The New Moon
According to astronomical definition, the new moon is born when it is right in between the earth and the sun so the three planets form a conjunction, that is, aligned in a syzygy, or in simpler terms, form a straight line. According to astronomical definition, the new moon cannot be seen because it is a dark moon. The moon is there, it cannot be seen, and yet it is called a new moon. This does not qualify as a legal – shar’iy – definition of a new moon according to the Islamic tradition. This is because the Quran has laid down, clear as crystal, that the lunar month begins only when the hilāl (crescent) is witnessed.
Here is the āyah muhkamah mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah:
فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ
Literally, it means “…He who witnesses the month (ash-shahra) should (begin his) fast during it (throughout the month)…”
In case someone comes along to subvert the meaning of both the words, shahida (witness) and ash-shahra (the month), the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam made it clear, and by that, closed the door of interpretation to this āyah muhkamah. His words were:
صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ فَإِنْ غُمِّيَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا عِدَّةَ شَعْبَانَ ثَلَاثِينَ
“Start the fast (of Ramadān) by seeing it and end the fast (of Ramadan) by seeing it. However, if it is hidden from your vision (on the night of the 30th) then complete (one more day in) the month of Sha’bān so that it comes to 30 (days.)” – Bukhari and Muslim recorded it as narrated by Abu Hurayrah radiyallahu anhu.
By explaining (1) how to end the month of Sha’bān, (2) commence the month of Ramadān, (3) end the month of Ramadān, and (4) commence the month of Shawwāl by celebrating Eid, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam laid down the law of commencing and completing every lunar month. This does not only apply to the three months of Sha’bān, Ramadān and Shawwāl. It applies to all lunar months.
Now, the legal (shar’iy) definition of the new moon in the Islamic tradition, based on this clear verse of the Qur’ān and the clear explanation of that verse by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, should cause no confusion, unless one is attempting to subvert the meanings. We commence a new lunar month when we see the crescent (hilāl) at the end of the 29th day, or if we do not see it on that evening until when the time of isha enters, then we complete 30 days of the same month and only commence the new month at the time when maghrib enters the next day, regardless of whether we see the crescent the next evening or not. This day that we pass to complete the 30th day of the month, is called, in the Islamic tradition, yaum ash-shakk – The day of doubt.
A companion of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, ‘Āmmār ibn Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him) has used that very word ‘doubt’ (shakk), which is proof that the Muslims of Madinah during and immediately after the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had considered that 30th day, which is to be passed in waiting because the moon was not witnessed the night before, to be a day in which there is doubt.
Here is the narration recorded in Abū Dāwūd and at-Tirmidhiy:
من صام اليوم الذي يشك فيه فقد عصي أبا القاسم، صلى الله عليه وسلم
“Whosoever fasts on the day in which there is doubt (i.e. 30th of Sha’bān), has disobeyed Abal Qāsim sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.”
What is that doubt in that day? What else can it mean other than the doubt in confirming whether the new moon has been born or not?
The new moon therefore has a purpose to serve in the Islamic tradition. It is to determine whether the month has commenced or not. The purpose of the definition of the new moon in astronomical terms is not to determine whether the lunar month has commenced or not. It is to simply define the phases of the moon. The secular society of Technique has chosen a different system of time in order to perform efficiently in its roles and functions, whatever they may be. In that mechanical system of time, everything is pre-determined; a month can have 28 days, 29 days, 30 days and 31 days, but they are determined in advance. The astronomical definition of the new moon does not attempt to change that mechanical system of time, nor does it attempt to guide the traditions of ancient civilisations that had a system of lunar time in practice. It simply defines the new moon in astronomical language. The astronomical definition of the moon is not compatible with the mechanical system of time adopted by the society of Technique or with the system of lunar time found in the Islamic tradition. It simply stands alone. There is no need to seek astronomical guidance from science on this matter of knowing when to commence and complete a lunar month. It does become useful at times, but generally speaking, we can dispense with it.
