Hijri Calendar

The Islamic calendar or Muslim calendar is a lunar calendar , based on one year of 12 lunar months of 29 to 30 days each (to be precise: solar 29.53059 days). Hegira year is shorter than a Gregorian year by about eleven days.

The current year is 1432 the AH , from the evening of December 7, 2010 on the evening of November 26, 2011 approximately.

Summary 1 History 1.1 Pre-Islamic Calendars 1.2 Prohibition of intercalary months 2 Specifications 3 Variants 4 Understanding the Muslim calendar 5 The astronomer and calendar 6 The 'alim and schedule 7 Unit or multiple "matali'e (horizons)? 8 The methodological gap between rhetoric and practice 9 The legal opinion of the qadi Shakir 10 The decision of the Fiqh Council of North America (NAFC) 11 Towards a universal Islamic calendar calendar settings of Umm al Qura Saudi? 12 The ritual confrontation between tradition and modernity 13 See also 13.1 For articles related 2.13 External Links 14 Notes and references

History

Pre-Islamic Calendars

The predecessors of the calendar of the Hegira were calendars lunar months that included synchronized with the solar cycle by the intercalation of a thirteenth month. This month, in the Arabian Peninsula, was added by some tribes between the last and first months of the year and the Jewish tribes as directed by the authorities in Palestine and Babylonia. The Arabic name for months, especially that of the two rabia .

Differing from the Jewish practice, the Koran explicitly forbids the intercalary month (see below), the timing desynchronizing agricultural seasons, indicating that it was customary before the advent of Islam. The eleven day delay in the Muslim calendar with the Gregorian calendar make the Muslim calendar poorly suited for use in agriculture as this would cause a long-term shift in seasons and seasons solar calendar.

Prohibition of intercalary months

The Koran says in Sura 9, verse 36, the ninth year of the Hegira , that use of the intercalary month is prohibited:

"The postponement of a sacred month to another is an additional disbelief. Thereby the disbelievers are misguided: one year, they are secular, and one year, they are sacred to adjust the number of months that Allah has made sacred. So they make profane what God has done sacred. The evil of their embellished. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people . "

And the verse before (9:36) states in effect: "the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the prescription of Allah, the day He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred: this is the right religion. During these months, do not hurt yourself. "

The four sacred months are Dhu al-Qi `da , Dhu al-Hijjah and Muharram , which are consecutive and Rajab.

Vagueness on intercalary months during the first nine years of the Hegira that the exact dating of events of this period in the Gregorian calendar is subject to a margin of error of one to three months (the battle of Badr , the Battle of Uhud and the Battle of the Ditch ).

Specifications

Year ^I of this calendar began on the first day of the Hegira , ¹Muharram (the 15 or 16 July 622 of the Common Era , the authors theologians).

The first period is called "astronomical," the second "civil". This calendar was adopted ten years after the event. It indicates that a date is given in this calendar by adding the words Muslim calendar, Muslim calendar, Muslim era, the era of the Hegira, or abbreviated as H or AH (the Latin anno hegira).

The year is currently underway in the Muslim calendar is 1432

Make 2011 - 622 = 1389 to find the year of the Hegira now is inaccurate and ignores the fact that the Muslim calendar "advance" faster than the Gregorian calendar. Hegira and Gregorian years are consistent in the year 20 874.

Each month starts when the first crescent moon is visible, depending on where the observation is made, month may start earlier or later. The month of Ramadan , for example, does not begin and end on the same day for all Muslims in the world. Thus, if the sky is cloudy and does not allow visual observation of the crescent moon on the evening of 29th day of Shaban, a Muslim country, then this day is defined as a day of doubt "Yawm Shakka. The month of Sha'ban will be declared as having 30 days before declaring the beginning of Ramadan. Similarly, the year that begins on the first day of the first month of Muharram , do not start simultaneously in all Muslim countries.

The use of the Muslim calendar is not reliable on a global scale. To agree on dates without ambiguity, non-Persian Muslims refer to Christians whose calendars Gregorian calendar but the Muslim world "Persian" (Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan) and the Kurds refer to them as the Persian calendar (known as Chamsi calendar) more accurate than the Gregorian calendar.

