New Nigerian Newspapers Online Edition

IN defense of my Standard Islamic Lunar Calendar 1429 AH (about one thousand in circulation) and predictions of some Islamic dates published by New Nigerian Newspapers on Friday, August 8, 2008, under the headline– Ramadan 1429 AH (Islamic Lunar Calendar), page 31 and Daily Trust Newspapers on Monday, August 25, under the headline- Talking Ramadan 1429AH, page 10; I write to say that, physical and scientific observation of the moon as it emerges into Maiduguri (Nigeria) sky, clearly suggest that the actual 1st Ramadan, 1429 AH is equivalent to September 1, 2008 AD. On Monday, September 1, 2008 was the first day that the new crescent moon became visible to most people in Nigeria, basic knowledge of astronomy suggest that the previous day Sunday, August 31, 2008 i.e. equivalent to 30th Sha’aban, 1429 AH was the only possible day to have sighted the new crescent moon, because if witnesses claim to have sighted the moon today then, most of those concerned are expected to sight it the following day effortlessly.
To scientifically determine the equivalent Islamic date based on the position of the moon on the said date (September 1, 2008), a 4x60mm Zubairu telescope is used to focus the moon and parallax eliminated. The reading on vertical calibration of the instrument shows that the moon subtended an angle of about 15.0 degrees and, that was the total angle gained in its easterly direction above west horizon, about 30 minutes after sunset as reference time. It was also observed that the part of the orbit where the new crescent was located was inclined southwards of the ecliptic (sun pathway) and that could be responsible for its slight decrease in expected initial angle. Study shows that, orbit of the moon does not have a fixed orientation in space, the orbit changes its inclination from a maximum angle of 5.0 degrees north and 5.0 degrees south of the ecliptic for a period of two weeks on each side. Daily one lap gain in eastward direction of the moon is accepted as 12.2 degrees (Wyatt, 77; online lunar calendar - Wikipedia, 07).
Using the available pieces of information suggest that if one day lap gain of the moon as accepted is 12.2 degrees in its eastward movement, then if one day lap is deducted or in other words, if the moon is reversed from Monday, September 1, 2008 by one day lap, the location of the moon on Sunday, August 31, 2008 is easily determined to be at about 2.8 degrees above the horizon (15.0 – 12.2 = 2.8) and, further deduction of another day by one lap of 12.2 degrees, suggest that on Saturday, August 30, 2008, the position of the moon at a mean distance of 380,000 kilometers away from earth is at 350.6 or 9.4 degrees (about 60,000 kilometers) below west horizon (0.0/360.0 line). Since no normal human being resident on earth can see below the horizon especially at that location of great distance, then the only suggested possible day and time to sight the new crescent in Nigeria is only on August 31, 2008 at about 2.8 degrees above the horizon, 30 minutes after sunset. A subtle theory in astronomy suggest that, if the moon in any country subtend 15.0 degrees above west horizon on Sunday, August 31, 2008 at about 30 minutes after sunset, it is expected to equally subtend same angle on the same reference Gregorian date of most location around the globe, 30 minutes after their own sunset, regardless of time zone (Wyatt, 77). Therefore, this submission is a clear corroboration of the fact that, claim by just two or three countries (always including Nigeria) on earth to have sighted the moon without reasonable number of others cannot be accepted rationally. Therefore, the above discussion which suggests 1st Ramadan, 1429 AH is equivalent to September 1, 2008 as scientifically determined in Nigeria is expected to be so in most part of the world or the other way round.
The claim to have earlier sighted the moon by one day (i.e. August 31, 2008) in Nigeria is unbelievable and does not make any logical sense in the course of my research on Standard Islamic Lunar Calendar as a suggested harmonised calendar for use by all Muslims worldwide. It is obvious that there is no mystery around the moon whenever it approaches Nigerian sky line, but clear display of lack of appropriate knowledge. It is obtainable in the Hadith that the Islamic month which is the month of lunar phases is having 29 days. Astronomy also suggests that the synodic month which is the month of lunar phases or shapes of the moon is 29.50 (twenty nine and half) days. Logically the two statements are talking about the same 29 and not 28 or 30 days. Furthermore, it is obtainable in the Hadith that if the moon is not sighted on the 29th day, consider the month to be of 30 days. Similarly, astronomy suggest that, the synodic month is 29.5 days when the earth-moon system is observed from space research station, but its visible phases can only be sighted by man resident on earth in alternating 29 and 30 days termed hollow and full respectively (Wikipedia, 2007 ).
