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There are those in the present time who have invented and publicized the evil claim that it is permissible to refer to astronomical calculations to decide the beginnings and ends of lunar months. Some people even reject the testimony of trustworthy Muslims of sighting Al-Hilal claiming that sighting is impossible during that day!

Sheikh Al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah said in Al-Fatawa v 5, p 131, “It is a fact that some people listen to the ignorant ones who rely on astronomical calculations to decide the beginnings of lunar months (meaning astronomers), and who state that the moon will or will not be sighted (on a certain date that they had calculated). These people believe that such claims to be true, thus implementing them in private or in public. I was even told about some judges who will refuse the testimony of a number of truthful persons, just because they, the ignorant lying astronomers, say that the moon will or will not be sighted. These judges become among those who refuse the truth when it is presented to them. They also accept the testimony of the untruthful ones, thus becoming among those who listen to falsehood. This Ayah, “(They like to) listen to false-hood, to devour anything forbidden” [5:42], is describing such false judges, as is apparent from its meaning. False judges accept falsehood from whom they are not permitted to accept testimony, such as accepting false accounts by false witnesses or story-tellers. These judges usually eat from impermissible means, such as bribes. This is why these two matters (listening to false testimonies and accepting bribery) usually accompany each other. And although some judges do not completely accept what astrologers say and claim, yet, they are not firm and have a strong doubt in their hearts, because they believe that the Shari’ah does not address this subject.”  

The Prophet () has specified the way to determine the beginning of the new lunar month in numerous authentic Hadiths. This judgment is from the Tawatur type, that is when the narrators are so numerous that fabrication is rendered impossible. These Hadiths were narrated by a group of the companions, such as Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Huthayfah, Saa’d bin Abi Waq-Qass, Ibn Mas’ud, Jabir, Al-Baraa ibn Azib, Rafia’ bin Khudaij, Talaq bin Ali, Abu Bakrah, Samurah and Adi bin ‘Hatim, may Allah be pleased with them all. Al-Bukhari and Muslim, among other books of Hadith, have collected the Hadiths by ibn Umar and Abu Hurayrah. The Hadith by ibn Abbas was narrated in Muslim, and this Hadith and the Hadith by Huthayfah were also narrated in Sunan Abu Dawood and An-Nasaii. The rest of the Hadiths by the aforementioned companions were narrated in other books of Hadith, such as Al-Muwattaa’, Musnad Ahmad and Musnad Ash-Shafii. Following are some of the wordings of these Hadiths that are Mutawatir in their collective meaning on account of their numerous narrators:  

1 -- Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah () said, what translated means, “If you see Al-Hilal (new moon of Ramadhan at the end of Shaa’ban), then fast. If you see it (the new moon of the next month, Shawwal), then end your fast. If it was hidden from you (due to bad weather), then complete the number (of days in the month) to thirty days.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].   

2 -- Ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah () mentioned Ramadhan, saying, “Do not fast until you witness Al-Hilal (of Ramadhan), and do not end your fast until you see it (for Shawwal). If it was hidden from you, then complete your count to thirty (days, by fasting the thirtieth day of Ramadhan).” [Malik, Abu Dawood, At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaii].   

3 -- As for the practice of the Prophet (), ‘Aaishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “The Messenger of Allah () used to treat Shaa’ban as he treats no other month (by making sure to establish its beginning and end). He would then fast for sighting (Al-Hilal) of Ramadhan. Whenever he could not sight it, he would count thirty days (for Shaa’ban) and then start the fast.” [Abu Dawood]. 

These authentic texts are clear in their affirming the rules of the Shari’ah with regards to establishing the beginnings of lunar months. This fact is further explained as follows:   

1 -- The Shari’ah made Al-Hilal, and nothing else, the sign that decides the beginning of the lunar month. There is no other way to decide the beginning of the month except this way and method.   

2 -- According to the Shari’ah, the lunar month has a minimum of 29 days and a maximum of 30. It is not allowed to fast except until at least twenty nine days of the month of Shaa’ban have passed. The least number of days to be fasted in Ramadhan is 29 days.   

