M. NUBAR AS-SAYLANI AS-SALAFI AS-ATHARI (hafizahullaah)

Assalamu Alaikum warahmathullahi wabarakathuhu
I present the Second Hilal Memo for brothers whose intention was to educate the Public Muslims to realize the fact of the truth behind the movements of the Moon. I am writing this for clearing the reply which Brother Ifthikhar had given to Bro. Abu Khadeejah. I would also be pleased if Bro. Ifthikhar could point out the other matters which have often done by me as he had mention in the reply to Bro. Abu Khadeejah.
It should be understood clearly the purpose to take this issue on the email was to convey to the Public as the mistake has already occured in the Public there is no more room now to talk in the closed room. If I had known or been informed before it occured in the Public verily it would never have a chance to come to emil. Allah knows the best.
As I was invited to the meeting I replied for my absence so that no one should mis-understand for not attending an invitation. Before the lecture took place when I inquired about the fact of the lecture I had been informed of two different answers.

1. It is a lecture discussing about the Moon on the Islamic basics not on Astronomy - This was the reply of the Daarul Hudha Library - Bro. Riifdhi

2. It is a lecture that was nothing to do with Islam but just on the science of Astronomy - The brother who invited me for the lecture - Bro. Asmar

Hearing to this two answers for my inquireis about this lecture before it took place, although I had written the reply for my absence for the meeting I did not post it. Waiting to see what happens in the meeting after knowing the fact what took place I posted this to you all for what has happened.

To my knowledge I know Al-Hidayaa as among those brothers who disagree the astronomy issue of sighting the Moon. The flyer of december 1997 - Sha'baan 1418 let out by Al-Hidaayah titled as "PRE-RAMADHAN AL-HIDAAYAH EXCLUSIVE" is clear enough for what I understand of their stand on the issue of "Moon Sighting".

PRE-RAMADHAN AL-HIDAAYAH EXCLUSIVE - was an article which they had reproduced from some other sources the subject of it was on "Determining the First day of Ramadhan : SIGHTING VERSUS CALCULATIONS"
Truely I was shocked to see Al-Hidaayah being silent this year when such an meeting is being taken place. It should have been Al-Hidaayah to stop such an meeting further than to join it.

Although we are minority in understanding the methodology of Salaf in the land of Sri Lanka that does not make any excuse for us to use the wrong ways to collect the gathering. The only way we have is to follow the religion in applications and as well in dau'wah.

In the meeting M. M. Iflaal the lecturer not only continued explaining the matter in the science of astronomy but as well he had to reply the doubts which had been questioned by the Public. As well Dr. U. M. M. Nubar had explained certain of the doubts. Those who attended the meeting they were complaining for making the matter more confused to the people other than getting it clearly explained. As M. M. Iflaal had nothing other than to discuss the matter with the little knowledge which he had based on the astronomy.

Here it should be understood clearly we Muslim are forbidden to use any science other than Qur'aan and Sunnah to discuss this matter. All that is concerned is that we keep in with the Science of Qur'aan and Sunnah to educate the Public either it be on determining the first day of Ramadan or the day of the Eid or to talk of the appearance of the Moon.
It has been totally forbidden from the hadith which I had qouted to keep any connection to the science of astronomy for determining the dates of Hijri month.

For more explanation let me qoute you another incident which took place at the time of the Sahabas. Where clearly we can understand as understood by the Companions of the Prophet Muhammed r
It is reported by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh Vol .No. II page No. 526, Hadith No. 2377 (In the English Translation) - Book of Al-SAWM (Fasting) - Chapter CDVI Hadith No. 2377

Sa'd bin 'Ubaida reported that Ibn Umar t heard a person saying : This night is the midnight (of the month). Upon this he said to him : How do you know that it is the midnight (of the month), for I heard the Messenger of Allah r as saying : "The month is thus and thus (and he pointed with his ten fingers twice) and thus (i.e. at the third time he pointed with all his fingers but withdrew or folded his thumb)?

From this we understand clearly that one should not make any type of discussion on the Moon sighting from other than the science of Qur'aan and Sunnah. Trying to use other sources to determine the Islamic date or to mention the appearance of the Moon is the main offense to Shairah in this matter. Allah knows better.

I am sorry to convey to you all that in the Moon Sighting Public Lecture the Lecturer was trying to fix the places where the moon could be seen for Ramadan and Eid. Which is the main offense to Shariah which has taken place over there.

May Allah forgive all of us for comminting blind mistakes without consulting the knowledge or those who have knowledge before putting something into practice.

I had talked to the Brother who had organized this Public Lecture (Bro. Rifdhi) he was sorry for what he commited but what he was shocked that those whom he consulted had approved his action. Well he is a known brother to me, I did ask him to keep things in touch with me where I would always be happy to coperate to promote the truth on the earth. May Allah guide us to the right path.