Is science in Islam? It appears like that and if so, scientific suggestion should be appreciated in Islam for verification. Science helps us to unravel some mysteries of nature as much as possible and seeking for knowledge in general is Islamic and in order to facilitate and enhance our understanding of the environment (natural laws) we are living in and for proper application where suitable. The lunar revolution is governed by natural laws (Allah’s laws or Will of Allah) like moon having an average speed of 3700 km/h (kilometer per hour), gaining 12.2 degrees daily in eastward direction indefinitely. These are the kind of ‘Will of Allah’ we should be talking about nowadays not that forwarded by those that always hide there ignorance behind ‘it is the Will of Allah’ that they see or do impossible things that cannot be subjected to any experiment at anytime. Every normal human being can sight the new crescent moon if keen about it.
Ignorance in lunar revolution was observed towards the end of Sha’ban in this Islamic year when it was considered in Nigeria that Sha’aban has 29 days and Saturday, August 30, 2008 AD is the last day of the Islamic month and is equivalent to 29th Sha’aban, 1429 AH, then Sunday August 31, 2008 considered as 1st Ramadan, 1429 AH. An Islamic preacher in Maiduguri made his followers to also believe that Sha’aban has 29 days but in his own case Sunday, August 31, 2008 is equivalent to 29th Sha’ban, 1429 AH as the last day of the Islamic month then, the following day September 1, 2008 is considered 1st Ramadan, 1429 AH.
Scientific calculation based on interpretation of readings as a result of practical observation and supported by accepted theories clearly suggest that, the 29th day of the lunar calendar was equivalent to Saturday, August 30, 2008 when the moon was in conjunction (i.e. sun, earth and moon fall into a straight line and no part of the world can be used to sight the moon because the moon was in complete shadow of the earth cast by the sun.). Conjunction known as new moon in astronomy occur once in every 29.50 (twenty and half) days i.e. the synodic month. But what appears to be the concern of Muslims is the first appearance of the new crescent as the moon gets out of conjunction to the next first appearance. Researchers including me accept that the conjunction is always formed on the 29th day of the lunar calendar and also the new crescent is also out on the same day and can only be visible between 20 and 30 minutes after sunset. But the time of occurrence of conjunction and appearance of new crescent definitely influence the possibility of sighting the crescent which set before or after the sun. If the new crescent sets before the sun then, nobody sights the reflected beam of sun rays from its exposed crescent shaped body till the following day when it will become 30 days, but if the sun sets before the new crescent, there is the possibility of sighting it on the 29th day. This Islamic year, my research suggest that August 30, 2008 is equivalent to 29th Sha’ban, 1429 AH, on that day the moon set before the sun and was at a location below the horizon after sunset as discussed above. This further suggest that the following day August 31, 2008 was 30th Sha’ban 1429 AH, the only possible day to sight the new crescent moon, therefore September 1, 2007 became equivalent to 1st Ramadan, 1429 AH. On Sunday, September 14, 2008, actual reading of lunar position by me is about 176 degrees from west horizon, 30 minutes after sunset. This location suggests 29th September, 2008 should be expected to be equivalent to 29th Ramadan, 1429AH and also it is the possible day to start expecting sighting the new crescent of the month of Shawwal because the sun will set before the moon on that day, therefore 1st Shawwal, 1429 AH is expected to be equivalent to September 30, 2008. For example, if 360 degrees is our reference end point (horizon) on lunar orbit and telescope reading shows that the moon has covered 176 degrees. Then, distance (in degrees) left is 360 -176 = 184. Daily one day lap is accepted as 12.2 degrees, if that is the case, then distance left which is 184 degrees divide by 12.2 degrees is equal to 15.3 days as the number of days required to reach the west horizon from Sunday, September 14, 2008 using 30 minutes after sunset as reference time.
From all indications Islam is founded on knowledge (science). As a matter of fact, Islam denounces any action which is anti knowledge or unscientific. Islam a divine faith teaches man what could be described as ‘a scientific way of life.’ In a unique pattern Islam advanced several scientific theories. It strongly encourages man to investigate, even faith itself scientifically, which is intellectually by inquiring into the content in a wholesome manner.
Ponder they not on the (content of the) Qu’ran? If it were from a source other than Allah, they would have discovered in it many a discrepancy (Qu’ran 4:82).The Qur’an showers praise on people of knowledge and reproves the ignorant ones.
