Continuing Zilhaj moon-sighting controversy, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry recently claimed the moon sighted on Wednesday was the second-day moon. He accused Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman of wrongly announcing Zilhaj moon.
However, Mufti Muneeb, in the light of Islam gives a befitting reply to ‘ill-informed’ Fawad Chaudhry.
Mufti Muneeb asked which science or book of astronomy determines lunar date by the size of the moon? The Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chief remarked Chaudhry was portraying himself as an expert of science which is only his ignorance. “His only work is to mock the religion,” he said.
Mufti Muneeb claimed in the light of the Quran and Sunnah the new Islamic month starts when you ‘see’ the new crescent and not for its existence, not according to the time and size of the crescent. However, he also stressed it was the first-day crescent according to both science and religion.
But, few known personalities of Pakistan are also convinced with Chaudhry’s science of sighting Zilhaj’s moon. They also believe that the moon seen on Wednesday was quite visible to the naked eye hence it was a second-day moon.
Looks like @fawadchaudhry was right. Its Khi 8:12pm. Heard same from Islamabad.
What have you done Mufti saheb?
I wonder if there's a possibility of rectifying it or not. pic.twitter.com/QoXfgN9Xst
— Faisal Subzwari (@faisalsubzwari) July 22, 2020
عید کے چاند کے مسئلہ پر
“ چوہدری فواد کی پیش گوئی غلط ثابت ہو گئی”
یہ کوئی پیش گوئی،ذاتی تجربہ یا علم نجوم بھی نہیں کہ پیش گوئی غلط ہو گئی بلکہ ایک سائنٹیفک دلیل اور مسلمہ حقیت ہے جو علماء اکرام مان نہیں رہے ۔ سائنس ترقی پسند پاکستان کا مستقبل ہے۔@fawadchaudhry #moonsighting pic.twitter.com/sGvos6AKcP— Adil Iqbal Malik (@786Adiliqbal) July 22, 2020
کوئی بھی اس چاند دیکھ کر بتا سکتا ہےکہ یہ پہلی کا نہیں دوسری تاریخ کا چاند ہے ۔ ہم نے فیصلہ کرنا ہے کہ ہم ایسی تشریح کو مانیں جس میں منطق اور دلیل نہ ہو یا ہم ایسا پاکستان چاہتے ہیں جس کا خواب قائد اعظم نے دیکھا تھا اور قائد کا خواب ایک Conservativeپاکستان کا نہیں تھا،فواد چوہدری pic.twitter.com/JbGe5nQBGZ
— Shahzeb Khanzada (@shazbkhanzdaGEO) July 22, 2020
بدھ کی شب سوا آٹھ بجے کراچی میں دیکھا جانے والا زلحج کا یہ توانا تگڑا چاند خود کہ رہا ہے کہ وہ پہلی تاریخ کا نہیں دوسری زلحج کا چاند ہے گویا منگل کی شب ہمارے پروگرام میں فواد چوہدری کا سائنسی بنیاد پر دعوی درست تھا گویا پاکستانیوں کے ساتھ رویت ہلال کمیٹی ہاتھوں زیادتی ہو گئی pic.twitter.com/sEsHqPYQI3
— Kamran Khan (@AajKamranKhan) July 22, 2020
Moon Sighting in Islam
You should notice that the world ‘see it’ has been repeated in the Hadiths which certifies that the new crescent is based on when you see it and not for its existence. So the crescent might exist in reality, but if we could not see it with the eye for any reason, the new Islamic month won’t start.
According to the Shariah point of view, the start and end of the Islamic month don’t depend on calculations. This method is not legal to assert to the start and end of this month because of the following reasons:
- Because it disagrees with what has been stated in the authentic Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which is relying on two ways to assert the start and end of the month; viewing and completing the month to 30 days.
- Because it is a specialized process that not all Muslims can do. So it is not possible that Allaah asks the Muslims, who differ in their capabilities and educational levels.
- Because no matter how specific this process is, it can not be determinant and error can occur.
However, no matter how many time Chaudhry ridicules the prominent Islamic scholar, a majority of Pakistanis firmly believe in Mufti Muneeb’s knowledge about Islam and its rules. He has announced Zilhaj moon on Wednesday and according to which Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated on August 1, 2020.
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