Demystifying the SIGHTING OF THE MOON.--- cell phone --- 0722 - 483 058
A contribution by Major (Rtd)) Gharib Suleiman- Mombasa, Kenya.
Dear brothers. No need to fight. But again, little knowledge is dangerous. I will not decide anything for anybody. But I would wish to advance certain points based on facts, hoping the knowledge that will be derived will clarify our perspectives and direct each of us to make an informed choice. Iam not an 'ullama' but remain a good and conscious Muslim.
I am a graduate of METEREOLOGY amongst other 'majors' like OCEANOGRAPHY, ASTROLOGY and GEOGRAPHY from the prestigious Britannia Royal Navy College at Dartmouth in United Kingdom. Hence I feel I have a contribution to make on subject arguments.
I beg, however, that each of us keep our pre-conceived notions or ideas on matters sighting of the moon to one side and approach my arguments from a neutral point in order to derive maximum benefits.
Here we go. Basically TIME ZONES are determined by LONGITUDES. The straight lines linking the north pole to the south pole. So all the Countries and cities aligned in the same latitude would basically have the same time.
This is the case with large parts of Iraq, Saudi Aradia, Kenya, and down to South Africa. God has been kind to me as I have been to all the Countries mentioned above and I have experienced the same time.
The sun rises from the east and sets in the west. This introduces the concept of LATITUDES, those parallel lines running from east to west and round the Globe.
Kenya lies in the EQUITOR. Saudi Arabia lies further north, close to TROPIC OF CANCER- which is still a latitudinal line further north. We have the TROPIC OF CAPRICON further south towards Johannusberg area.
Then there is the Earths ROTATION along its axis once in every 24 hrs in an anti- clockwise direction impacting on both wind strengh and direction, and ocean currents. Rotation impacts on the moon due to magnetism factors (Moon's Gravity), impacting on the high and low tidal changes in the oceans of the world! Rotation determines why when it is evening in Kenya and Saudi Arabia, it is fajr on the same day in USA!
Furthermore, there is Earth's REVOLUTION around the Sun which takes about one year.
It has been shown that the Sun moves annually between the two tropics of Capricon and Cancer passing through the Equator twice as it heads down south and again as it moves north. This accounts for the four seasons (or two in some countries near Equitor)- summer, autumn, spring, winter! This explains why in the winter Saudia experiences maghrib as early as 5.15 pm while in Kenya at Equitor maghrib is 6.40 pm.
Likewise during summer, Saudia experiences maghrib as late as 7.30 pm while in Kenya maghrib is 6.15 pm. In effect, Revolution of the earth round the sun causes changes in the lengh of day or night in various parts of the earth during the year. It also accounts for the lunar eclipse.
When we refer to the Holy Quran, Allah educates us that THE MOON BORROWS ITS LIGHT FROM THE SUN. Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar. Mis-understanding of this concept has caused a lot of differences in the Muslim World regarding the sighting of the moon.
THE MOON HAS NO LIGHT OF ITS OWN but borrowed light. This has been proven only recently by scientists!
When the moon has to borrow its light from the Sun, and when the sun appears to "move" as it rises from the east through the equator and set in the west, then through earth's rotations, and revolutions, AND THE FACT THAT MOON'S LIGHT IS A BORROWED LIGHT FROM THE SUN, it would be naive for anybody to believe that the sighting of the moon can happen in all parts of the earth or world at the same time.
Because of differences in latitudes between Saudi Arabia and Kenya, and sun's movement between tropic of cancer which is nearer to Saudia and tropic of capricon through the equator where Kenya lies, this can account for the differences in moon sighting between the two countries, and yet they enjoy the same time zone!
So there you are brothers. It is an act of complacency to claim there is one moon in the whole world so it should follow that once sighted in one area then it must imply the whole world has seen it!! To qualify the sighting of the moon in a particular area, one must not take any one factor in isolation.
The whole range of qualifications must be taken into account- it is repeated by way of emphasis- latitudes, longitudes, equator, tropic of cancer, tropic of capricon, and the fact that moon's light is borrowed light from the sun, and a myriad of other factors such as rotation of the earth and its revolution around the sun.
ALL THE ULAMAS IN SAUDIA ARABIA and EGYPT and Others Concur with above assertions, and they have continuosly urged muslims to fast or break fast based on the SIGHTING OF THE MOON in their respective Countries.
During Prophet Muhammad's time a contingent of travellors approached the Prophet on a day there were still fasting in the forenoon hours. The travellors then informed the Prophet that when they had started their journey the previous day, the moon had been sighted and eid was being celebrated there. The Prophet then ordered everybody to break the fast.
Logically, a day's walk by the travellors in those days (around 600 AD), through the thick and thin of the desert, would account for a distance of few kilometres, nothwithstanding deviations to all of the factors of latitude, longitudes, affects of rotations, and others, such considerations as leading to the breaking of the fast then to be absolute.
This is not an area that I intended to dwell upon but for God's sake let us not advance cheap discussions. The Chief Kadhi of Kenya is a government apointee. It is claimed he was not chosen by muslim ummah! Yet we are follow to follow the Saudi Authority which, I submit, is also appointed and not chosen or elected by the muslims there. Saudia is a Kingdom, there are hardly any elections there. Yet I choose to be neutral.
Metereology is a complex subject, but I have tried to explain using a layman's language. I hope it will be of benefit to all of us. My explanations, your belief, your choices.!! "Hal yastawil ladhina yaalamuna walladhina maa laa yaalamuun".
Kama nimekosea mahali, natanguliza kuomba msamaha kwani mimi ni mwanadamu.
Gharib Suleiman GHARIB
Major (retired)
