skhan@uwovax.uwo.ca (04/19/91)
The following is the second response to my posting on the issue: =========================================================================== From: nabeel@sce.carleton.ca (Nabeel Ghuzlaan) Date: 19 Apr 91 12:19:02 GMT Sender: news@wpi.WPI.EDU (News) The original e-mail which you referenced included that the witness should be reliable not any lier or whatever. (*) The fact that every thing in the universe is controlled precisely does not imply that we know how it is controlled and does not prove that our calculations are correct. If those calculations contradict the observation then They are WRONG! (**) In your reference to Sahaba in Sirya and Medina, those Sahaba have not got the means of communications that we have now, so they can not be blamed for something they do not and can not know. (***) The analogy which supported your arguement, nobody bases anything on it and it is obvious that it is wrong, no one can break fast at noon because it is sunset somewhere. This is obvious, but the beginning of months should account for the few-hour difference but not get different months in different countries. ____________________________________________________________________________ Please note that I have marked the paragraphs by *'s for references. In (*) the question at hand is not of control, but of calculation. Please note that Allah (swt) has determined the path and motion of all heavenly bodies and He is not going to change it every day. Today we know at what time the sun will rise and set, to the accuracy of one million of a second. In the same way the occurance of moon, lunar and solar eclipse etc. are calculated with such greater accuracy. So, if the new moon is old enough and satisfies the other requirements of visibility, then the claim of sighting it credible. Otherwise, a unborn or immature moon can never be visible. Islam is not contradicting the science which is the discovery of the mistrious creations of Allah. And Allah (swt) has indeed ordered the Muslims to discover His signs. It is the Muslims, who discovered the astronomy and mathematics, which is the basis of the computation. In (**) the sahaba (r) were not ignorant. They knew Islam better than we do, and they followed it accordingly. It is we who want to enjoy the benefit of science every day and every where, by being it servant, but when it comes to determine the lunar month then we pretend to keep ourselves away from science. If we follow sahabas (r), and we should, then the visibility of crescent in one place may not be a binding for the others who lives far apart. That is why when we see the moon in N.A., the rest of the world do not follow us. The time difference is the wisdom of Allah (swt) and we have no right to ignore it for emotional wishes. Then comes the triple *. It appears to me that you care a little for few hours. But to Allah that matters. And so should we. Even minutes, or for that matter seconds, matter a lot. We are not allowed to do our prayer when ever we want. And we should not take the fasting, eidain, hajj etc. so lightly, specially with respect to it proper timing. One can not pray Magrib before sun set. Similarly, we can not change Fazr prayer time after sun rise for someone's convenience. One final note : The inventions of science has contributed a lot to the correct understanding and practice of Islam. We are directed by Allah to discover the signs of His creation. The science is a part of that discovery. If we have any objections in the scientific facts that merely confirms the teachings of the Qur'an (once it reaches the ultimate truth), then we should better check our undestanding of Islam as a practical way of life. Please do not think about giving up this netting commentaries, as it is the latest from the science of calculations and computations. Shahjahan Khan Mukul