Crescent Moon Sighting in Islamic Schools of Thought and Its Impact on the Law of Nations
Keywords:
Isthilal, sighting of the crescent, Islamic schools, methods of proving the crescent, differences in reading, unity in readingAbstract
Crescent moon sighting is one of the fundamental issues in the jurisprudence of worship and among the matters that affect the social and legal order of Islamic societies, since the beginning and end of months such as Ramadan, Shawwal, and Dhu al-Hijjah are directly connected with devotional obligations, collective rituals, and legal consequences. The main problem of this study is to determine the criterion for establishing the new lunar crescent and to explain why the ruling on the beginning of a month may be announced differently in two geographically close regions. Using a descriptive-analytical method and referring to the jurisprudential sources of Islamic schools of thought, this article examines the methods of establishing the crescent, including sighting, completing thirty days of the preceding month, witness testimony, astronomical calculations, and the ruling of the competent authority. The findings indicate that the differences of opinion mainly revolve around two axes: “unity or plurality of lunar horizons” and “the validity or invalidity of astronomical calculations and the ruling of the authority.” The study concludes that, while preserving the jurisprudential foundations of the Islamic schools of thought, the capacities of the ruling of the competent authority, reliable observational reports, and definitive astronomical data can be used to reduce disagreement and strengthen the practical unity of Muslims.
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