AVOIDING THE RECURRING HILAAL DEBACLE
THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE SAKE OF ATTAINING THE PHANTOM OF A DECEPTIVE ‘UNITY’
For the sake of a deceptive ‘unity’, we are prepared to accommodate the whimsical desires of those for whom the Shariah is not the criterion, but only as long as such accommodation is within the confines of the Shariah even though it may not be the dictate of the spirit of Islam.
The perennial and unnecessary controversy pertaining to the Hilaal can be avoided only if the parties involved in the creation of such uncalled for controversy submit to the Shariah and operate within its confines. Trespassing beyond the confines of the Shariah is haraam and tantamount to kufr. The Qur’aan Majeed states:
“These (the demands of the Shariah) are the borders (confines)of Allah. Whoever transgresses these limits, verily he has oppressed himself.”
The simple facts of the Shariah which every layman will understand and if he has no axe to grind, will accept wholeheartedly, are:
(1) If sighting of the hilaal is reliably confirmed, it will be Waajib to commence the new month.
(2) If the sighting of the hilaal is reliably confirmed, concealing this fact, is haraam and treacherous.
(3) When the sighting of the hilaal has been reliably confirmed, the announcement may not be delayed nor may this information be concealed to accommodate the expediency of an imagined ‘unity’ with a community in another province where the hilaal has not been sighted.
(4) If the Shaafi’ community refuses to accept the decision of a Hanafi sighting of another city, they will be acting in terms of the Shariah according to the Shaafi’ Math-hab. For this, the community should be commended. The stance of the community should not be interpreted as ‘disunity’. On the contrary, such a stance is rewardable by Allah Ta’ala in view of it being constrained by Allah’s Law.
The above are simple facts which do not require academic expertise for comprehension and acceptance.
THE CAUSE OF THE HILAAL DEBACLES
The NNB Jamiat of Fordsburg, for the sake of a ‘unity’ which ignores the Shariah, has an agreement with the Cape Town MJC which is a freelancing group of zindeeq sheikhs and zindeeq molvis. In terms of this agreement, the NNB jamiat is not allowed to make public the confirmation of its hilaal sighting until the MJC has made a decision. The junior, Jamiatul Ulama of KZN, being the poodle of the NNB jamiat, truckles in meek submission to its handler (the NNB jamiat), hence it currently has no relevance as long as it does not moult out of its poodle status.
There is a difference in time of almost an hour between Gauteng and the Western Province. Thus, on a clear day if the hilaal is sighted at the end of the 29th day of Ramadhaan for example, and if the sighting is reliably confirmed, then immediately the month of Shawwaal commences. It will be the Night of Eidul Fitr.
However, despite this irrefutable Shar’i fact – this Law of Allah Ta’ala – the MJC gags the NNB jamiat molvis who are not allowed to announce to the Muslim community of Gauteng and elsewhere the fact that it is presently the Night of Eidul Fitr and the next day is Eidul Fitr.
While this is the attitude and direction dictated to the NNB jamiat by the MJC, we on the other hand, are fettered by only the Shariah. In terms of our Agreement with Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), we have no option other than to announce the commencement of the Month of Shawwaal (or whatever month it may be), and that tomorrow will be Eid. Since the sun has not yet set in Cape Town, the NNB jamiat is cast into a dilemma of kufr – to serve Allah Ta’ala or to serve the MJC? Regarding the hilaal of the Month of Rabiul Awwal, the NNB jamiat despite having received confirmation of the hilaal from us in terms of a verbal agreement between them and us, committed the grave and unforgiveable, intentional blunder of concealing this information from the Muslim community solely for the sake of the hallucinated ‘unity’ with the MJC and the Barelwi Qabar Pujaaris. But, the Truth stared them so glaringly in the face, that the MJC and the NNB jamiat had no option other than to break ranks with their Qabar Pujaari colleagues of their BOGUS ‘uucsa’, and to accept the hilaal sighting as confirmed by the National Hilaal Committee of S.A.
THE SHARIAH’S PROPOSAL
To avoid these recurring moon controversies and debacles, the Gauteng Ulama should explain to the MJC that in future they will not be able to conceal a hilaal sighting until the MJC makes a decision. The declaration of the commencement of the new Islamic month will not be fettered to MJC decisions. The Shariah will be the determinant.
The Shaafi community in the Western Cape should understand that if the hilaal has not been confirmed in their region, then it is NOT permissible for them to follow Natal and Gauteng. If they do, they will be in contravention of the Shariah. It matters not if they have Eid a day later. Men of the Deen will not criticize them. On the contrary, they will be applauded for displaying concern for the Shariah in terms of their Math-hab.
Despite our severe differences on a wide range of Shar’i issues with the NNB jamiat, we did batter out a verbal agreement with them regarding the moon issue. If a hilaal sighting is confirmed by us, we shall immediately convey this information to their office, and if they confirm a sighting, they should immediately inform us. As long as they uphold this simple Shar’i arrangement, there will be NO moon madness, and the community will not be cast into doubt, confusion and unnecessary inconvenience.
24 Rabiul Awwal 1438 - 24 December 2016