A reply to an article by Mr. Milan Sulc in Journal of Submission,
June 1997
by A. Muhammad
In his article Mr. Sulc arrives at the conclusion that Hajj may only be observed
during the ‘Hilal’ (crescent moon) period of each of the four sacred
months. To present his view Mr. Sulc refers to (2:197, 2:189, and 22:27-28).
The following are some points that God willing may be taken into consideration
in assessing the issue debated by Mr. Sulc.
First
In his article Mr. Sulc says:
"(To say) that the rites of the hajj can be observed ‘at any time’
during the known months is not compatible with 2:189, which clearly states
that it is the "hillal" periods of these months:
"Yas'aloon-ka 'an al-ahillah. Qul, hiya mawaaqit li-an-naas, wa al-hajj..."[
2 : 189 ]
"They ask you about the "hillal periods of the months. Say, ‘They're
timers for the people and for the Hajj....."
Mr. Sulc then proceeds to distinguish between six different Arabic words
that describe the separate phases of the lunar month and says: ‘only
one phase, the beginning of the month, is called "al-hillal". Therefore,
the ayat 2:189 refers clearly to the "hillal" period, i.e. the beginning
of the lunar months, and not phases of the moon. Since the period of the
'hillal' is only during the first few days of each lunar month, the rites
of the hajj cannot be performed "at any time" during the four sacred months,
but only during the "hillal" period of any of the four sacred months.
The first comment, is that the translation used by Mr. Sulc does not correspond
accurately with the Arabic Quran. The exact verse in Arabic is:
"They ask you about the "hillal’s. Say, ‘They are timers for the
people and for the Hajj....."
In the translation presented by Mr. Sulc the words "periods of the months"
have been added after the word "hillal’s" . This addition that at first
glance may appear quite harmless does in fact alter the meaning drastically.
The emphasis in the verse is related to the functions of the hillal’s,
but instead, and by adding those four words that are not found in the Arabic
Quran, Mr. Sulc has diverted the emphasis to indicate the duration of the
hillal’s.
In effect, what Mr. Sulc has done is to add the words "periods of the months"
and then concludes that the verse must be indicating the "periods of the
months" !!
No doubt that Mr. Sulc will not dispute the fact that God is the most efficient
in expressing any intended meaning. Had God seen wisdom in adding words to
that effect that would emphasize the duration of the hillal as opposed to
its purpose He would have surely done so. The words used by God do not include
the words "periods of the months".
Second
The implication of shifting the emphasis from the function of the hillal
to its duration leads to further significance. The reference to the duration
of the hillal necessarily implies a reference to the first week or so of
the month, while as a reference to the purpose of the hillal would simply
refer to the brief act of sighting the hillal.
2:189 indicates that the hillal serves as timing devise for other things
besides Hajj (timers for the people). We know that the commencement of the
month of Ramadan for example is also one of the functions of the hillal (citing
of the hillal). This is the method prescribed by God in the Quran for commencing
the fasting , however no one has yet come up and said that since the period
of the hillal is only a week or so, then we should only fast the first week
of Ramadan!
Third
The third comment is related to the fact that the word "hillal" is used in
the verse in the plural. With regards to that Mr. Sulc concludes that the
plurality of the word ‘hillal’ indicates that more than one hillal
is required to be cited for the Hajj, and thus the hillal at the beginning
of each of the four months is the period decreed for Hajj and not the whole
four months.
Once again the error in interpretation is quite apparent through analyzing
the exact words of the verse. In 2:189 we are told that the hillal’s
serve more than one purpose, they are:
1- Timing devises for people.
2- Timing devices for Hajj.
It is obvious from the verse that the word hillal is used in the plural because
the hillal serves more than one function, and not necessarily because Hajj
requires more than one hillal.
Had the verse said,
‘They ask you about the "hillal’s. Say, ‘They're timers for
the Hajj.....’
then Mr. Sulc would have had every justification in claiming that Hajj requires
more than one hillal (one at the beginning of each of the four months).
Consider the example given by the following sentence:
‘These books belong to John and Mark’
To deduce from this sentence that since the word ‘books’ is used
in the plural, then Mark must have more than one book is poor deduction.
The word ‘books’ is used in the plural because it speaks of John
as well as Mark. The number of books could well be two books, one for each.
Fourth
Mr. Sulc then proceeds with his argument by referring to 22:27-28 and
specifically to the words "known days" to further assert that Hajj can only
be observed during the first few days of each of the four months. In actual
fact Hajj is also referred to in the Quran as "a number of days":
"You shall commemorate God for a number of days"
(2:203)
However, to deduce from these words, "known days" and "a number of days",
that Hajj can only be observed in the period of the hillal and not anytime
during the four months is in error because of the following:
1- Immediately Almighty God has given us a clear distinction in the verses
that speak about Hajj. When God addresses Hajj itself, the words "specified
months" are used as in 2:197, or the words "sacred months" are used as in
9:36. The reason for that being that the duration of Hajj is the full four
months. However when God addresses the believers, the words "known days"
and "a number of days" are used, as in "You shall commemorate God for a number
of days". The words "You shall" which addresses the believers speak of "a
number of days" for the simple fact that any believer who goes to do his
Hajj goes for a number of days, he does not stay for the whole four months.
2- Consider the example of the fasting of Ramadan as in the following verses:
"Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance
for the people, clear teachings and the statute book. Those of you who witness
the month shall fast therein" #26 (2:185)
Here we read "the month" as being the duration of fasting.
Now consider the following verse:
"Specific days (for fasting); if one is ill or traveling an equal number
of other days may be substituted." #27 (2:184)
Here fasting is spoken of as "specified days". However, no one came up and
said that we should only fast for the first ten days of Ramadan!
The explanation to all that lies in the fact that a month or months can also
be spoken of as days, simply because months are made of days. The fact that
they are spoken of as days does not change the fact that they are still months.
This is similar to someone describing the years of his childhood by saying
‘they were the best days of my life’.
Editor’s comment :
In Conclusion:
The Quran is clear that the Hajj should be observed during the whole four
months period. It is not limited to the crescent moon period of these four
months as Mr. Sulc was led to believe by those who interpreted or translated
the Quran for him. The messenger of the covenant’s clarification of
Hajj has been within the teaching of the Quran. The new idea of Mr. Sulc
fails the basic teachings of the Quran and should be rejected. Click on
any of the topics to go to the subtopics
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