Variants

There is a variation of the Muslim calendar, known as the tabular Islamic calendar or calendar Fatimid, in which the length of the month is determined by rules of calculation and not by observation or astronomical calculations. The common year of this calendar contains 354 or 355 days , divided into 12 months of alternately 30 and 29 days, which only the twelfth ( Dhu al-Hijjah ) has a variable number of days (29 or 30).
Are called common in years this month has 29 days, and when the year has 354 days.
Expressed abundant in years when the month has 30 days, and when the year is 355 days.

The years common to abundant interspersed with a cycle of 30 years with 19 common years and 11 years abundant. There are four main versions of this cycle thirty. Depending on the version, are abundant over the years:

• 2, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 18, 21, 24, 26 and 29 - "Kuwaiti Algorithm" ( ibn Kushyar Labban (fr) , XI ^century, and Ulugh Beg , XV ^century)
• 2, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, 24, 26 and 29 - the most common version
• 2, 5, 8, 10, 13, 16, 19, 21, 24, 27, and 29 - (Conversion tables of Indian origin)
• 2, 5, 8, 11, 13, 16, 19, 21, 24, 27 and 30 - ( Al-Marwazi , ^ninth century, Al-Biruni ^, tenth and ^eleventh centuries, and Elias of Nisibis , ^XI century)

The average year during this 30-year cycle is therefore: (19 + 11 354 355) / 30 = 354.36667 which differs from that of 0.0004 day (<35 s) of the lunar year true and allows to keep the lunar calendar synchronized on for 2500 years.

The Muslim year with 10, 11 or 12 days fewer than the year Gregorian (depending on whether it is leap or not, and that the Muslim year is common or abundant), the Islamic New Year occurs every calendar year advance the same number of days relative to the solar year, and each day of the Muslim calendar (including religious festivals and fasting month of Ramadan ) "passes" so gradually all seasons.

Understanding the Muslim calendar

The lunar calendar, based on the calculation can be made years in advance. But it is the observation with the naked eye of the new moon that signals the beginning of the month for Muslims, not the astronomical calculations. However, the first crescent moon can be seen in Riyadh and not in Cairo, where differences earlier this month between countries.

To illustrate, ¹ Shawal 1426, a day to celebrate the Eid el-Fitr , corresponded to Wednesday, November 2, 2005 in Libya and Nigeria, to Thursday, November 3 in 30 countries including Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and part of the United States at Friday, November 4 in 13 countries including Morocco, Iran, Bangladesh, South Africa, Canada, part of India and part of the United States, and Saturday, November 5 in a part of India . This state of affairs is not unique, it is renewed every month.

For these reasons, most Muslims use the Gregorian calendar to manage all their activities, and not interested in dates given by the Islamic calendar only on special occasions (New Year Muslim religious holidays, etc.).

Astronomy and Calendar

The lunar month begins when the " conjunction "monthly, when the Moon is located on a straight line between Earth and Sun. The month is defined as the average length of a rotation of the Moon around the Earth (29.53 d approximately). Lunation varies within a range whose limits are 29.27 d in midsummer and 29.84 d at winter solstice, giving, for the year to 12 months, an average of 354 , 37 days. The Babylonian astronomer Kidinnu (IV ^centuryBC.), well known for his astronomical work, calculated the length of the synodic month as equal to 29j 12h 44mn 3.3 s, while the value accepted today 29d 12h 44mn is 2.8 s, or about half a second apart.

Astronomers have asked for millennia, the convention that months of 30 days and 29 days followed each other alternately, allowing to match the duration of rotation of the moon on two consecutive months a number of whole days ( 59), leaving just a small monthly gap of about 44 min, which was coupled to 24 hours (the equivalent of a day) by 2.73 years. To settle this difference, just add one day to the last month of the year, every three years ago, the same way that we add one day every four years in the Gregorian calendar. The years called "abundant" in the Islamic calendar, which lasted from 355 d each, are among 11 in a cycle of 30 years (years 2, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, 24, 26 and 29), while the years called "common" for a period of 354 d, are 19 in number.

In pre-Islamic Arabia, the Bedouins used a lunar calendar based on one year of 12 months. But they had become accustomed since the year 412, they add a 13th month mobile (whose concept was borrowed from the Jewish calendar) in order to match the month of hajj to the fall season. These adjustments have been the subject of much abuse, the Koran was suppressed by setting the number to twelve months of one year and prohibiting the insertion of 13th month . But it provides no other indication of methodology for the construction of the lunar calendar, and makes no reference to astronomical calculations.

