This concept further helps in practically implementing a unified Global Islamic Calendar
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: As the Convener of the International Islamic Calendar Programme since 1974, I would like to congratulate the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology for his efforts in establishing a national Islamic calendar committee. I am glad to see the minister pushing the country towards a more technological approach, and adopting the Imkane Ruyah (expected lunar visibility) system to predict the lunar dates.
Forty-five years ago, we established an International Islamic Calendar Programmer to compile the Islamic calendar worldwide, by basing it on the expected visibility criterion and taking Sharia needs into account. We worked hard to organise many conferences and seminars over the years, and many resolutions were adopted and implemented by many international Islamic bodies, including the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Rabita, and COMSTECH. Pakistan was actively involved in the development of the International Islamic Calendar Programme (IICP) over a long period of time. Three meetings were held in Islamabad, one at COMSTECH and one at the Pakistan Academy of Science. Over 30 books have been published, regarding the matter, including a book in Urdu, which was published by the National Science Council in Pakistan and a 22-year calendar was published for global use by the Pakistan Association for History and Philosophy of Science and the National Science Council. Dr A K Kazi and Prof M M Qureshi played important roles in this project which started in 1983.
Given the tremendous amounts of work done in the past, Pakistan should consider hosting a workshop on the science of moon sighting at the national level. This can involve all the people concerned, including ulema, and the concept of Ikhtalaf-e-Matale in Sharia (using different dates for the start of the month) can be used to sight the moon over a wider zone. This concept further helps in practically implementing a unified Global Islamic Calendar.
Prof Dr Mohammad Ilyas
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2019.
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