Fawad Chaudhry launches 'Pakistan's first official' moonsighting website

[criticalerror]

It's only as much Bidah as is the use of loudspeakers for Azan... or using Internet for teaching Qur'an.. or riding a car instead of a camel .... No one is trying to change 'religion' here... 1400 years ago there were no means of knowing if the lunar month had changed except for viewing the crescent with a naked eye. That's why those Ahadith. Have you ever wondered why lunar months were so important for those early Muslims? Allah states in the Holy Qur'an:

"... He made the night still, and He rendered the sun and the moon to serve as calculation devices. Such is the design of the Almighty ..." [6:96]

"They ask you about the phases of the moon! Say, "They provide a timing device for the people.. " [2:189]

"Lo! the number of the months with Allah is twelve months" [9:36]

"He is the One who rendered the sun radiant, and the moon a light, and He designed its phases that you may learn to count the years and to calculate." [10:5]




Using technology to fully benefit from these divine calculation devices is in fact following the Holy Qur'an in letter and spirit. But if you still insist that it's Bid'ah, then I would say that it's Bid'ah Hasanah

Your analogy is incorrect. Now if loudspeakers were not used as a tool and replaced the muazzin with a recorded sound, then it would be Bidah. The use of loudspeakers comes with backing of numerous fatwas.

Even in Saudi Arabia they use telescopes for viewing the moon and not the naked eye. We do the same. This is again permissible use of technology.

Your proofs from Quran are actually proof of day and night being used to time activities during the day and rest during the night and have nothing to do with sighting the moon for Ramzan. I already gave the verse for moon sighting. Also note the phases of the moon were somewhat known to astrologers in those days as well.

Science and Technology should definitely be used, but not to replace a practice established in Sunnah. For aid and as a tool, it is perfectly acceptable.

As per the Hadith:


The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that: “Every innovation is going astray(Bidah) , and every going astray will be in the Fire.”

Narrated by Muslim (867) and an-Nasaa’i (1578)

 

[M. Sarmad]

Your analogy is incorrect. Now if loudspeakers were not used as a tool and replaced the muazzin with a recorded sound, then it would be Bidah. The use of loudspeakers comes with backing of numerous fatwas.

It is correct....
As for Fatwas, the loudspeakers were declared Haram by the majority of scholars when they were first introduced.

Your proofs from Quran are actually proof of day and night being used to time activities during the day and rest during the day and have nothing to do with sighting the moon for Ramzan. I already gave the verse for moon sighting. Also note the phases of the moon were somewhat known to astrologers in those days as well.

The Holy Qur'an is absolutely clear on what it says. Have posted the verses for everyone to see.

And no, the verse that you posted (i.e. 2:185) does not talk about 'moonsighting' ... You have added your own interpretation to the original verse which simply states "And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month".. It doesn't even mention the moon (let alone moonsighting)

As per the Hadith:
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that: “Every innovation is going astray(Bidah) , and every going astray will be in the Fire.”

Narrated by Muslim (867) and an-Nasaa’i (1578)

I get what you're saying.. You are Ahl e Hadith and do not believe in the concept of Bidah Hasanah. You are entitled to your opinion. I accept the opinion of the great ulema of the past on this matter.

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Narrated Ibn `Umar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "We are an illiterate nation; we neither write, nor know accounts. The month is like this and this, i.e. sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of thirty days."

http://sunnah.com/bukhari/30/23
.

Here People will never accept it. They love to remain in denial mode. They are not broadminded. I said technology was not available that time so they had no option.
Thanks John Boyd Dunlop who invented tyre and George Brayton who invented Engine. Now,We are technology advance Instead of camel , horses, we have cars , planes to ease our travel and in the fastest way that saves our time.
People just don't want to Accept the reality. This is hypocrisy they want to stick with camels ideology while they use cars , planes to travel. Why don't they use camels & horses then? Atleast , Be consistent!

@Wa Muhammada @313ghazi
@Simurgh

 

[Kambojaric]

Sultan Bayezid II banned the printing press in the Ottoman Empire in the late 1400s (except for religious minorities like Jews). Whilst Guttenberg spread this new invention in Europe and literacy amongst Europeans spread fast, Muslims lagged behind in literacy and inevitably in science. Fast forward a couple of centuries and the full effect of this (amongst other decisons) starts becoming evident.

The Muslim world has been constantly trying to catch up with the west since the late medieval period but will never be able to do so as long as the narrowmindedness towards technological advancements remains prevalent. Many traditionalists will harken back to the glorious olden days of Islamic civilization when Baghadad was the center of the world and people came from afar to learn from Muslims etc etc etc.

Those Muslims were conpletely different in their mindset to us. The Bayt al Hikma encouraged learning from the scientific achievements of other civilizations and further innovating them to strengthen Islamic civilization. The "Arabic" numerals came from the Indus Valley (at that time still non-Muslim) to the Mid-East. Muslims at that time could have derided this counting method and continued with their old methods but appreciated this foreign invention and readily accepted it.

Today the most successful Muslim nation is Turkey, again because it opened itself to technological innovation during the Tanzimat period and onwards. Till we become open-minded again, foreign powers will continue to play with us like toys.

 

[I.R.A]

And the next thing you probably will say is we need to do it because Muhammad (PBUH) did it in his time.

The Islamic calendar (Hijri calendar) was designed and invented by second Caliph (per sources), so what were Muslims following before that? If they were following a lunar calendar with same (Islamic) months then why was there a need to design a new calendar? And if it wasn't the same then they should have stick to what Messenger Peace be upon him was following ..... and in that case was Messenger Peace be upon him following any of the pre islamic calendars?

Both lunar and solar calendars are mentioned in Quran (having 12 months) and interestingly Quran at one point mentions months for Hajj (not month but months).

