Question

Eid in Afghanistan was on Sunday. It is reported that the moon was sighted in several provinces at the end of the 29th Ramadhaan. How could they have seen the moon when it was not even born?

Answer

If Eid was declared on the basis of Shar’i shahaadat, then confound the birth of the moon, and confound the theories of the atheists regarding the impossibility of sighting the moon before its alleged birth.

The determinant in the Shariah is the Shahaadat of Aadil witnesses. If the sighting was confirmed on the basis of the testimony of uprighteous Muslims who testified to having seen the hilaal, then it was Waajib to end Ramadhaan and to have Eid.

The theories of the astronomers and scientists have absolutely NO validity when in conflict with the Shariah. The ending and commencement of the Islamic months are not reliant on the theories and views of astronomers.

Assuming that instead of the moon, the people in Afghanistan saw some other similar planetary object which they mistook for the hilaal, even then their Eid was valid based on the Shahaadat of Aadil persons. It is essential to understand that secular and scientific theories and views which are in conflict with the Shariah are to be discarded. It is absolutely impermissible to scuttle the Ahkaam of the Shariah on the basis of the theories of scientists and astronomers. In fact, it is tantamount to kufr to abrogate any hukm of the Shariah on the basis of secular and scientific theories and concepts. Muslims nowadays are entrapped in the kufr of making the Shariah subservient to the theories of the atheists.

The following is an assessment by a Brother:

There is much consternation as to how Afghanistan sighted the moon for Eid. This is an example below of what people say:

“Afghanistan somehow declared the new moon and are celebrating Eid on Sunday!

Either they saw the waning crescent, Mercury or the planetary lineup that was happening around the same time, as well as the first solar eclipse of 2022.”

My understanding is they have done nothing wrong. When it is 29 days if they saw the moon, or what they thought was the moon, then they saw it. They followed the instructions of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam; they will get thawab, and there will be no case of their Eid not being accepted.

Since when did we need scientific substantiation for the simple command of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. If a sufficient number of them saw it, and they mistook what they saw, they followed the command of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, and Allah Ta’ala showed them what appeared to be the moon.

Isn’t this consternation simply a case of secularism and science polluting the brains of Muslims in to thinking science (in particular that of the kuffar) is needed as a supplement to the simple instructions of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam?

What about forefathers? If they mistook Mercury, the waning crescent, planetary line up, or any other theory to be the moon, does this mean these modernist Muslims regard our forefathers Eid and Ramadhan to have taken place on the wrong day?

Why is it Muslims cannot extricate themselves from their inferiority complex of needing science to back them up? Is not the word of an Aadil Muslim or Muslims sufficient?

We had this same issue with Covid. Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said categorically without reservation or exception that there is no contagion. To then afford equal divinity to the science, people added in brackets: “There is no contagion” (except with the permission of Allah) so that they could then welcome the science of contagion, including warped concepts such as asymptomatic, paucisymptomatic & pre-symptomatic transmission. Allah knows how many methods of transmission “Muslims” subscribed to.

Whether it is moon sighting, or contagion, am I correct in my understanding that today Muslims, after years of secular indoctrination have afforded divinity and equality to science, on a par with the words of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. The next fitnah of the science of climate change has already started, and many more “Muslims” will lose their Imaan when it gains traction.”

(End of letter)

OUR COMMENT

Your understanding is 100% correct. Muslims have appointed the western kuffaar as leaders, hence Allah Ta’ala has made them our rulers. We can say with confidence: To Hell with what the astronomers and scientists say. The Hukm of the Shariah of Allah Ta’ala is the Final Word.

If the declaration of the hilaal sighting in Afghanistan was based on Shar’i testimony, their Eid was valid and fully substantiated by the Shariah regardless of the moon not having been born.

2 Shawwaal 1443 – 4 May 2022