"Unity in the Heavens"
"Divine calculation unites, human error divides; let the celestial signs guide us to unity."
Whalid Safodien
The Feather Pen
"The
Celestial Decree of Arafah: Unveiling the Unity of the Lunar Horizon"
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Allāh (ﷻ) commands in Surah Āl ʿImrān (3:103):
"Hold firmly to the
rope of Allāh, all together, and do not divide."
Allāh (ﷻ) states in Surah Ar-Raḥmān (55:5):
"The sun and moon
move by precise calculation."
"Discipline's Legacy"
"As the cane once instilled
discipline in me, so shall I uphold stringent standards in my own
pedagogy."
"The
Immutable Measure"
"A scholar's stature is not gauged
by the multitude of his adherents, but by the jurisprudents who extrapolate
legal wisdom from the foundational principles he has illuminated."
-Whalid Safodien
The Feather Pen
Published:
27 April 2025
A
Qur’anic and Astronomical Proof: The Universal Visibility of the Gibbous Moon
on the True 9th of Dhul-Hijjah
All praise is due to Allah, who ordained the sun and moon as
precise measures of time, and may peace and blessings be upon the final Prophet
Muhammad (ﷺ), his family, and companions.
Introduction
The determination of Islamic months must align with Qur’anic
calculation and astronomical reality.
Yet, some communities—such as those following the South African moon-sighting
method—often declare Eid and Hajj dates contrary
to undeniable celestial facts. This paper presents irrefutable
evidence that when Makkah observes a clear
gibbous moon (more than half-illuminated) on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, the
same moon is visibly gibbous across the world,
proving the inaccuracy of claims that the moon is only 8 days
old in other regions.
1. The
Qur’anic Command: Calculation Over Speculation
Allah says:
"It is He who made the sun radiant and the moon a light,
ordaining its phases so you may know the count of years and time..." (Yūnus
10:5)
"The sun and moon move by precise calculation." (Ar-Raḥmān
55:5)
These verses establish:
·
The moon’s phases are mathematically
precise (husbaan).
·
Its illumination follows a fixed,
predictable cycle.
·
Human error in sighting does not override divine
calculation.
2. The
Astronomical Reality: A Gibbous Moon Cannot Be on Day 8 Dhul-Hijja or any
month of the Hijri Calendar
Modern astronomy confirms:
·
A gibbous moon (more than 50% illuminated) cannot
appear before day 9.
·
If Makkah witnesses a gibbous
moon on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, the same moon will be:
o Visible
in South Africa, America, and Asia with near-identical
illumination.
o Impossible
to be "8 days old" in any location, as
the moon’s phase is globally consistent.
Case Study: The Night of the 9th Dhul-Hijjah
·
In Makkah: The moon
is clearly gibbous (55-60% illuminated), confirming day 9.
·
In South Africa (or elsewhere): If
local moonsighting bodies claim the moon is only 8
days old, this is scientifically false, as:
o A half-moon
(50%) occurs at 7.38 days after conjunction.
o By
day 8, the moon is never more than half-lit—thus,
a gibbous sighting is impossible.
3. Naked-Eye Confirmation: The Moon’s Phase is Universally
Observable
·
The gibbous moon’s brightness and shape are
unmistakable to the naked eye.
·
If Muslims in Makkah, Indonesia, and
South Africa all see a gibbous moon on the same
night, it must be the same lunar day
globally.
·
Claims that the moon is "younger"
in one region violate astronomical laws and
Qur’anic principles.
4. The Fiqh Implications: Rejecting Impossible Claims
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Fast when you see it (the crescent) and break your fast
when you see it." (Bukhari)
However, this hadith does not mean:
·
Ignoring established science.
·
Accepting physically impossible
sightings.
·
Dividing the Ummah with
contradictory dates.
When observation contradicts calculation:
·
Calculation takes precedence, as
it aligns with the Qur’an.
·
False sightings must be rejected, as
they lead to bid’ah (innovation) in worship.
5. A
Direct Challenge to Contradictory Moon-Sighting Claims by the Muslim Judicial
Council and the United Ulama Council
To those who insist on regional differences:
1.
How can Makkah be on day 9 with a gibbous moon
while South Africa claims day 8 (Naked Eye Sighting?
2.
Does the moon change its phase based on geography? (Astronomy
says no.)
3.
Will you continue causing division by rejecting
the Qur’anic command of calculation?
Global Unity on Qur’anic
Calculation
The evidence is clear:
·
The gibbous moon on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah is
visible worldwide with the naked eye.
·
Any claim of a "younger moon" in one
region is astronomically false.
·
Muslims must unite under divine calculation, not
human error.
Silence on these
questions constitutes:
- An admission of error
- A violation of Qur'anic
commands
- A disservice to the Muslim
community
"By divine ordinance, the veracity of Makkah's Hijri
calendar is universally applicable, transcending geographical boundaries. The
celestial synchrony of Ramadan,Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, as ordained by the
Quran and observable by the naked eye on the night of Arafah, serves as
irrefutable testament to the global validity of Makkah's lunar reckoning. Thus,
I deduce that the Hijri calendar's accuracy in Makkah ipso facto confirms its applicability to South Africa, and indeed,
the entirety of the world."
Allah warns:
"And do not mix truth with falsehood or conceal the truth
while you know." (Al-Baqarah 2:42)
Allah warns:
And declare, “The truth has come and falsehood
has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.” (Al-Anbya 17:81)
Hadith
Narrated
'Abdur-Rahman bin Ya'mar: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The
Hajj is 'Arafat, the Hajj is 'Arafat, the Hajj is 'Arafat. The days of Mina are
three: But whoever hastens to leave in two days, there is no sin on him, and
whoever stays on, there is no sin on him (2: 203). And whoever sees (attends)
the 'Arafah before the rising of Fajr, then he has performed the Hajj."
Ibn Abi 'Umar said: "Sufyan bin 'Uyainah said: 'This is the best Hadith
that Ath-Thawri reported.'"
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2975
May Allah guide us to follow His signs with wisdom and unity.
by:
-Whalid Safodien
The Feather Pen
Distribution: Free for educational
use to clarify this critical Islamic issue.
