RAMADAN AND THE DIVIDING LINES

Every year in Ramadan two issues, the Moon sighting and timing of breaking fast, usually divides the Muslim community along sectarian lines. Thus you will find that different groups start Ramadan and ends it on different days, likewise they break their fasting on different timings.

The world as we all know is a sphere that rotates on its axis thus you have the longitude (East-West lines) and latitudes (North-South lines) that have at their center the equator. Those lines determine the exact coordinates that locates a position anywhere on the globe. The 360o on the globe is divided into 24 hours with approximately 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. But as the earth rotates on its axis, the time difference on earth shifts from east to west, traveling one degree every 4 minutes. For this reason time difference rises as you go west and declines as you go east. Saudi Arabia is two hours ahead of Nigeria thus when they are performing Asr in Saudia, Nigerians will be performing Zuhr.

Just as the time difference in performing prayers varies according to position on the globe, moon sighting also is affected likewise within a twelve hour period of darkness on the sighting day. But with recent technology, as we have hundreds of satellites hovering over earth and we have spacecraft traveling billions of kilometers away from us, I don’t think there is need for relying on eyesight alone for sighting moon. Even traditionally we knew that weather conditions may sometimes prevent us from sighting moon on an expected date. But with present technology we can even predict the position of the moon for the next hundred years. It would be wise for Islamic scholars to convene an international conference under OIC to charter moon sighting calendar for regions that could calculate the position of the moon minute by minute covering a particular geographical area to save ourselves from the bickering’s that happens every year. We now have calendars posted in almost every mosque stating prayer times and the timings for Sahur and Iftar. Moon sighting is no different from them in any way. It is just about attitude and we need to embrace the bountifulness of God for the knowledge bestowed on modern man.

The second issue is about timing of breaking fast. The problem arose from the interpretation of the following verse

Q2:187 “…THEN YOU SHOULD FAST UNTIL SUNSET”

The contention arose from the Arabic word used in the Quran “Layla” which means night. Majority of Shi’ites believes that night means total darkness (literal meaning), thus they break fasting between after Magrib to Isha when light has completely disappear. On the other hand the Sunni’s breakfast when the sun had gone below the horizon but there is still visibility.

As I said earlier, day and night on earth are usually divided into twelve hours of daylight and darkness, but there are regions, especially those closer to the poles (North and South) that experience perpetual daylight or darkness for 6 months depending on seasons. Some regions have 20 hours of daylight or darkness or less at a particular season. Therefore the definition of layla with regard to Iftar should not be as rigid as the Shi’ites demanded and it shouldn’t be a bone of contention. Especially as we have astronauts on several months mission in space, a place where there is no sunset or sunrise. Suppose two Astronauts, a Shi’ite and a Sunni were sent on a mission to the international space center, where there is no sunrise or sunset, would they be arguing about “Layla” (night)?

We must open our hearts all the time as the prophet taught us when he implored his maker “Rabbi zidni ilma”. Increment of knowledge is the only way to unshackle ourselves from the yoke of Dogmatism that is detrimental to our unity and progress. Instead of adopting better ways to improve, we are perpetually retrogressing backwards as our time is not much different with the Jahiliyya period, where the people whenever a new knowledge comes to them they will proudly exclaim “Inna wajad na aba’ana” i.e we must cling to what we inherited, adhere to only what our Malams taught us.

 

 

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