3 -- The beginning of the lunar month should be decided with certainty. This fact is derived from the established rule of Shari’ah with regards to acts of worship that are connected to certain timings. These acts of worship cannot be performed unless their times have been established with certainty. This is why Allah connected these acts to certain universal signs that are not controlled by mankind. These signs are indisputable, not viable to change and can be easily recognized by both the layman as well as the learned. Ibn Taymiyyah said in Al-Fatawa v 25, p. 139, “Our Shari’ah has established the perfect ruling as it connected the beginning of the lunar months to indisputable natural signs which can be witnessed with the eyes. Therefore, no one will be misguided in the religion, nor will anyone be distracted from his other affairs in search of establishing the beginnings of the months. Furthermore, no one will indulge in what does not concern him in pursuit of this matter. This method (that the Shari’ah has established) will never lead to confusion in the religion of Allah, as what happens to followers of other religions by the hands of their scholars.”  

4 -- The Shari’ah connected the acts of worship that occur during lunar months to witnessing the new moon or to completing the thirty days of the previous month.

5 -- Establishing the beginnings of the lunar months can be easily achieved by relying on a clear and material sign, Al-Hilal. Otherwise, the new month can be established by completing the thirty days. Both these matters do not fall under the control of man. The Shari’ah did not prescribe any other method to decide the beginnings of lunar months.  

6 -- The general meaning of the Hadiths attests that the only way to reach certainty as to when the new lunar month starts occurs by either witnessing Al-Hilal or by completing the thirty days. These Hadiths are clear in demanding fasting or ending the fast only after witnessing Al-Hilal or completing the thirty days of the month. The Messenger of Allah () said, what translated means, “When you witness it (the new moon for Ra-madhan), then fast. When you witness it (the new moon for Shawwal), then end your fast. Otherwise, if it was hidden from you (due to bad weather), then complete the number (of days of the month) to thirty.” There is no reference in the Hadiths that connects this matter to astronomical calculations. On the contrary, the ruling in this regard is connected to a sign that is firmly established, either witnessing Al-Hilal or completing the thirty days of the month.

7 -- Witnessing Al-Hilal is obligatory on Muslims to firmly establish timings for some acts of worship. If these acts are obligatory, such as the case with fasting Ramadhan and Hajj, then witnessing Al-Hilal is also obligatory on at least a part of the Muslim Ummah, for what is necessary to fulfill the requirements of an obligation is an obligation itself. These facts that we have stated were known and followed by all generations of Muslims throughout the ages. Their acts of worship were always firmly established and their affairs were always rightly guided. In addition, no difference of opinion with regards to this matter was ever re-corded of the companions. Also, the Mathhabs of the four Imams, Abu Hanifah, Malik, Ash-Shafii and Ahmad all agree on this ruling. Imam Malik said, “Whoever fast according to (astronomical) calculations must not be followed.” Ibn Arafah also said that he does not know of any Maliki, meaning followers of the Maliki Mathhab, who agrees with the method of following astronomical calculations. Furthermore, rejecting astronomical calculations in deciding the beginnings of lunar months is the position of many scholars of the Ummah, including ibn Al-Munthir and Sanad of the Maliki Math-hab, and Ibn Rushd Al-Qurtubi, ibn Hajar, As-Subki, and Ash-Shawkani, as well as many others.    

The Scholars on Bid’ah  

Al-Fudhayl bin ‘Iyad said, “Do not sit with a man of Bid’ah, for I fear that Allah’s curse will descend down upon you too.” He also said, “Whoever glorifies a man of Bid’ah has assisted in the destruction of Islam, and whoever smiles in the face of an innovator has made fun of what Allah has sent down upon Mohammad Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam.”  

Imam As-Siyuti said in his book, Muftah Al-Jannah, “Whoever rejects a Hadith, be it statement or action, as a binding proof, has disbelieved and has stepped outside of the folds of Islam and will be raised with the Jews and Christians or whichever disbelieving sect that Allah wills.”  

Imam Sufyan At-Thawri said, “Bid’ah is more loved by Iblis than sins, since one can repent from sins while there is no repentance for Bid’ah.” 

Imam Malik said, “Whomsoever introduces something in this Muslim Ummah which was not previously established, is declaring that the Messenger of Allah , Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam, had failed in his message; while Allah, the Most High, says, “This day I have perfected for you your religion.” [5:3]. Whatever was not a religion then (at the time of the Prophet) cannot be a religion now.”  

Yunus bin ‘Ubayd said, “It is the fortune of a youngster or a non-Arab that Allah blesses them with a scholar of the Sunnah.”