Transcript Lawsmoonsighting

Lesson 10
Laws of Moon Sighting
Is sighting the moon
obligatory?
ALBAQARAH (THE COW 185)
َّ ‫ش ِهدَ مِن ُك ُم ال‬
َ ‫َف َمن‬
• ‫ضا أَ ْو َع َلى‬
ً ‫ص ْم ُه َو َمن َكانَ َم ِري‬
ُ ‫ش ْه َر َف ْل َي‬
‫س َف ٍر َفعِدَّ ةٌ ِّمنْ أَ َّي ٍام أ ُ َخ َر‬
َ
• therefore whoever witnesses the
month, he shall fast therein, and
whoever is sick or upon a journey, then
(he shall fast) a (like) number of other
days;
َّ ‫ش ِهدَ مِن ُك ُم ال‬
َ ‫َف َمن‬
‫ش ْه َر‬
•
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
SHADAH is testimony or witness:
And in the English interpretations of the Qur’an : (four
opinions)
KNOWS THE BEGINNING: Any one of you who knows
that the month of RAMADHAN has begun, he must
start to fast-SARWAR
WITTNESSES THE MONTH: So let those who witness
it (the month) fast in it- QOLI/Mir Ahmed
WITNESSES THE MOON: Who ever observes the
moon
PRESENT IN HIS HOME: Therefore whoever of you is
present in the month, he shall fast therein, -SHAKIR
َ ‫َف َمن‬
ALKHOEI ‫ش ِهدَ مِن ُك ُم‬
• The real existence of this month is the cause
of the obligation in fasting it.
• The plenty narrations indicate that the new
month emerges by the emerge of the sun
light on the moon in a way that it can be seen
or sighted.
• If such emerge occurs for a region then it is
enough for the entire earth, but since the
night does not cover the whole earth at one
time, then the unity of the night should be
observed in the sharing of the moon
sighting.
• The night sharing regions could be in the
sunset and the dawn.
َ ‫َف َمن‬
TABATABAE ‫ش ِهدَ مِن ُك ُم‬
• The witness of the month by the knowledge
of its coming.
• It happens by the knowledge of its start.
• It does not mean that the moon has to be
sighted, nor a person must be present in the
home town (in oppose to the traveling
person), for there is no evidence for such
claim.
• Yes the moon sighting can be an indication
for the entrance of the month.
َ ‫َف َمن‬
SABZAWARI ‫ش ِهدَ مِن ُك ُم‬
•
The criteria is the real existence or the
coming of the month, by moon sighting or
by any other measures of such was
possible.
Other scholars of TAFSEER:
SHADAH of the month means:
• SHADAH of moon, that means every one
must sight, if not then no fasting is
obligated.
• Being resident in the home town (Sh.
MAKARIM)
The words of the scholars
•
1.
There are two types of wordings:
ALKHOEI and SISTANI, when they mention the
rules of proving the holy month they use the
following WORDS:
•
Method of ascertaining the first day of a month (or
the beginning of the month) –the focus is on the
beginning of the month.
•
1739. The 1st day of a month is established in the
following four ways..
•
The moon is proven by KNOWLEDGE which is
acquired by the personal sighting, or multiple
reports or any other ways ,
2. Others used the word method of ascertaining the
moon sighting . (the focus is on proving the
existence of the moon)
Astrologer (MONAJIM) vs.
Astronomer (FALAKI)
• Astrologer gives predictions based on the
observations of the movement of the stars,
planets and other celestial bodies.
• Astronomer is a scientist who makes the
predictions based on the scientific facts and
figures, mathematical calculations, and the
science of astrophysics of the celestial
bodies .
• The words of the great scholars mention the
Astrologer or MONAJIM and some times the
astronomer.
The FATWA regarding the
predictions of the astronomer
•
1741. The first day of a month will not
be proved by the prediction made by
the astronomers. However, if a person
derives full satisfaction and certitude
from their findings, he should act
accordingly. (laws of S. SISITANI
(MAP))
• Two conditions:
1. Knowledge or certainty
2. Satisfaction
The scholars who support the
Prediction of the Astronomer:
•
•
•
•
•
•
S. ALKHOEI (MAM)
S. KHOMENI (MAM)
S. GOLPAYGHANI (MAM)
S. SABZAWARI (MAM)
SH. WAHEED KHORASANI (MAP)-QUM
SH. MIRZA JAWAD TABREEZI (MAP)QUM
• SH. NASIR MAKARIM (MAP) -QUM
• SH. FADHIL LANKARANI (MAP) -QUM
Factors of satisfaction
• An astronomer is a human being who is also subjected
to making errors in his calculations, so there must be
factors of satisfaction.
• Such person though he is a human too who might have
made an error in his calculations but his previous record
of in his calculations were almost zero.
• The experience of the astronomer
• If he calculations are supported by other astronomers
who are not linked to him and have their own
observatories and own resources
• The faith and understanding of Islamic laws could be a
plus point in the creating a satisfaction
• Other points which might be related to each responsible
individual (MOKALAF) and so on.
New Moon
When the Moon is between the Earth
and the Sun in its orbit. It can not
be seen for the people of the earth,
because dark surfaces faces the
earth (the sunlight exists on the
other half of the moon which is not
visible to the people of the earth.
This typically marks the end of the
Lunar Cycle which lasts.
When the sunlight or the sunray
moves towards the surface of the
moon facing the earth, then that
first appearance of the sunlight
which is visible for the people of
the earth in a way that they can
sight it, is considered the first
crescent and marks the first day of
the lunar month.
The moon cycle: 29 1/2 days
When can the moon be sighted?
