In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Moon & the Calendar

When God refers to physical phenomenon and proofs in the Quran, night is followed by day consistently. Therefore the new date for lunar months starts with the night.

[2:164] In the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of night and day, … there are sufficient proofs for people who understand.

[3:27] "You merge the night into the day, and merge the day into the night. You produce the living from the dead, and produce the dead from the living, and You provide for whomever You choose, without limits."

[3:190] In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those who possess intelligence.

[6:13] To Him belongs everything that dwells in the night and the day. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

[6:60] He is the One who puts you to death during the night, and knows even the smallest of your actions during the day. He resurrects you every morning, until your life span is fulfilled, then to Him is your ultimate return. He will then inform you of everything you had done.

[7:54] Your Lord is the one GOD, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then assumed all authority. The night overtakes the day, as it pursues it persistently, and the sun, the moon, and the stars are committed to serve by His command. Absolutely, He controls all creation and all commands. Most Exalted is GOD, Lord of the universe.

[10:6] Surely, in the alternation of night and day, and what GOD created in the heavens and the earth, there are proofs for people who are righteous.

[10:24] … our judgment comes by night or by day, leaving it completely barren, as if nothing existed the previous day. We thus explain the revelations for people who reflect.

[10:50] Say, "Whether His retribution comes to you by night or by day, why are the transgressors in such a hurry?

[10:67] He is the One who rendered the night for your rest, and rendered the day lighted. These are proofs for people who can hear.

[13:3] He is the One who constructed the earth and placed on it mountains and rivers. And from the different kinds of fruits, He made them into pairs - males and females. The night overtakes the day. These are solid proofs for people who think.

[13:10] It is the same whether you conceal your thoughts, or declare them, or hide in the darkness of the night, or act in the daylight.

[14:33] He has committed the sun and the moon in your service, continuously. He has committed the night and the day to serve you.

[16:12] And He commits, in your service, the night and the day, as well as the sun and the moon. Also, the stars are committed by His command. These are (sufficient) proofs for people who understand.

[20:130] Therefore, be patient in the face of their utterances, and praise and glorify your Lord before sunrise and before sunset. And during the night glorify Him, as well as at both ends of the day, that you may be happy.

[21:33] And He is the One who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; each floating in its own orbit.

[21:42] Say, "Who can protect you from the Most Gracious during the night or during the day?" Indeed, they are totally oblivious to the message of their Lord.

[22:61] It is a fact that GOD merges the night into the day, and merges the day into the night, and that GOD is Hearer, Seer.

[23:80] He is the One who controls life and death, and He is the One who alternates the night and day. Do you not understand?

[24:44] GOD controls the night and day. This should be a lesson for those who possess eyes.

[25:47] He is the One who designed the night to be a cover, and for you to sleep and rest. And He made the day a resurrection.

[25:62] He is the One who designed the night and the day to alternate: a sufficient proof for those who wish to take heed, or to be appreciative.

[27:86] Have they not seen that we made the night for their rest, and the day lighted? These should be sufficient proofs for people who believe.

[28:71] Say, "What if GOD made the night perpetual, until the Day of Resurrection? Which god, other than GOD, can provide you with light? Do you not hear?"

[28:72] Say, "What if GOD made the daylight perpetual, until the Day of Resurrection? Which god, other than GOD, can provide you with a night for your rest? Do you not see?"

[28:73] It is mercy from Him that He created for you the night and the day in order to rest (during the night), then seek His provisions (during the day), that you may be appreciative.

[30:23] Among His proofs is your sleeping during the night or the day, and your working in pursuit of His provisions. In this, there are sufficient proofs for people who can hear.

[31:29] Do you not realize that GOD merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night, and that He has committed the sun and the moon in your service, each running in its orbit for a specific life span, and that GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do?

[35:13] He merges the night into the day, and merges the day into the night. He has committed the sun and the moon to run for a predetermined period of time. Such is GOD your Lord; to Him belongs all kingship. Any idols you set up beside Him do not possess as much as a seed's shell.

[36:37] Another sign for them is the night: we remove the daylight therefrom, whereupon they are in darkness.

[36:40] The sun is never to catch up with the moon - the night and the day never deviate - each of them is floating in its own orbit.

[38:18] We committed the mountains in his service, glorifying with him night and day.

[39:5] He created the heavens and the earth truthfully. He rolls the night over the day, and rolls the day over the night. He committed the sun and the moon, each running for a finite period. Absolutely, He is the Almighty, the Forgiving.

[40:61] GOD is the One who designed the night so you can rest in it, and the day lighted. GOD bestows many blessings upon the people, but most people are not thankful.

[41:37] Among His proofs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate before the sun, nor the moon; you shall fall prostrate before the GOD who created them, if you truly worship Him alone.

