Is 30 days Ramadan a doctrine?
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26/09/2007 12:58:27 AMRamadan can be 29 or 30 days depending on the lunar month or cycle. In my opinion, It is not a doctrine or interpretation problem but a lack of cooperation among all the Islamic religous authorities. Right now there is no standard ruling among all Islamic countries to follow or determine the beginning of the month. Its not an easy task to make all Islamic nations to stick to one rule or method as all have different geographic and political backgrounds.
This has always been a hot topic people love to argue. Even in my own family we have different opinions regarding this. In the end we have found that it is best to follow the religous authority of the country we live in. No point argue endlessly over this subject. In the spirit of Ramadan lets concentate more on the Ibadah and leave the determinations of Ramadan and Syawal to the religous authority. Lets focus on unity in our own family or country.
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27/09/2007 2:01:35 AMThat is true like bmtalib said. Ramadan is not based on 30 days, but it's based on the birth of the new moon, which is the lunar calender.
Moon sighting ruling:
http://www.ummah.net/moonsight...
Where i'm from in Australia, the community have differences of opinion about the starting and ending of Ramadan. Most organisation calculated from the last months and some follow the moon sighting. The differences of opinion arises coz the hadith mention that first we need to sight the first birth of the moon if we can;t see the moon, then we can calculate. Later Muslims have this opinion that calculating is more accurate than sighting of the new born moon. I used to think in that opinion too some time back, until i research on this further.
I use to follow the calculation on the basis of following the majority's opinion if i'm staying in a country which has an official muslim body. Since Australia do not have an official Muslim body although we have many unofficial ones, I decided to read more about this issue and decided to follow what the phrophet said. That comes pointing to the apparent one which is the moon sighting. All of the prophet hadith is pointing to a very simple solution. I think people complicated things or some may not be even aware of the reasons behind why they do anything in Islam. There is a website which calculates moon sighting ( inc new moon) accurately. They have never been wrong.
This is the website for moonsighting calculation, with graph, very detailed.
http://moonsighting.com/faq_ms...
Also moon sighting has some conditions to follow as well. like for one it has to be sighted by a few people. If it's cloudy, then we can use calculation. like what Singapore does, they have already predict the starting of Ramadan. I feel that it has to do with how commercially driven Ramadan is in Singapore to celebrate Shawal (aka Hari Raya)
There are too many narration from the prophet about this issue. You can find them by clicking on the link below.
http://www.ummah.net/ramadhan/...
One example is NARRATED by AbuHurayrah
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 2381
The Messenger of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) made a mention of the new moon and (in this connection) said: Observe fast when you see it (the new moon) and break fast when you see it (the new moon of Shawwal), but when (the actual position of the month is) concealed from you (on account of cloudy sky), then count thirty days.
FYI
Other websites on Ramadan, moon sighting and calculation discussion:
http://www.islamicity.com/rama...
http://www.30-days.net/reveal/.../
http://www.soundvision.com/inf...
http://www.searchtruth.com/boo...;
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27/09/2007 4:56:28 PMSultana, here in Singapore the determinations of Ramadan using calculations have nothing to do with commercial factors but more of other factors. We have to consider the geographical, climate and time difference of the country we live in. On the surface, yes we use the Hisab. But actually we also use the Rukyah to make sure that all calculations are accurate insyaallah. Its quite funny to think of people who say we should use the Rukyah but on everyday lives they also use the Hisab to follow the timings of the daily prayers and for other months. In my opinion we should use both to complement each other and to ensure accuracy of the timings. Its actually a science and we should use the Hadiths as guidance. Its quite a great responsibilty on the part of the religous authority and I believe they have done really good job, alhamdulillah. One way to easily judge the accuracy of the calculations is to observe the 15th night as it will always be a full moon.
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27/09/2007 8:59:50 PMCan it be of political matters? or to maintain unity? :P maybe it's really hard to see the new moon is Singapore cos of our geographical location, hence they have to rely on calculation.
In reality, you are right we actually have two lunar calender if you think of it. One based on calculation of the 30 days and the other based on calculation of moon sighting.
Can you accompany the meaning of hisab and Rukyah for me, who do not understand the meaning of it. :)
Well even the prayer timing is quite complicated. the calculation can result to have slight differences. And different madhab (sects) having a different prayer timing, like Shafi and Hanifi. ( names of different sects in Islam)
I'm sure Allah is all forgiving with these minor differences. the bottom line is, we are doing our ibadat. (our worship)
The tension arises when our Muslim brothers and sisters are keen on putting people down for these differences, pointing fingers on who is right and who is wrong.
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28/09/2007 4:44:55 PMRamadan happens every year. The 1 month (based on the month) of fasting is equivalent to 10 months of fasting due to multiplying effect. Then you are advised to fast another 6 days which when multiplied will cover the balance 2 months. hence we have fasted "1 year" in principle. So we are actaully fasting throughout the year in principle. Hopefully this is clear to you.
30 days x 10 = 300 days
6 days x 10 = 60 days
Hence total of 1 year of fasting has been done and then we repeat it the following year.
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6/10/2007 12:56:43 AMSultana, Hisab means using calculations method and Rukyah means using physical sightings.
I think here in Singapore as much as I can remember in my lifetime, it has never occurred that we have actually sighted the new moon. Whatever the reasons - weather, cloud conditions, positioning, etc - the conclusion from those experience is that, we have not been able to see the new moon even though it should be there by calculation. It should be there but we just cannot see it. We are able to see the moon physically only on the 2nd or 3rd night.
There were suggestions that we should just follow Saudi Arabia in this repect, but this is flawed in that there is a 5 hours time difference and also that they sometimes make last minute changes without consulting anyone.. :) But then again, it's also flawed to follow them in this respect as we also have to follow them in all the other months and all our other timings which practically is just impossible.
So, I think its right that our religous experts make their stand and we as the muslim citizens in our country follow our leaders and leave it to Allah to forgive us of our shortcomings. Amin.
By the way, here's wishing all readers and NasiBeryani members a joyous and blessed Eidul Fitri with your loved ones.
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My Religious contacts can't explain why a 30 days Ramadan 'is'.
So does this mean: Ramadan is an interpretation problem and a doctrine to follow.
In that case Islam and Christianity are not that different?
Christians have the same problems with Christmas and other festivities.
I do not need the interpretation made by others but. What did Prophet Mohammed say about Ramadan?
Please elaborate and add scriptural foundation for it.
250 pts
rookie
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