There is an interesting read in 9:36 and 37 (Surah Tawba verse 36 and 37). Verse 37 specially mentions prohibition of postponement of months i.e. trying to intercalation / shuffling .......

 

[ziaulislam]

I wonder why do the people not follow the sun for prayers..why are people using calendar than..isnt the prayers suppose to be done by watching the sun, shadows, dawn and sunset..so why do use a clock.
Obviously a clock wasnt there in 1000 AD so great muftis opinion didnt matter ..
Also what practically does this offer in regions where moon sighting is most impossible due to weather..we barely have a clear rain free day in some seasons

To me its all about laziness and influence

Either do moon sighting and following prayers by the sun or don't ..but why pick and choose

Also nothing is worth the fight and dis harmony it brings to the society

 

[criticalerror]

It is correct....
As for Fatwas, the loudspeakers were declared Haram by the majority of scholars when they were first introduced.




The Holy Qur'an is absolutely clear on what it says. Have posted the verses for everyone to see.

And no, the verse that you posted (i.e. 2:185) does not talk about 'moonsighting' ... You have added your own interpretation to the original verse which simply states "And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month".. It doesn't even mention the moon (let alone moonsighting)




I get what you're saying.. You are Ahl e Hadith and do not believe in the concept of Bidah Hasanah. You are entitled to your opinion. I accept the opinion of the great ulema of the past on this matter.

No your analogy is not correct. It would be if the muazzin would be replaced rather than using a loudspeaker since in this case you are replacing the sighting of the moon. Loudspeakers have been allowed through fatwas since many people complained of it disturbing the peace.


Please read the verse i posted again

“… So whoever among you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadaan), he must observe sawm (fast) that month…” [al-Baqarah 2:185]

Yeah the verse i posted does not mention sighting. Ok.

I wouldn’t go as far as to identify myself as one sect or the other. I personally have no interest in such an identification. I am also accepting the opinion of ulema , backed by fatwas which i can post here, on why moon sighting is mandatory rather than calculation.

 

[HAIDER]

Fazool admi, fazool website, fazool panga.

The sighting of the moon is a tradition, it is sunnah and there is clear consensus from across the world that the Islamic calendar month is 30 days unless the moon is sighted on 29 days. The act of sighting is a sunnah. You cannot replace that.

I'll give you another example, why do we pray jummah at the jamia masjid? So the leadership could address the community. The khutba was the key to this tradition. In the era of video link maybe we should just pray zuhr at home or the office and watch the khutba later on?

This is not a matter of science or technology, but a matter of theology.

fawad can do other things , but stay away from sunnah matter. may be provide better system to the hilal committee .

 

[shah_123]

How come Fawad mirasi decided in advance that Eid will be on fifth of June. --- Okay that's fine that most probably eid will be on 5, but the eid day is decided after the sighting of the moon.

This is unnecessary controversy, and I believe our stupid PM is behind this.

 

[War Thunder]

Its good but i would like old moon sightining culture in Pakistan. Cant forget those moment when we used to go on roof to see the moon for eid.

And how this will stop two eid ?

And how is this stopping you from trying to sight the crescent?
We live in countries where the possible dates are already known a year earlier and yet we continue trying to sight it when we can.

How come Fawad mirasi decided in advance that Eid will be on fifth of June. --- Okay that's fine that most probably eid will be on 5, but the eid day is decided after the sighting of the moon.

This is unnecessary controversy, and I believe our stupid PM is behind this.

no its just your stupidity and lack of understanding on the subject while depriving yourself and keeping your self ignorant on purpose, just because of your inherent bias.
now re read the above line till it sinks in and you decide to do something about it.

 

[Wa Muhammada]

So no spectacles or telescope?


Care to explain what is happening here?

Mullahs hate it when you point out their hypocrisy but I love showing them their auqaat.

There is no harm in using technology but technology should not replace the role of shariat

 

[shah_123]

Chaudhry had earlier this month announced that the lunar calendar being prepared by a scientific committee formed by the government and showing the exact dates of important Islamic occasions — Ramazan, Eidul Fitr, Eidul Azha, Muharram — would be finalised by the 15th of Ramazan.


On May 3, the minister had formed a committee of five experts from the ministry of science and technology, Meteorological Department and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) to determine moonsighting for key Islamic dates and months scientifically, putting an end to the practice of looking for it physically through telescopes.

And how is this stopping you from trying to sight the crescent?
We live in countries where the possible dates are already known a year earlier and yet we continue trying to sight it when we can.

no its just your stupidity and lack of understanding on the subject while depriving yourself and keeping your self ignorant on purpose, just because of your inherent bias.
now re read the above line till it sinks in and you decide to do something about it.

What bias you talking about, have you even read the article?
fawad mirasi with approval from a stupid PM wants to put an end to the practice of moon sighting + how this mirasi will be able to know the exact dates as mentioned in the article?

 

[War Thunder]

What bias you talking about, have you even read the article?
fawad mirasi with approval from a stupid PM wants to put an end to the practice of moon sighting + how this mirasi will be able to know the exact dates as mentioned in the article?

like i said keep re reading that line till you comprehend.
you havent yet, and it takes a bit more than just being your usual stupid self to be able to comprehend.

 

[shah_123]

like i said keep re reading that line till you comprehend.
you havent yet, and it takes a bit more than just being your usual stupid self to be able to comprehend.

i can't really help with dumb, deaf & blind --- either answer or just leave it and move on.

 

[Lahorie]

Now there will be 3 Eids in Pakistan

1. According to government
2. According to Religious scholars
3. According to Masjid Qasim Ali Khan.

This has already happened before some years ago. Now this will happen every year.

There is no harm in using technology but technology should not replace the role of shariat

Science is the new god of modern era whether you like it or NOT