The Bedouin were used to observe the position of the stars at night to guide them in their travels through the desert and observe the appearance of the new moon to determine the early months. When they asked the Prophet of Islam ( Muhammad ) on how to determine the beginning and end of the fasting month, he urged them to begin the fasting month of Ramadan with the observation of the birth of the new Moon (evening of 29 ^th day of the month) and stop fasting with the birth of the new moon (the month of Shawwal ). "If the crescent is not visible (because of clouds) count to 30 days . "

Recommendation comfort in its ancestral customs community who could neither write nor count and had no access, anyway, other methods of monitoring for months. At the time, the astronomical data were not commonly available for use by people in practical ways, in all places, as is the case today for diaries and calendars, for example.

However, the crescent moon becomes generally apparent that some 15 to 18 hours after the conjunction, and subject to the existence of conditions resulting from factors such as number of hours since the conjunction, the relative positions of sun, moon and the observer altitude of the moon at sunset , where we proceeded to the observation angle with the sun at bedtime; observing conditions (pollution , humidity, air temperature, altitude), the limit of detection of the human eye, etc. .

According to the months and seasons, the conditions of observation of the new moon will be collected at different sites of the globe. Muslim astronomers renowned medieval times, such as Ibn Tariq (en) (VIII ^century),Al-Khwarizmi (783-850), Al-Battani (855-923), Al-Bayrouni (973-1048), Tabari (XI ^century)Ibn Yunus (XI ^century),Nasir ad-Din at-Tusi (1201-1274), etc.. contributed significantly, for several centuries, the development of theoretical and applied knowledge in the field of astronomy. They have a special interest in the study of visibility criteria of the new moon in order to develop reliable prediction techniques of the beginning of a new month.

The 'alim and schedule

The Koran does not prohibit the use of astronomical calculations. But the consensus of scholars has built solidly for 14 centuries, around the release of the calculation, apart from some isolated jurists in the early centuries of the Islamic era, who advocated the use of the calculation to determine the early lunar months . At the institutional level, only the dynasty (Shi'ite) of the Fatimids in Egypt, used a calendar based on the calculation, between the ^tenth century and ^twelfth century, before it falls into oblivion to Following a change of regime.

The major argument used to justify this situation is based on the premise of the ulema, that should not go against a requirement of Muhammad . They believe it is illegal to use the calculation to determine the start of lunar months, the time that Mohammed has recommended the procedure for visual observation .

Many scholars point out, moreover, that the calendar based on the calculation counts the days of the new month of the conjunction, which precedes by a day or two visual observation of the new moon. If used, the calendar based on the calculation would begin and end the month of Ramadan and celebrate all the festivals and religious occasions, ahead of a day or two than the dates derived from the application the hadith of Muhammad, which would not be acceptable to the Sharia .

But since the early twentieth ^century, more and more Islamic thinkers, and a handful of renowned scholars, challenge such arguments.

In their opinion, Muhammad was simply a procedure recommended to the faithful observation of the new moon to determine the start of a new month. Bedouin based on the positions of stars to guide them in their travels through the desert and to know the early months, Muhammad had made only reinforce their ancestral customs.

The observation of the crescent was a mere means, not an end in itself, an act of worship ('ibada). The hadeeth about the observation did not therefore a fixed rule, nor is to prohibit the use of astronomical calendar.

According to some scholars, the hadith does not even speak of a visual sighting of the new moon, but simply to acquire information, according to credible sources, that the month has started . This naturally opens to all other perspectives in the discussion of this issue.

Unit or multiple "matali'e (horizons)?

Despite its apparent simplicity, the rule stated by Muhammad for determining the beginning of Islamic months (of viewing oneself the new moon, or to learn from a reliable source it was observed somewhere) raises great difficulties theoretical and practical when it should apply to people living on large territories.

As has been said, observing the new moon to the naked eye is not a simple matter. It depends on many parameters astronomical and atmospheric factors, which may be favorable in one place at one time, and unfavorable elsewhere or in other seasons. Once the new moon observed reliably, somewhere, how will this information she brought to the attention of populations over large areas, or sometimes even in very remote areas (such as Spain with respect to Saudi)? Whose information should she win with all its implications (such as start fasting, celebrating the end of Ramadan, etc.). ?