The conjunction of the moon is therefore alien to the Islamic tradition of commencing a new lunar month. For us, the lunar month can only be 29 days or 30 days, and it cannot be determined in advance. The new moon is either seen at the end of the 29th day with the naked eye, or in the case it is not seen, then we confirm that there exists a doubt for the simple reason that we did not see it. Due to that doubt, we pass one more day and confirm the new moon to be born only the next day, whether we see it or not when we start the count for the first day of the new month. The crucial time to witness the new moon is at the end of the 29th day, between the times of maghrib and ‘ishā.
We do not have any need to exclaim, “It is right there but we cannot see it!” That is following the astronomical definition of the new moon; it is not the shar’iy definition of the new moon. If we get accustomed to such an unnecessary exclamation, it will be followed by an unnecessary question, “Why are we not seeing it if it is there?” No, it does not matter if we do not see it. We simply have to wait one more day to say the moon has been born. For us, it is there only if we see it, and if we do not see it, it is not there. For us, the new moon means the new month as clearly mentioned in the verse of the Qur’ān quoted above. It is a practical definition because we are under obligation to do certain acts of worship when a new month commences. We cannot do that based on an astronomical definition of the new moon that is something very different from what is established from a verse of the Qur’ān.
It should now be clear that the astronomical and shar’iy definitions of the new moon are incompatible.
It is now also important to note, secondly – after having dismissed any importance given to the syzygy of the sun, moon and earth – that the system of lunar time that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has chosen for us, for determining how and when to engage in certain acts of worship, cannot be pre-determined. The very fact that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had used a conditional clause in a reported hadīth clarifying the verse of the Qur’ān, that were both mentioned above, is itself proof that we cannot determine in advance when to commence the month. There are two choices here. If we see it, we commence the month. If we do not see it, we pass through a day of doubt and only afterwards commence the new month. There is no third option. It is to be applied during that moment between maghrib and ‘ishā at the end of the 29th day. This guidance must be applied on the 29th of every lunar month. It is that system of time adopted by the society of Technique that is, or can be, pre-determined, not the system of lunar time because of the existence of such a day called the day of doubt.
That system of pre-determined months can exist alongside the lunar month. The lunar month that cannot be pre-determined runs on its own course and does not interfere with the secular cycle of months chosen by the society of Technique. They are simply incompatible though not necessarily against each other. Even the methodology of determining the cycle of the months in advance is itself incompatible with the methodology granted to us by Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
The methodology in our Islamic tradition is quite simple. It is a communal effort, it is not done by just one person. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam explained this in very simple language.
إِنَّا أُمَّةٌ أُمِّيَّةٌ لاَ نَحْسِبُ وَلاَ نَكْتُبُ وَالشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا " . وَعَقَدَ الإِبْهَامَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ " وَالشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا " . تَمَامَ الثَّلاَثِينَ
“We are a simple people (in determining the lunar months), we do not determine (the month) in advance by calculation and we do not (have the necessity to) write (in order to determine the months). The month (for us) is like this (showing his ten fingers), and like this (again showing his ten fingers), and like this.” (The narrator said) He folded his thumb when he said it the third time (showing only nine fingers). The Prophet then continued, “And the month is like this (showing his ten fingers), and like this (showing his ten fingers) and like this (showing his ten fingers).” (This second time, the narrator added) He completed thirty.
This was recorded by both al-Bukhāriy and Muslim narrated by Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar radiyallahu ‘anhu.
In short the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam demonstrated the methodology of keeping count of the days of the lunar month.
Our methodology therefore is not based on the calculation of a set of estimates like the moon’s illumination and its position above the horizon at maghrib time at the end of the 29th day, and how long has it been since conjunction, etc. It is simply counting ten by ten by nine, and then based on the condition of witnessing the hilāl, we determine whether to end the month with 29 days or pass one more day (to remove the doubt whether the moon/month is born or not) thereby ending the month with 30 days.
The society of Technique determines the months in advance with calculations. Their methodology is not compatible with ours in the Islamic tradition. These two systems of time can function alongside each other. There is no need to abandon our methodology and import theirs.
In summary:
1. The astronomical definition of the new moon is incompatible with the shar’iy definition of the new moon.
2. The cycle of the months adopted by the society of Technique is incompatible with the lunar system of time in the Islamic tradition.
3. The methodology of determining when a month commences and ends in the system of time adopted by the society of Technique is incompatible with the methodology of doing the same with the lunar system of time in the Islamic tradition.