Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
8. The Concept of Ijtihaad in Islam
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Russia with all its military force collapsed, while Japan has become
an economic superpower in the modern world.
Islamic Ijtihaad, on parallel with the above, would entail a fresh
planning of the Muslim Ummah or Muslim State according to the
demands of modern times. Progressing beyond ancient traditional
thinking, the plan of progress and development should be chalked
out in the light of modern requirements.
This matter of Ijtihaad relates to all walks of life. For instance,
there is a tradition, which says:
“Start your fast after sighting the moon of the month of
Ramadan, and break your fast (to celebrate Eid) after
sighting the moon.” (Abu Dawood)
According to the words of the tradition it was held that
‘sighting the moon’ depended on seeing with the eyes. That is to
say, the first of Ramadan was to be fixed by sighting the moon with
one’s eyes and the same applied to the first of Shawwal (the day of
Eid). Thus fasting as well as Eid would both depend on the sighting
of the moon.
However, in modern times something new has been brought into
existence, which had never existed before—the observatory. The
moon, like other astronomical bodies, is sighted by the latest
telescopes and other scientific devices in the observatory and the
correct and precise movement of the moon is determined by
modern machines, which carry out the necessary mathematical
calculations. This system is so perfect that an absolutely accurate