[45:5] Also, the alternation of the night and the day, and the provisions that GOD sends down from the sky to revive dead lands, and the manipulation of the winds; all these are proofs for people who understand.

[57:6] He merges the night into the day, and merges the day into the night. He is fully aware of the innermost thoughts.

[69:7] He unleashed it upon them for seven nights and eight days, violently. You could see the people tossed around like decayed palm trunks.

[73:20] Your Lord knows that you meditate during two-thirds of the night, or half of it, or one-third of it, and so do some of those who believed with you. GOD has designed the night and the day, ….

We "calculate" the timing of our five daily contact prayers (Salat)

[17:12] We rendered the night and the day two signs. We made the night dark, and the day lighted, that you may seek provisions from your Lord therein. This also establishes for you a timing system, and the means of calculation. We thus explain everything in detail.

We learn that for meditation and worship, God uses both expressions " night and day" or "day and night"

[2:274] Those who give to charity night and day, secretly and publicly, receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

[3:41] He said, "My Lord, give me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three days, except through signals. Commemorate your Lord frequently; and meditate night and day."

[6:52] And do not dismiss those who implore their Lord day and night, devoting themselves to Him alone…

[7:205] You shall remember your Lord within yourself, publicly, privately, and quietly, day and night; do not be unaware.

[11:114] You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) at both ends of the day, and during the night. The righteous works wipe out the evil works. This is a reminder for those who would take heed.

[18:28] You shall force yourself to be with those who worship their Lord day and night, seeking Him alone. …

[19:62] They will not hear any nonsense therein; only peace. They receive their provisions therein, day and night.

[21:20] They glorify night and day, without ever tiring.

[24:36] (God's guidance is found) in houses exalted by GOD, for His name is commemorated therein. Glorifying Him therein, day and night -

[33:42] You shall glorify Him day and night.

[34:18] We placed between them and the communities that we blessed other oases, and we secured the journey between them: "Travel therein days and nights in complete security."

[40:55] Therefore, be patient, for GOD's promise is true, and ask forgiveness for your sin, and glorify and praise your Lord night and day.

[41:38] If they are too arrogant to do this, then those at your Lord glorify Him night and day, without ever tiring.

[48:9] That you people may believe in GOD and His messenger, and reverence Him, and observe Him, and glorify Him, day and night.

[76:25] And commemorate the name of your Lord day and night.

Day starts at the crack of dawn and finishes when sun is set.

[2:187]… You may eat and drink until the white thread of light becomes distinguishable from the dark thread of night at dawn. Then, you shall fast until sunset. … GOD thus clarifies His revelations for the people, that they may attain salvation.

[6:96] At the crack of dawn, He causes the morning to emerge. He made the night still, and He rendered the sun and the moon to serve as calculation devices. Such is the design of the Almighty, the Omniscient.

[11:114] You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) at both ends of the day, and during the night. The righteous works wipe out the evil works. This is a reminder for those who would take heed.

[20:130] Therefore, be patient in the face of their utterances, and praise and glorify your Lord before sunrise and before sunset. And during the night glorify Him, as well as at both ends of the day, that you may be happy.

We learn above that the Sun and Moon are in our service. One of services are to "learn" to count and "calculate"

[10:5] He is the One who rendered the sun radiant, and the moon a light, and He designed its phases that you may learn to count the years and to calculate. GOD did not create all this, except for a specific purpose. He explains the revelations for people who know.

[55:5] The sun and the moon are perfectly calculated.

[29:61] If you ask them, "Who created the heavens and the earth, and put the sun and the moon in your service," they will say, "GOD." Why then did they deviate?

The phases of the moon are a timing device

[2:189] They ask you about the phases of the moon! Say, "They provide a timing device for the people, and determine the time of Hajj."…

[36:39] The moon we designed to appear in stages, until it becomes like an old curved sheath.

Conclusions:

  1. Day commences before sunrise at the crack (thread) of Dawn (sun is present below the horizon but is "not visible" at this stage)
  2. Day ends after the sun is set
  3. Night and Day are timing devices and help us "calculate" our daily Salat times
  4. Phases of the moon are a timing device.
  5. Counting and Calculating are both permitted. Calculation is a complex phenomenon . whereas counting is a simple phenomenon. You cannot calculate if you cannot count
  6. There is no evidence in the Quran that the new moon has to be physically sighted and witnessed before the next month can commence.
  7. Most "Muslims" accept calculation methods to determine the timing of their daily prayers, but reject the same Quranic principal when it comes to the calculation of months. They rely on other sources besides God, which mandate physically sighting the crescent.
  8. Similarly, most "Muslims" use conjecture to determine the night of destiny which leads them astray from the true blessings of the months of Ramadan

Mahmood Ahmad, MD