Hijri New Year
The Hijri year 1429 came to an end and the new Hijri year 1430 has begun. A consensus on the beginning and ending of Lunar Months or Year is yet to be arrived.
Three to four types of Hijri calendars are being followed in different countries of the world. As such new Hijri year begins differently on 3 to 4 days worldwide, whereas, a single Gregorian/Christian/ solar calendar is being followed by all. Due to different ways of calculating lunar months, adoption of a single Hijri calendar could not be made possible as yet.
As per information received from Internet, four states i.e. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Oman & Morocco and two non-Muslim states i.e. India and Trinidad, start Lunar month by sighting the new moon with bare eyes according to the Hadith of Saom (fasting). Fifty-three Muslim countries and rest of the world prepare Hijri calendar by adopting various types of calculations, and follow those. Due to this, we are not getting a single Lunar calendar to start Hijri new year simultaneously. But it is possible to prepare the same on the basis of the Holy Quran, Sunnah & astronomical science.
The Hadith of Saom tells us how we will keep fasting during the month of Ramadan. In this Hadith, it has not been said as to how 12 (twelve) lunar months can be determined. We, therefore, can say that the Prophet (Pbuh) did not give us any permission to count 12 (twelve) Lunar months with the help of Hadith of Saom. We have no knowledge of any other Hadith, by which we can start or count 12 (twelve) Lunar months.
Now the question arises, as to how we shall count 12 (twelve) Lunar months? Sura Bakara, Ayat-189 (part) says: "They ask you about new moons. Tell them, these are the starters of times (12 months) for mankind and for (determining date of) Hajj. Allah, here directed mankind to start (twelve) months with the help of (twelve) new moons. Once the month starts, 9th Zilhajj i.e. the day of Hajj can be fixed up. The Maidan (field) of Arafat is only one. So, the day/date for Hajj will also be one for the Muslims.
The intent of Almighty Allah in asking mankind to start 12 (twelve) Lunar months with 12 (twelve) new moons is that there will be a single Hijri calendar throughout the world. From the meaning of Ayat- 185, of Surah Bakara, it is well understood that the number of days in the particular month of Ramadan (Ash Shahra) will be the same worldwide without any variation anywhere.
In Surah Tawba, Ayat-36, Allah the Merciful has said that from the time of creation of skies and earth, the number of months are 12 (twelve) as per His law. Again, a day and a night together constitute one full day of 24 hours.
The instruction to perform five-waqt salat (prayer) in a day has been narrated in many Ayats of the Holy Quran. As such, the Holy Quran, tells mankind to follow a single Hijri calendar worldwide. In spite of that we do not try to follow a single Hijri calendar, rather engage ourselves in serious Fetnas (indiscipline), on various pretexts.
1st Muharram of Hijri 1430 coincided with Sunday, the 28th December 2008 as per my calculation made on the basis of Astronomy and the new moon sighting. GMT calendar also coincides with it. But as per 'North American Feqah Council', IDL (International Dateline) and 'Ummul Kura' (organisation for moon sighting in KSA), 1st Muharram, 1430 began on Monday the 29th December, 2008. Source: Internet, whereas, in Bangladesh, the 1st Muharram has been shown in the calendar as Tuesday the 30th December 2008, subject to moon-sighting.
Under the circumstances, we could observe Hijri New Year's Day on the 29th December, 2008 following Saudi Arabia, until we get a Unified World Hijri Calendar as per Quranic law.
By this way we shall not achieve full perfection, but our mistakes will come down to a bare minimum level. Let Allah grant us sahih (proper) understanding and show us the correct path.
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