The various legal schools took into consideration the various factors that seemed to win them, be they astronomical, theological, or legal practice. The wide range of responses they furnished emerges a central core of fundamental principles, which are of great interest today:

- In general, the observation of the new moon can not be taken into account by the communities to which information gets.

- The observation of the new moon in a country of East mark, in theory, the beginning of the new month for all countries to the west of the place of this observation . Because, as and as the age of the new moon rises between the time of his birth (in conjunction) and his first sleep, the ability to observe improves. This is the case in going from east to west, from Mecca to Casablanca, for example, that the new moon is aged over 3 h to sunset in Morocco and its setting in Saudi Arabia.

- An observation of the new moon must be regarded as invalid when it is reported then that the combination has not yet occurred .

- But, beyond all these considerations and given the difficulties of communication between Muslim communities, geographically, the ulema declared that the inhabitants of each country should implement the decision of national authorities on the early lunar months.

These rules were, at the time, only a limited effect, because information on observing the new moon could not be conveyed on that small area, near the area of observation. But today, the facts of the situation has changed with the proliferation of states and Islamic communities worldwide, and the development of modern communications.

Thus, even the beginning of the month is sometimes shelled as a string, in successive days in different countries. This was the case of "Eid al-Fitr" or 1st Shawal 1429, which was celebrated in 5 different days around the world in one country September 29, 2008, in 19 countries on September 30, in 25 countries on 1 October in 5 countries on October 2, and 1 community 3 October 2008 .

Many Muslim leaders criticize such a slippage in the Muslim calendar and demand respect for the principles enunciated by the clerics on "matali'e" . Thus, concerning "eid al fitr" or 1st Shawal 1429, the conjunction took place September 29, 2008 at 8:12 GMT, but according to astronomical observatories, the new moon could not be observed anywhere on Earth that day there. The observation announced by Saudi Arabia on the evening of Sept. 29, was erroneous. By cons, on the evening of Sept. 30, the new moon could be observed in many parts of the world . The news of such an observation, anywhere on Earth, on the evening of Sept. 30, could be immediately brought to the attention of the entire planet, thanks to modern telecommunications. All the Muslim world have therefore been able to celebrate Eid el Fitr on the same day, October 1, following the principles formulated by the early ulama on these issues .

Studies, more and more numerous, carried out by Muslim astronomers in recent years also demonstrate that the beginnings of months decreed in Islamic countries over several decades were often inaccurate for various reasons most . It is clear from this point of view, when the month based on the observation of the new moon begins on different days in different Islamic countries, only one earlier this month based on this criterion can be considered based on the astronomical terms, all others being wrong.

The gap between rhetoric and practice methodological

But, in order to assert their sovereignty, many Muslim states have developed their own procedures for determining the beginning of lunar months. These are sometimes unrelated to the observation method advocated by the ulema, as is the case of Libya. Or, they are in some cases associated with astronomical order parameters, which are intended to improve the reliability of observation .

Saudi Arabia applies, and two methods for determining the beginning of the new month. It uses for administrative purposes, a calendar year, based on the calculation, known as the Umm al Qura calendar , which takes into account both the "conjunction" and hours of sunset and the moon to the coordinates of Mecca, on the evening of the 29th day of each month. The setting of the moon after the sun indicates the start of the new month. Otherwise, the current month will be a period of 30 days.

But the Saudi state believes it does not comply with Sharia use the Umm al Qura calendar to determine the beginning of months associated with religious celebrations (1 Muharram, 1 Ramadan, Shawwal 1st, 1st Dhul Hijjah ...). Specialized committees are responsible, on such occasions, scan the sky with the naked eye to spot the new moon before the High Judicial Council of Saudi Arabia does enacts the beginning of the new month.

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Oman, Morocco, Nigeria, Trinidad, etc.., Observing the new moon must be certified by a qadi (judge) or an official commission specialist. In Egypt, the new month begins after conjunction, when the new moon sets at least 5 minutes after sunset. Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, it begins after the conjunction, when the age of the new moon is more than 8 h, elevation <2 and elongation> 3. It begins in Turkey after the conjunction, when the new moon at an angle of at least 8 with the sun at an altitude of at least 5. In Libya, the new month begins when the conjunction occurs before the dawn (fajr), local time.