Now, those of us that have become aware and convinced through this submission which has established scientifically that actual 1st Ramadan, 1429 AH is equivalent to September 1, 2008 AD, which means fasting officially started in error and may officially end in error on the 28 the September, 2008, then it is our responsibility to request the authorities as a matter of religious duty to comment on the initial error since Islam seems to encourages and accepts scientific verification as suggested above.
To reduce the reoccurrence of this phenomenon, a national committee of scientists, and Islamic scholars with adequate understanding of Sharia regulations needs to be formed to harmonise their understanding of lunar calendar for making relevant suggestions to appropriate authorities. Alternatively, creation of a directorate for research on lunar revolution for Islamic purpose as community service under National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, Abuja; would be of great help.
Zubairu is of the Department of Physics, University of Maiduguri, Borno state
zubairusalihu@yahoo.com
08038522693, 08052850698.

Johnny, we hardly know ye

THERE’S a candidate in this presidential race who remains a mystery — hazy, undefined, so full of contradictions that voters may see electing him as an enormous risk. I’m referring to the cipher known as John McCain.
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In fact, there are some basic things about McCain that apparently even McCain doesn’t know. Asked Wednesday by reporters from Politico how many houses he and his wealthy wife, Cindy, own, McCain responded, “I think — I’ll have my staff get to you.” The correct answer seems to be in the neighborhood of seven, but who’s counting?
I don’t begrudge McCain his multiple residences or his $520 Ferragamo shoes. I understand that he was just being flippant and unresponsive when he said at the Saddleback forum last weekend that being rich meant having an income of at least $5 million a year. But it’s a stretch, to say the least, for McCain to portray himself as a Regular Joe while painting Barack Obama as some kind of jet-set celebrity.
It’s understandable that McCain would want to fuzz this aspect of his biography; at a moment of great economic dislocation and anxiety, people might question your ability to feel their pain if they know that your net worth may be somewhere north of $100 million. Much less comprehensible, and much more troubling, is McCain’s habit of “Straight Talking” himself into the wilderness.
When it was pointed out that McCain’s pronouncements on the economy often do not conform to his official positions, the candidate’s chief economic adviser indicated that we should pay attention to the authorized version — despite the fact that McCain “has certainly I’m sure said things in town halls” that might deviate.
In other words, don’t pay such strict attention to what McCain says because he doesn’t speak officially for his own campaign. No wonder he was so insistent on trying to lure Obama into a series of town hall encounters, where Obama might feel constrained by such irrelevancies as consistency and arithmetic.
I guess McCain’s unreliability as a spokesman for himself on the issue that voters tell pollsters they care most about should come as no surprise, given his earlier confession — since retracted, sort of — that he doesn’t really understand economics that well. He is supposed to be an expert on foreign affairs and national security, however — and here, too, the cannon has come unbelayed and is rolling perilously around the deck.
“We are all Georgians,” McCain said in response to the Russian invasion. It was an attempt to define the moment with a memorable line, reminiscent of JFK’s famous declaration in Berlin. If McCain was just trying to burnish his commander-in-chief credentials while Obama vacationed in Hawaii, okay, fine, that’s politics. If he was serious, though, he needs to clarify the unsettling implications of what he intended to be a stirring phrase. Precisely what was being stirred?
Not the hopes and ambitions of the people of Georgia; by then, they had already realized that despite all the Bush administration’s freedom rhetoric, nobody was coming to save them. Certainly not war-weary American voters.
What McCain successfully roiled was the nationalism and bitter nostalgia for great-power status that simmer below the surface of Russian public opinion. Strongman Vladimir Putin plays these sentiments like a violin. A candidate for president of the United States should not further strengthen Putin’s hand — and thus make the next president’s job that much harder.
For months, McCain has been arguing for measures that would isolate Russia. He then called the Georgia invasion “the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War.” If he doesn’t want to help start a new Cold War, you can’t tell from his loose rhetoric.
I’m leaving aside his mini-misstatements in which he confused Sunnis with Shiites or otherwise garbled salient facts about Iraq. What alarms me is the pattern of inconsistency. One day he’s soothing, the next he’s abrasive. One day he makes a flat-out pledge not to raise taxes, the next he says that everything is on the table as far as Social Security is concerned. One day the buck stops here, the next he’s not authorized to speak for, ahem, himself.
It’s true that John McCain has been around a long time. But do we really know what he’d do as president? Do we really know who he is?
eugenerobinson@washpost.com

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