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Hebron University Research Journal-B (Humanities) - (مجلة جامعة الخليل للبحوث- ب (العلوم الانسانيه

Hebron University Research Journal-B (Humanities) - (مجلة جامعة الخليل للبحوث- ب (العلوم الانسانيه

Abstract

Many religious duties in Islamic sharia depend on the lunar calendar. In the early times, Arabs did not have a means to determine the beginning of a new lunar month other than sighting the new crescent. Hence, Prophet Mohammad – peace be upon him – commanded Muslims to observe Ramadan and start fasting when the sighting of the new crescent is confirmed. The early scholars of Islam followed the tradition of determining the beginning of a new lunar month by moon sighting and opposed using astronomical calculation for this purpose. This is mainly because early Muslims did not have the capacity to perform precise the astronomical calculations and because the confusion between astronomy and astrology was prevalent. The situation, however, changed significantly nowadays owing to scientific advancements that allow astronomers to calculate the time of a new moon with precision. Consequently, most contemporary scholars rule for accepting astronomical calculations for determining the beginning of a lunar month. In this paper, the researcher presents the views and opinions of scholars on both sides of the issue of determining the beginning of the lunar month by moon sighting or astronomical calculation and discusses their arguments. The researcher believes that using astronomical calculations to determine the beginning of the Islamic lunar month is permissible. This study demonstrates the flexibility and applicability of Islamic Jurisprudence and its capacity to utilize scientific advancements for the benefit of the community

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