The specific case study demonstrates, however, the existence of a significant gap between the rules that the various Islamic states and communities implement and maintain their practices. This is clear from the analysis of case 1 Ramadan 1426, which was celebrated in 4 different days around the world: Monday, October 3, 2005 in Nigeria, Tuesday, Oct. 4 in 22 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Mauritania, Libya and Egypt, Wednesday, Oct. 5 in 23 countries, and Thursday, October 6 in 3 countries .

According to astronomical observatories, observations announced by Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Mauritania and Egypt were erroneous . They were not possible in Nigeria on October 2 (the day before the conjunction) or October 3, 2005 (evening of conjunction), Saudi Arabia or Algeria, given the astronomical parameters for these regions . Egypt could not, either, having watched the moonset 5 minutes after that of the sun, in accordance with the procedure it said apply. But although these astronomical data have been widely known experts, and have been absolutely any adverse visual observation of the new moon, the States concerned have not ignored, in making the announcement of observations for unexplained reasons.

The legal opinion of the qadi Shakir

The Qadi Ahmad Muhammad Shakir is an eminent jurist of the first half of the twentieth ^century, which occupied at retirement as president of the Supreme Court of sharia in Egypt (just like his father had served the same function in Sudan ), and remains, even today, an author of reference on the science of hadith .

It was published in 1939, an important and original study focused on the legal side of the issue of the Islamic calendar, under the title: "The beginning of Arab months ... Sharia allows it to determine it using astronomical calculations? " .

According to him, Muhammad has considered the fact that the Muslim community of his day was "illiterate, unable to write or count", before directing its members to rely on observing the new moon to accomplish their religious obligations of fasting and hajj.

But the Muslim community has evolved considerably over the following centuries. Some members have even become experts and innovators in astronomy. Under the principle of Islamic law that "a rule no longer applies, if the factor that justifies it ceased to exist," the recommendation of Muhammad no longer applies to Muslims, once they learned "write and count" and ceased to be "illiterate."

The ulema of today therefore commit an error of interpretation when they give the hadith of Muhammad on the issue at the same time interpretation of revelation, as if this hadith stated requirements immutable, so that its provisions do longer apply to the Muslim community for centuries, under the same rules of Sharia.

Ahmad Muhammad Shakir recalls the principle of Islamic law that "what is relative can not disprove the absolute and should not be preferred, according to scholarly consensus. . But the vision of the new moon by eyewitnesses is relative, that may be flawed, so that knowledge of the beginning of the lunar month based on astronomical calculations is absolute, within the scope of the certain.

He also points out that many Muslim jurists of great fame have included data from astronomical calculations in their decisions, citing as examples Sheikh Al-Mraghi, president of the Supreme Court of sharia in Egypt, and Taqiddine Assoubaki Takiddine Daqeeq bin al-Eid.

Shakir said, in conclusion, that nothing precludes, at the Sharia, use the calculation to determine the start of lunar months and this, in all circumstances, not only as an exception, as 'Some scholars have recommended.

He observes, moreover, that there can be only one lunar month to every country on Earth, based on the calculation, which excludes the possibility that the beginning of the month differs from one country to another . Using calendar based on the calculation will be celebrating the same day in all Muslim communities around the world, events that are highly symbolic in religious, such as on ¹ Muharram, ¹ Ramadan Eid al Fitr, Eid al-Adha or the day of Arafat during Hajj. This will greatly enhance the sense of unity of the Muslim community worldwide.

This legal analysis of the qadi Shakir has never been refuted by experts in Islamic law, more than 70 years after its publication. Professor Yusuf al-Qaradawi has recently formally joined the qadi Shakir thesis. In an important study published in 2004 entitled: "Calculation and determination of the astronomical beginning of months" , al-Qaradawi preaches for the first time, vigorously and openly, using the calculation for the establishment of the Islamic calendar, an issue on which he had maintained a prudent reserve so far. He cites with approval this extensive excerpts from the study of Shakir.

The decision of the Fiqh Council of North America (NAFC)

For its part, the Fiqh Council of North America (en) ( NAFC (fr) ), which for years has felt challenged by this issue, announced in August 2006 its deliberate decision to now adopt the Islamic calendar based on the calculation, taking into account the visibility of the crescent anywhere on Earth.

Utilisant comme point de rfrence conventionnel, pour l'tablissement du calendrier islamique, la ligne de datation internationale (International date line (IDL)), ou Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT ), il dclare que dsormais, en ce qui le concerne, le nouveau mois lunaire islamique en Amrique du Nord commencera au coucher du soleil du jour o la conjonction se produit avant 12 : 00 GMT. Si elle se produit aprs 12 : 00 GMT, alors le mois commencera au coucher du soleil du jour suivant .