Brotherly Note to Brother Ifthikhaar Makeen :

Do not take the issue to let the Shaithaan divide the brothers due to one matter. For the mistake is a nature of man he commits it often. Let us be among the best of those who commit the mistake. The Hassan hadith of Tirmidhi and Mustadrak Hakim narrates to us from the authority of Anas bin Malik t that he heard the Prophet Muhammed r saying as :

"Every Son of Adam is a person who commits mistake, and the best of those who commit mistake is the one who repends"

All that I was concerned was that we turn back to the True call and not to remain commiting mistakes. If I had verily knew someting like this was to happen I would not have kept silent and sure would have done my best to stop it. Allah knows the best of what is in my heart.
At last I call all those who read this to take care notice that Shaithaan does not make this an issue to divide between us we should know clearly : A true brother is the one who tells your mistake to clear it to you and not the one who keep silent to seek the pleasure of brother hood.
I understand from my Islamic education that telling a mistake makes one happy as it is the greatest help let one get out of the mistakes.
I would like to present to you all certain qoutation from the leading Muhaditheens who had commented on the hadith which I had mentioned above.

1. Imaam Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalani

   The Scholar who wrote on of the best commentary to Sahih Al-Bukhari titled as Fathul Bari

   

   The statement of the Hadeeth tells us : Forbidding all connections with the judgement of Moon Calculations (Astronomy). This is being further explained in the previous hadeeth "If it is cloudy complete the counting thirty" He did not say ask the people of astronomy

   Book of Fasting- Chapter Saying of the Prophet Muhammed " We do neither write nor calculate"

2. Imam Abul Waleed Al-Baaji

   One of the leading Scholar of those who wrote commentary to Mawtha Malik

   He answered while refuting to those who allow to use Astronomy saying as :

   

   The meaning of the hadeeth statement "Estimate it" Estimate it from the movement of the moon is a statement that we do not know any one (among the scholars) have ever said it except certain of the Shafi (Mazhab) people that it could be done with the talk of the astronomer. Ijmaah is an evidence to refute them

3. Al-Muntaqa Sharah Mawatha Malik of Imam Abul Waleed Al-Baaji Vol No. 2 page No.38

4. Imaam Ibn Taymiya

   One of the leading reformers of Islam

   

    

    

    

    

    

The Statement : "We are an illiterate nation neither write nor calculate (astronomy)" is an statement which includes an order of forbidding. This informs to us that the nation which follows the Prophet Muhammed is a nation which is in a middle path not at extremes. A nation that does not write nor calculate (astronomy). Those who write or calculate (astronomy) could not be of this nation in this matter. But he has followed the path other than that of the believers -the members of this nation. By this they have made an action which is not of their religion, getting out of the nation is Haram. By this the writing and the calculation (astronomy) of these two mentioned above would be among the Haram matters. This hadeeth is similar to the Hadeeth "A muslim is the one who saves his tongue and hands from other Muslims." Which is explaining the attribute of the Muslim, And who walked out of this attribute he has walked out of Islam, And who has walked in certain matters out of the attribute of the nation would have certainly walked out of Islam in that certain matters. Similar is the hadeeth "Believer is the one from whom the people are safe of their blood and wealth."

Majmoo Al-Fatawa of Imam Ibn Taymiya Vol No.25 page No.164-165

Looking to the above three fatwaas of the leading Imams it clearly tells us how it is wrong to depend on the topic of astronomy and should try our best to avoid dealing with it.
As well among the excuse presented was that it was geography discussed not astronomy. Well my simple answer to this is that either we call it "Geography" or "Astronomy" either of it could be but this issue not allowed to be discussed other than from the Science of Qur'aan or Sunnah.
May Allah guide all of us to the straight path and show us the truth as truth and give mighty to follow it, and show us the false as false and give mighty to avoid it. Ameen.
The reply of Brother Abu Khadeejah clearly explains the importance of this issue. May Allah grant him the best in the world and hereafter for coperating with the truth from the other part of the world.

Note : I have been made aware that some brothers are not clear of why should the talk of the phases of the moon contradict the Islamic opinion of sighting from the eyes. Well it should be understood that the phenomena where the movement of the moon and the appearance of the phases of the moon are all concluded on the calculations of the astronomy. I am presenting here some of the different methods applied by an astronomer while using his astronomy which has been forbidden to use in the Islamic Hijri system, either we determine the date, place or etc.. :

1. A method by following the astronomical conjunctions...

2. Methods using estimations of the time needed after conjunction for the cresent to become visible.

3. Calculating by dividing the earth to zones and where they try to come to announce the first day of the month by calculation and not sighting.

4. Trying to estimate the places where the path of the moon will be at the time of the new month period

These are some of the methods which are used by an astronomer in his discussion. Well sometime they may not come to the conclusion of the final date but even coming to the conclusion of a particular place where the moon is to be sighted is again based on the calculation study. Thus neither the date nor the place can be determined by the astronomy for all are based on the calculation which has been forbidden by the Prophet Muhammed  

Here I close up this Memo by asking all those who read this to give their comments to let us unite with the truth and not divide for our self opinions and actions.
Assalamu Alaikum warahmathullahi wabarakathuhu.