Habib,

If they are able to spit out a calendar with regard to when Ramadan will end, that that is based on pure astronomical calculations and not in conjunction with the use of telescopes to actually sight the moon, and that is departing from sunnah.
You mentioned all the new discoveries that were not known before,  however,  the Qur'an tells us that Allah (SWT) is the knower of the visible and the invisible. He is also the one who inspires His creation to be able to invent or to do anything else for that matter, so no future inventions could possibly have been unknown to Him. The Prophet (SAS) also told us about all the things that will come to pass before the day of judgement and if you examine the list, you will be able to identify without a doubt many a modern invention.

Who exactly were the people who got together to come up with this system of calculations and which Islamic scholars are in agreement with them?

Jabou


 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Habib Ghanim <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 1:17 am
Subject: Re: first ramadam to be on thursday










The following table lists the Gregorian dates of New Year, the beginning of 
Ramadan, the date of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, according to the Ummal-Qura.





Year

1 Muharram

1 Ramadan

1 Shawwal

10 Dhul-Hijja


1425

21 Feb 2004 Sa

15 Oct 2004 Fr

Nov 2004

21 Jan 2005 Fr


1426

10 Feb 2005 Th

4 Oct 2005 Tu

3 Nov 2005

10 Jan 2006Tu


1427

31 Jan 2006 Tu

24 Sep 2006 Su

23 Oct 2006

31 Dec 2006 Su


1428

20 Jan 2007 Sa

13 Sep 2007 Th

13 Oct 2007

20 Dec 2007 Th


1429

10 Jan 2008 Th

1 Sep 2008 Mo

1 Oct 2008

8 Dec 2008 Mo


1430

29 Dec 2008 Mo

22 Aug 2009

20 Sep 2009

27 Nov 2009 Fr


1431

18 Dec 2009 Fr

11 Aug 2010

10 Sep 2010

16 Nov 2010Tu
 plan your holidays now without headaches

> Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:08:29 -0400> From: [log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: 
first ramadam to be on thursday> To: [log in to unmask]> > > Brother 
Habib,> > Thanks.> As I mentioned, I have no problem with the choice of Makkah 
as the point of > reference for the moon sightings. Infact, I think that it is 
something > befitting that should have been done long ago because it is a point 
of reference for > the Ummah.> The slaughtering en masse also makes sense 
because the pronouncement of > Allah's (SWT) name is what matters there so no 
major departures from the sunnah.> Loud speakers make sense as aids to better 
conveyance of what is being said.> Therefore, opposition to these above 
mentioned items is a bit fanatical.> However, when it comes to the actual 
sighting of the moon with the naked > eye, that is the sunnah of the Prophet and 
even the Qu'ran mentions that. > Deciding to depend on mathematical and 
astronomical calculations alone without > seeing the actual moon crescent is 
another matter altogether. Innovation I say.> We already know that in the lunar 
calendar we follow in Islam, some months > are 30 days and some are 29, and the 
Prophet told us that during his time. > During Ramadan, actually sighting the 
moon is what determines if we fast 29 days > or 30 days.> I personally think 
that it is a dangerous departure.> Instead, what needed to be done was to have 
the Ummah World-wide defer to > the Makkans whenever they inform us that the 
moon has been sighted over there > with the naked eye and go with that as 
opposed to going with calculations. > I remember that during the time that the 
late Serigne Modou Lamin Bah was > imam of Banjul, if the moon was sighted in 
Makkah, he would make the decision to > go along with that schedule.> > May 
Allah guide the Ummah to the straight path and protect us from Bi'da.> May He 
inspire and help us to keep our faith pure.> > Please remember us, the rest of 
our compatriots and the Ummah in your > prayers.> > wassalaam,> Jabou> > In a 
message dated 9/11/2007 10:46:51 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > [log in to unmask] 
writes:> > Balal na la Ahha> yes indeed sister jabou> for several months since 
jan 2007 all the muslim scholars that are > astronomers and mathematicians met 
with some religious scholars in europe , south asia > and in the usa plus 
experts from Africa ( capetown and cairo) to finalize > this method> > the key 
is very simple and strategic one location was selected and which > city better 
than mekkah> so when the new moon is born ( the know the exact time to the 
seconds ) in > mekkah area alone before sunset then we start the new lunar month 
the > following day but when the new moon is born after sunset then the next day 
is the > first day- reasoning is that since each month is exactly 29.5 (and half 
day) > so it means some months will be 30 days and some 29 only> there is no 
half day - so it makes sense and yes it has been accepted by > the scholars> > > 
remember when the microphone or loud speakers fist came about abot 60 years > 
ago many indo pak muslims also refused to use them because it was not used in > 
the time of the prophet (pbuh) and not sunnah > well with technonogy and science 
advances Imams now use these loudspeakers > to give khutbas to big crowds of 
worshippers so all can hear him deliver > his speech. and there is no debate on 
this matter any more with the cell phones > and land lines -telephones have sms 
/ims , cameras and even videos now to > almost mini computers > > we have the 
same issues with mechanical slaughter of chickens versus hand > slaughter - now 
machine slaughtered chickens are allowed as long as they are > supervised 
properly to avoid mistakes and the tasmiah is said by the muslim > supervisors 
during the process> > a classic example used was that during the prophets time 
people performed > pilgrimage to mekkah on horses and camels now we us 
airoplanes and cars and > boats. > > best regards to y'all in the south and have 
a blessed month of Ramadan> Hajj Habib> > > > > Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 22:35:50 
-0400> From: [log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: > first ramadam to be on thursday> To: 
[log in to unmask]> > Habib,> > > Balal na la, balal ma ahhah.> > 
Astronomical calculations instead of > actually sighting the moon? I have no 
issues with the rest of the Islamic World > going along with the Makkans 
sighting of the moon as the start and end of > Ramadan, but is the new standard 
of going with astronomical calculations sunnah?> > > Jabou> > > > -----Original 
Message-----> From: Habib Ghanim > <[log in to unmask]>> To: [log in to unmask]> 
Sent: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 8:21 pm> > Subject: Re: first ramadam to be on thursday> 
> > > > > > > > > > Thanks sister > Jabou > thank God the whole universe this 
year starts on the same day ie 13 th > sept and > will celebrate eid on 13 th 
october 2007> from now on we will all > noy look for the new cresent moon as the 
new global > standard will use makkah > as the target for the whole world and 
now based on > astronomical and > mathematical calculations only > we know when 
eid will fall for 5 years now without > complains ( except the > bangladashis 
and indo pakistanis) inshallah this is > a good move to unify the > ummah> > 
balal ma ahhah > may we meet next years > ramadan in good health inshallah> 
habib Diab ghanim> > > > > Date: Tue, 11 > Sep 2007 20:01:34 -0400> From: 
[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: > first ramadam to > be on thursday> To: 
[log in to unmask]> > Ramadaan > Mubarak.> May > Allah (SWT) accept our 
fasting and forgive us our sins.> > Jabou > Joh> > > > > > > > > > -----Original 
Message-----> From: SUNTOU TOURAY > > <[log in to unmask]>> To: 
[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 > 1:19 pm> > Subject: first 
ramadam to be on thursday> > > > > > > > > > > the main > > islamic news chanel 
in U.k announce that ramadan will comence on > thursday the > > 13th of 
september.> i wish every body a blessed ramadan. i am sure baba and > some > 
sanyang kunda > folks will be happy that we will wait for another day > to start 
> the fast .not > forgeting the darboe kunda crew .saloum,haruna and > lj darboe 
> .God bless ,guys.> suntou.> > > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤> 
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