La dcision du CFAN est d'un grand intrt, parce qu'elle conjugue avec une grande subtilit les exigences thologiques des ulmas avec les donnes de l'astronomie. Le CFAN retient le principe de l'unicit des matali'e (horizons) , qui affirme qu'il suffit que la nouvelle lune soit observe o que ce soit sur Terre, pour dterminer le dbut du nouveau mois pour tous les pays de la plante. Aprs avoir minutieusement tudi les cartes de visibilit du croissant lunaire en diffrentes rgions du globe, il dbouche sur la conclusion suivante :

Si la conjonction se produit avant 12 : 00 GMT, cela donne un temps suffisant pour qu'il soit possible d'observer la nouvelle lune en de nombreux points de la Terre o le coucher du soleil intervient longtemps avant le coucher du soleil en Amrique du Nord. tant donn que les critres de visibilit de la nouvelle lune seront runis en ces endroits, on pourra considrer qu'elle y sera observe (ou qu'elle aurait pu l'tre si les conditions de visibilit avaient t bonnes), et ce bien avant le coucher du soleil en Amrique du Nord.

Par consquent, sur ces bases, les stipulations d'observation de la nouvelle lune seront respectes, comme le prescrit l'interprtation traditionnelle de la charia, et le nouveau mois lunaire islamique dbutera en Amrique du Nord au coucher du soleil du mme jour. Si la conjonction se produit aprs 12 : 00 GMT, alors le mois commencera en Amrique du Nord au coucher du soleil du jour suivant.

Vers un calendrier islamique universel aux paramtres du calendrier saoudien d'Umm al Qura ?

La proposition du Conseil du Fiqh d'Amrique du Nord (CFAN) suscita l'intrt des autorits politiques et religieuses dans de nombreux pays majorit musulmane. Des astronomes de diverses nationalits se runirent au Maroc, en novembre 2006, pour tudier plus en dtail la possibilit de l'adopter comme base d'un calendrier islamique universel.

Cependant, le CFAN (en) modifia sa position en 2007, et dcida de s'aligner sur une dcision du Conseil Europen pour la Fatwa et la Recherche ( CEFR ), utilisant les paramtres du calendrier saoudien d' Umm al-Qura (en) pour dterminer le dbut des mois musulmans (en utilisant comme paramtres que la conjonction se produise avant le coucher du soleil aux coordonnes de la Mecque , et "que le coucher de la lune ait lieu aprs celui du soleil" aux mmes coordonnes.) D'aprs le CFAN, le choix des paramtres d'Umm al Qura a pour objectif de favoriser le dveloppement d'un consensus, dans les pays musulmans, au sujet de l'utilisation de ce calendrier bas sur le calcul, et dont les donnes ne diffrent que de manire marginale de celles obtenues par l'application de la mthodologie du CFAN d'aot 2006.

Les dcisions du CFAN et du CEFR ont dj eu les retombes importantes suivantes :

- Le principe d'utilisation du calendrier bas sur le calcul est officiellement parrain par des leaders religieux connus et respects de la communaut musulmane ^{, ,} ;

- Il est adopt officiellement par des organisations islamiques dont nul ne conteste la lgitimit ;

- Les communauts musulmanes d'Europe et d'Amrique sont disposes l'utiliser pour la dtermination du dbut de tous les mois, y compris ceux associs des occasions caractre religieux.

Sur le plan oprationnel, l'initiative du CFAN et du CEFR de 2007 semble tre bien suivie par la majorit des communauts musulmanes d'Europe et d'Amrique, comme en tmoigne leur comportement l'occasion du dbut du mois de ramadan en 2010. Elle semble aussi avoir encourag de nombreux tats musulmans revoir leur politique en matire de proclamation du dbut des mois lunaires.

La confrontation rituelle entre les traditions et la modernit

Depuis la fin des annes 1950, la Ligue arabe, l'Organisation de la Confrence Islamique et d'autres institutions similaires ont prsent leurs tats membres plus d'une demi-douzaine de propositions visant dvelopper un calendrier islamique commun. Bien que ces propositions n'aient jamais abouti, jusqu'ici, les efforts continuent dans cette voie, la recherche d'une solution acceptable pour toutes les parties concernes.

