How to become a scholar?

USResident · September 22, 2008, 4:02pm

bro USResident

Being a traditional scholar would not entail formulating an opinion based on partial reference material. It is clear that some ‘research’ techniques of the West are not thorough enough for Islamic exegesis, because the ideas therein are based on coming to an opinion prior to the citing of the evidence then sifting through the material and presenting specimens to support the angle that has been postulated. Rather than taking an impartial approach to all evidence.

For example there are various blessings for supplicating on sighting the waxing crescent. Also, the same reference you give above will compel a greater emphasis towards not planning for the new month but to adjust when new information comes to light. The scholars have already agreed on using technology to support their conclusions in this particular matter and furthermore, the difference is not about who is or is not using technology but rather the main difference is that the traditionally approached are using a balance of technology and hadith to support their stance, but the alternative that is being suggested by some secularised views do not consider the hadith at all and end up giving global methods and calculations based on new moon rather than waxing crescent.

Your observation is correct that there is difference, but I would disagree that the traditional scholars are not consdiering the latest technology, rather there is a puritan group dominating in the middle-east who are not ‘traditional’ and have more or less rejected techonolgy. Or on the other hand there are some low level 'alims who do not understand the science behind latest technologies.

There are still arguments abouts the other months … I know this … but they are less public partially due to less public interest. The main cause of the discrepency in calendar days is purely to do with:

Do we plan for the dates … yes or no?

No planning is easy as when we realise a mistake we adjust, but that in todays climate of 9 to 5 jobs and business meetings will be both impractical and undesriable to the people. Here is one such example where Islam has been pulled to fit the needs of people rather than the people moving to fit the injunctions of Islam. I don’t know any regime in the world today that is willing to perform Eid say at Asr time because it erred the night before.

Akhi

I don’t think the uncertainty in the time of the Prophet SAW and succeeding generations was due the will to leave it be that way, it was for the lack of a way to be more accurate.

Let me put forth a very simple question. Inshallah! I am sure you just as I must be busy trying to locate Laylat ul Qadr. This is only one night and it happens only once during the last third of Ramadan. For the case where literal moon sighting has been followed (take parts of Pakistan for instance, there were 3 Eids celebrated last year in Pakistan, all based on naked eye moon sighting) I am certain if this holy night was at the end of Ramadan, say 29th, then for certain someone missed it, if they had sighted the moon to early. As for supplications, that too is subject to the fact that the moon should be visible, weather permitting. So it is not a definite criteria to this discussion.

Moon sighting can only be done in parts of the globe from where the moon will be visible and this can only be confirmed through astronomical data. So for those parts of the globe where it is confirmed the moon cannot be sighted, them relying on the calender birth of the new moon finds justifiable grounds to be followed. The sunnah for naked eye sighting can still be preserved and practiced in those areas from where it will be possible to make a naked eye moon sighting.