Headlines:
- It is Mandatory in Islam to Sight the Crescent Moon with the Naked Eye
- The State of Madinah Implements Quran and Sunnah in Every Sphere of Life including Economy
- The Appointment of Dr. Baqir Raza as the Governor of State Bank of Pakistan Exposes the Illusion of Independence
It is Mandatory in Islam to Sight the Crescent Moon with the Naked Eye
The Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, announced on 8 May 2019 that a calendar showing main Islamic dates and months for the next five years based on scientific evidence would be ready and placed before the cabinet by 15 Ramadhan. The reason being presented for this decision is that every year controversy arises over the sighting of the crescent moon, with countries and regions differing over the start of Ramadhan and Eid. So the ministry is proposing that a lunar calendar based on astronomical calculations will end this controversy. This step amounts to a mistake to rectify a mistake. The problem of seeing the crescent moon in Pakistan has not been resolved because the regime has not made Islam the basis but has instead made it a nationalist issue. The government in Pakistan does not accept the report of seeing the crescent moon out of Pakistan’s territorial boundaries, even if hundreds of thousands of Muslims outside of Pakistan have seen it. RasulAllah ﷺ established by his saying and action that the sighting of the crescent moon by any Muslim in any part of the world is an evidence for every Muslim all over the world.
This rebellion against the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was not enough. The ministry is taking steps to violate the commands regarding the beginning and ending of a lunar month. Confirming the crescent moon by scientific calculations instead of actual human sighting is against the commands of Islam. The saying of RasulAllah ﷺ confirms that in order to establish the crescent moon, it is imperative to confirm it only by human sight. RasulAllah ﷺ said, «صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته فإن غُـبِّي عليكم فأكملوا عدة شعبان ثلاثين» “Fast upon its Ru’yah (Sighting) and stop fasting upon its Ru’yah (Sighting) and if you are confused, complete the number of days of Sha’ban as thirty.” (Al-Bukhari). In this Hadith the word Ru’yah means sighting or seeing something by the eye. In the end of the Hadith, RasulAllah ﷺ said that if the moon cannot be seen, then complete thirty days of Sha’ban, which means that start Ramadhan is after completing thirty days of Sha’ban. Here RasulAllah ﷺ did not say that if the moon cannot be seen then estimate the possibility of seeing the crescent moon and then make a decision. He ﷺ simply said complete thirty days of Sha’ban.
This hadith completely closes the door to estimating the probability of seeing the crescent moons by scientific calculations. It is because of the command of the RasulAllah ﷺ that despite being able to calculate the movement of the moon by early Muslims, they understood that it is obligatory to see the crescent moon by the human eye in order to commence or end a lunar month. As for the argument that if binoculars are used to the see the crescent moon, then why can astronomical calculations not be used. This argument is invalid because the moon is still seen by the human eye through binoculars. Islam does not stop us from using scientific instruments but stops us using calculations to ascertain the beginning and ending of a lunar month. The blatant act of dishonoring the command of Islam by the Ministry reminds us of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, «تنقض عری الاسلام عروۃ عروۃ الاولھا الحکم وآخرھا الصلاۃ» “the knots of Islam will be untied one by one, the knot which will be untied first that will be that of ruling (by Islam) and the last will be the knot of prayer?.”
The State of Madinah Implements Quran and Sunnah in Every Sphere of Life including Economy
On 5th May 2019, Prime Minister, Imran Khan, said that his government was working to turn the country into an Islamic welfare state on the model of the State of Madinah, where wealth was not accumulated in the hands of a few individuals, is used to be spent on the well-being and welfare of the masses. The people of Pakistan love Islam very much. Their ancestors fought a political war simultaneously against the British colonialists and the Hindu elite to establish Pakistan. They wanted to implement Islam in every walk of life in Pakistan and to present it as an example of the State of Madinah for the whole world. However, after the creation of Pakistan, the political and military elite continued the implementation of the capitalist constitution, law and economic system left by British Raj. Thus, Pakistan has not been like the State of Madinah, according to the wishes of the Muslims of Subcontinent. Thus, in Pakistan, despite being created in the name of Islam, the poor become poorer and the wealthy become wealthier. Whenever Muslims of Pakistan took stand against this Kufr system, they were deceived by bringing a new political leadership which raised slogans such as “Nizaam (System) of Mustafa ﷺ” or “Islamic Socialism.” The love of Islam in the hearts of the people was exploited but Islam and its economic system were never implemented.
Now, when the Muslims of Pakistan have become severely frustrated with the current system and started to realize the Khilafah as their destiny, the agents of the West within the political and military leadership introduced another slogan to play with the emotions of the Muslims, the “State of Madinah”. However, this deception could not last long because this new political leadership has no concern regarding Islam and its commands. Despite knowing the clear command of Allah (swt) regarding interest, the current leadership still moves to secure further foreign interest based loans and bailout packages from colonialist institutions like the IMF. It even includes the agents of these colonialist institutions in its economic team. So, how can such a leadership turn Pakistan into a State of Madinah and a welfare state? How can a leadership, which implements the capitalist economic system that ensures the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few, end the accumulation of wealth? The Muslims of Pakistan must not be deceived any more. The only way to prevent further deception is to hold firmly to the rope of Allah (swt), standing with the advocates of Khilafah and struggle in order to establish Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of the Prophethood. Allah (swt) said, يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ “Believers! Have fear of Allah and stand with those that are truthful.” (Surah At-Tawbah 8:119).
The Appointment of Dr. Baqir Raza as the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan Exposes the Illusion of Independence
On 5th May 2019, the Dawn reported that an employee of the IMF, Dr. Baqir Raza, has been made the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan for three years. Dr. Baqir Raza was posted by the IMF as its key official in Egypt. He has been with the IMF for the last eighteen years and has also worked with the World Bank for two years. The appointment of an employee of the IMF as the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan is a clear example of slavery to the global colonialists and the IMF. This appointment has been made when Pakistan is in the process of negotiating a loan with the IMF on stringent conditions. This act of the regime has made it clear that we are hostage to the global colonialists, exposing independence as an illusion. Today we are not under direct occupation of the colonialists as previously. Colonialism has taken a new form, neocolonialism. Under neocolonialism, the global colonialists, like the United States, do not occupy countries. Through corrupt rulers and global institutions, like the IMF and World Bank, the colonialists control the economy. As the US military recognizes, the IMF, World Bank and OECD are financial, unconventional, “weapons in times of conflict up to and including large-scale general war.” (US Army’s “Field Manual (FM) 3-05.130, Army Special Operations Forces Unconventional Warfare,” September 2008).
It is inevitable for the PTI, which came in power on the rhetoric of change and “New Pakistan,” to follow the footsteps of the previous regimes. It cannot perform according to the expectations of the people because any government which came to power through democracy will always accept the domination of the global colonialist institutions. It will simply take Pakistan from one level of disgrace to another lower level of disgrace. Therefore, there can be no real change without changing the current democratic capitalist system. No matter who become the State Bank’s governor, whether he is from IMF or not from IMF, the system will always implement the policies of colonialists. Pakistan is a member of IMF and other colonialist institutions, which forces every governor to follow the economic policies dictated by IMF. Without Islam, our economy will never become strong and stable. Allah (swt) said, وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا “And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a miserable life.” [Surah Ta-Ha 20: 124]. Pakistan will only see economic stability when Islam is implemented comprehensively because Islam completely rejects dealing with IMF, World Bank and all other colonialist institutions. Allah (swt) said, وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا “…and Allah does not allow the Believers to grant the kafireen authority over them” [Surah An-Nisa: 141].