En effet, du fait de ses faiblesses manifestes, le calendrier islamique bas sur l'observation de la nouvelle lune n'est utilis dans les socits musulmanes contemporaines que pour dterminer les dates associes des clbrations religieuses. Pour tous leurs autres besoins, les musulmans du monde entier utilisent, depuis de nombreux sicles, le calendrier grgorien, bas sur le calcul astronomique, sans avoir la moindre apprhension qu'ils pourraient, ce faisant, enfreindre des prescriptions religieuses.

La mme dmarche peut tre observe au niveau des tats. Ainsi, l'Arabie Saoudite utilise-t-elle le calendrier d'Umm al Qura, bas sur le calcul, pour la gestion des affaires administratives du pays, ce qui semble indiquer clairement que le calendrier lunaire bas sur l'observation mensuelle de la nouvelle lune ne peut pas servir un tel usage.

De ce fait, les penseurs musulmans contemporains sont de plus en plus nombreux soulever les questions suivantes :

- En prconisant la mthode d'observation de la nouvelle lune pour la dtermination du dbut des mois lunaires, Mahomet aurait-il indiqu une procdure qui rendait caduques les fonctions usuelles du calendrier musulman, le rendant impropre tout usage ? Ou bien ne s'agissait-il que d'une simple indication, une rponse approprie, en son temps, la question qui lui tait pose, mais qui aurait d tre revue et adapte aux besoins des socits musulmanes, au fur et mesure de leur dveloppement scientifique, culturel et social ?

- Pourquoi les horaires des prires sont-ils dtermins de manire licite sur la base du calcul astronomique, et les dbuts de mois islamiques ne pourraient-ils pas faire l'objet de la mme dmarche ?

p> - Why timing based on the calculation is this a legitimate use in Saudi Arabia when it comes to managing the administrative affairs of the country, and is it illegal when it comes to determining the dates associated to religious celebrations such as Ramadan 1, eid al-fitr on 1st Dhul Hijjah, or Eid Al Adha?

- More generally, why use the Gregorian calendar based on astronomical calculations would it be lawful for Muslims worldwide, while the use of the Islamic calendar, based on the same calculation, would not .

See also

Related articles

• Concordance of dates and Gregorian calendars Muslim
• Hebrew calendar
• Revolutionary calendar

External Links

• Universal converter calendars
• The early months in the Islamic calendar: difficulties in Saga Calendars
• Calendar of Makkah
• The Muslim calendar and the start of Ramadan
• Khalid Chraibi, " The Muslim calendar in 10 questions "on Oumma.com
• Khalid Chraibi, " Sharia and the timetable "on Oumma.com
• Moonsighting.com website
• Helmer Aslaksen: The Islamic calendar
• Moonsighting.com: Selected Articles On The Islamic calendar
• Islamic Crescent's Observation Project (ICOP): Selected Articles On The Islamic calendar
• Mohammad Ilyas Lunar crescent visibility Criterion and Islamic calendar
• Mohamed Odeh: The actual Saudi dating system
• Robert Harry van Gent: The Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia at Utrecht University
• Robert Harry van Gent: The Islamic Calendar of Turkey
• Robert Harry van Gent: Islamic-Western Calendar Converter
• Robert Harry van Gent: Predicting The First Of The Lunar Crescent Visibility (includes extensive bibliography online bibliography is lunar crescent visibility )
• Ahmad Shakir: "The beginning of Arab months ... is it licit to it using astronomical calculations determined? "(Published in Arabic in 1939) Reproduced by The Daily" Al-Madina, October 13, 2006 (No. 15878)
• Yusuf al-Qaradawi: "Astronomical calculations and determination of The Beginning of months" (in Arabic)
• Abderrahman al-Haj: The faqih, The Politician & the determination of lunar months (in Arabic)
• Fiqh Council of North America: Islamic lunar calendar decision of 2006
• Islamic Center of Boston, Wayland: Moonsighting Decision Documents
• Zulfikar Ali Shah The astronomical calculations: a discussion of fiqh
• Khalid Chraibi: Issues in the Islamic Calendar, Tabsir.net
• Khalid Chraibi: Towards a global Islamic calendar, SaudiDebate.com
• Khalid Chraibi: Can the Umm al Qura calendar serve as a global Islamic calendar? Tabsir.net

References