1.
2.
AGE of the moon: Time passed after New Moon
Birth. Sighting is possible at different age in
different months.
The age when it can be sighted varies based on the
speed of the movement of the moon, geographical
factors, seasonal factors, and others. So, age
cannot be a criterion for sighting. It could be from
smaller age (like 17 hours), to larger age (like 23
hours). The main factor that makes the moon
visible is the angle between moon-earth-sun. When
this angle becomes about 9 degrees, the moon
starts to be visible. How much time it takes to get
this angle depends upon the speed of the moon in
its orbit.
The distance of the moon from
earth varies in seasons
Three important facts
1.
2.
If the moon was old enough to be sighted
If the moon was above the horizon where it can be
sighted
3. If the time of moonset was after the sunset
If a person has these three facts, and they are accurate
in a way that it gives certainty and satisfaction,
then based on the FATWA of almost all the
JURIISTS (MOJTAHID), that one must follow the
scientific predictions, and the sighting is not
required.
Reference: TAWDHEEH of all the JURISTS in Persian,
Urdu, English, and the laws in Arabic. This can be
found in the section of moon sighting in the
chapter of the LAWS of FASTING.
Moon sighting curve is based on the
calculations of the astronomer
What is the criteria for following
other cities moon sighting
• There are four opinions regarding this
issue:
• Unity of the sunset or the horizon and
closeness of the cities (unity of the sky)
• Unity of the night (unity of the sky)
• Unity of the continent (land)
• Unity of the EARTH (land)
Unity of the horizon and
closeness of the cities
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
That means that the cities share the horizon can
follow each other:
They share in the time of sunset
They share the vertical or horizontal lines in a way
that if the moon is sighted in a city it has to sight in
another if the clouds or mountains were not
obstructing.
These cities must not be very far (some say 880
km).
The western regions can follow the sighting in the
eastern regions if there was no obstructing factor
it would have been sighted.
Notes:
•
•
Close cities in distance which share the
sun set (they share the same sky) (the
difference in the time of sunset is less like
5-10 minutes) , these cities can share the
sighting because they share the horizon
regardless of being the in EAST or WEST.
Far cities which do not share the sun set,
only the western cities can follow the
sighting of the eastern cities, if the all fall
under the astronomical visibility curve, that
is if there were no barriers in the western
cities it would have been cited.
Unity of the horizon and
closeness of the cities
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Those who support this opinion:
S. SISTANI (MAP) -NAJAF
S. KHAMENAI (MAP)- TEHRAN
S. GOLPAYGHANI (MAM)
S. KHOMENI (MAM)
Sh. NASIR MAKARIM (MAP) -QUM
Unity of the night
• The cities of east and the west can
follow the sighting of each other if they
share one night.
• The reason for the concept of sharing
the night is that the moon is sighted in
the with the naked eye night, so if a city
does not share the night when the
moon was sighted, then that city can
not depend on that sighting.
Unity of the night
•
The first great scholar who made this
concept and supported it with strong
evidences was the MASTER of JURISTS
ALSYED ABO ALQASIM ALHOEI (MAM)
• Then some of his strong students followed
him, those who support this concept:
1. SH. WAHEED ALKHORASANI (MAP)–Qum
2. SH. MIRZA JAWAD ATTABRIZI (MAP)–Qum
3. Sh. LANKARANI (MAP) -QUM
The difference between the unity of
the night and the unity of the Horizon
• Both theories imply on the cities which share
the same sky, because the moon is sighted
in the sky.
• Unity of the night indicates that the all the
cities share the same night (under one dome
of night from sun set in one region to dawn
in another region) have same sky so they can
follow each other, regardless of the west or
the east. (wide range of the sky)
• Unity of the sunset or the horizon indicates
that all the cities share almost the same time
of sunset have same sky, regardless of being
in the west or east as long as they are not
too far. (narrow range of the sky)
Unity of the continent
• S. MOHAMMAD SAEED TABATABAEI
ALHAKIM –NAJAF
• The west can follow the sighting in the
east
• The east can follow the sighting of the
west
• If they share the continent
Unity of the EARTH
• If any spot on the earth sights it, then it will be
enough for the entire earth.
• The concept says once the moon is out from the
shadow, then it is out for the entire earth, so on any
spot it is sight, then it is enough for the whole earth.
• SH. AFAYAADH- NAJAF
• SH. BASHEER –NAJAF
• SH. SANIEE- QUM
• SH. BAHJAT-QUM
• This opinion must be supported by some types of
limits, other wise many scholars have criticized it if it
is taken absolutely.
Why on Monday in USA??????
•
•
1.
2.
Followers of ALKHOEI and all those who
support the unity of the night and the unity of
the earth, had to fast on SUNDAY in USA,
because it was sighted in different parts of the
world on Saturday night.
Followers of others who support the concept
of one continent or the unity of the Horizon:
There was no authentic moon sighting in USA
on Saturday.
The astronomical predictions were not at the
level of satisfaction, they predicted the
sighting from Florida to California, but none of
these places which were under there
prediction sighted the moon, which weakened
the satisfaction.
EID EXPECTATIONS
• Visibility Curve on October 23, 2006
Quiz of Lesson 10
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
( ) The Quran clearly indicates that one must sight
the moon
( ) There is no difference between the
astronomical new moon and the religious new
moon.
( ) If then moon was 14 hours old then if has to be
seen.
( ) If the astronomer informs about the birth of the
new moon and his words gave certitude and
knowledge then it proves the first day of the
month.
( ) Visibility curve is completely reliable.
( ) The cities which share a night they can share
their sighting regardless of their location in the
west or the east.