QUESTION:

As Salaamu Alaikum,

Is there any significance with the moon in Islam besides the sunnah of sighting the new moon for Islamic month and reciting the dua for sighting the new moon? For example, some people teach their children to say Assalaamu Alaikum when they see the moon on evenings.

Also some farmers believe that it is only good to plant certain crops on certain days (for example planting ginger 3 days before/after full moon). Is this belief acceptable or is this similar to those who believe in the stars and try to read palms etc.

ANSWER:

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

The significance of the moon in Islam, is primarily connected to the changing months in the Islamic calendar. Through it, the new months are determined, and time is calculated for acts of worship like that of fasting and Hajj etc. The Holy Quran itself mentions about this and states, ‘They ask you about the new moons. Say, “These are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for Hajj”. (Sura Al Baqarah (2) verse 189).

In another verse, the Holy Quran states, ‘It is He who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light, and measured out for it stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning (calculation)’. (Surah Yunus (10) verse 5).

These verses make it evident that the new moon and the phases it passes, are signs and indications to determine the count of days, months and years.

When these are  determined and identified, Muslims are  able to fulfil their acts of worship (Ibadah) which are connected to different months like that of fasting, payment of Zakaah, Hajj and other similar acts of worship.

With respect to saying ‘As Salaamu Alaikum’ upon seeing the moon on evenings, this is not evident from the teachings of the Prophet (S.A.S.) or the Sahabahs (Companions). Instead, it is evident in sound traditions that when the Prophet (S.A.S.) saw the crescent moon (new moon), he would say:

‘Allahumma Ahillahu Alaina bil Yumni Wal Imaan Was Salaamati Wal Islam. Rabbi wa Rabbukallah’.

‘O Allah, bring it over us with blessings and faith, safety and Islam. My lord and your lord is Allah’.

(Sunan At Tirmidhi Hadith No. 3451).

With respect to planting crops before or after the full moon, with the belief that the phase of the moon at that time has a direct effect on the crops, and will bring about good produces, then this is not permissible and acceptable in Islam. If a Muslim firmly believes that the moon or any of its phase causes the crops to be good, and on account of this, he does everything in accordance to that particular phase of the moon, then this is a belief that is associated with Shirk and it is similar to those who believe that the stars have a direct effect and influence on events and matters on the earth.

The Prophet (S.A.S.) condemned such beliefs, and established the fundamental belief that all good and bad, benefit and harm, come from Allah Alone.

Regarding this, it is stated in a tradition recorded by Imams Bukhari and Muslim that the Companion, Khalid Al Juhani (R.A.) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (S.A.S.) led us in the Fajr Salah at Hudaibiyah following rainfall at night. When he (S.A.S.) finished the Salah, he turned to the people and said, ‘Do you know what your Lord said?’ The Companions said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best’. He said, ‘Your Lord said, today some of my servants are believers in me and others are disbelievers. As for those who said, ‘we got rain by the beauty and grace of Allah,’ they are believers in me and disbelievers in the stars. As for those who said, ‘we got rain on account of such a star,’ they are disbelievers in me and believers in the stars.’

From this narration, it is evident that it is not permissible for a Muslim to believe and say that stars have an influence and effect on matters in this world. The same is the case with the moon. Like stars , the moon is also a creation of Allah, and a creation has no power to influence any matter that is governed and controlled by Allah. In the matter of crops, Allah questions people in the Quran and states, ‘Then tell me about the seed you sow in the ground. Is it you that make it grow, or are we the grower? Were it Our will, we could crumble it to dry pieces and you would be regretful’.(Surah Al Waqi’ah (56) verses 63-65).

These verses as well as others, establish the fact that Allah Alone is in full control over everything. The moon and other celestial bodies have no direct and independent influence on any matter in the world. However, it is possible that Allah may use that which He Has created as a means/ media to bring benefits to man, but these things do not have any direct influence/ effect, and cannot be considered as the sole/ main cause for the benefit. For example, the clouds store water for the creation, and when rain begins to fall, it comes from the clouds. Although we see that this occurs repeatedly, we do not believe that the clouds give us rain. Instead, we believe firmly that Allah Alone sends water from the sky for us, as He Has mentioned in the Holy Quran, but he uses the clouds to store this water. So, with this understanding, it can be said that when Allah causes the earth (ground) to produce beneficial crops, it may be that the moon can be in a certain phase (for example, last quarter or first quarter), and at that time, through experience, people realize that if they plant at that time, then the crops may be good based on what they have seen in the past. So, if (based on their past experiences of getting good crops when they plant at a certain time), they do so, without believing that the moon (or its phase)  has a direct influence on their crops, and that Allah is the provider and grower of everything, then this is not connected to Shirk, and their action will be acceptable in Islam.

Another tradition shows clearly that at times, Allah may use different means to cause  benefits to reach the servants. However, the means itself cannot be considered as the main or sole cause for such benefits. The tradition is reported by Rafi’ bin Khadeej (RA) who said that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) came to Madinah and the people had been grafting the trees (date palms). He said, ‘What are you doing?’ They said, ‘We are grafting them’. Upon this, he said, ‘It may perhaps be good for you if you do not do that’. So they abandoned this practice, and the date- palms began to yield less fruit. They mentioned this to him, and he said, ‘I am a human being, so when I command you about a thing pertaining to your religion, then take it, and when I command you about a thing out of my personal opinion, then know that I am a human being’. (Sahih Muslim Had. No 2362). In another version of this tradition, Anas (RA) stated that the Prophet (SAW) said to them, ‘You have better knowledge of the affairs of your world’. (Sahih Muslim Had. No 2363).

The above tradition shows that based on their experience and knowledge of planting  date palms, the companions saw that when they grafted these trees, it yielded better crops and more fruits. So they continued to do it. However, when they  stopped this practice based upon the advice of the Prophet (SAW), the trees produced less crops. When they informed the Prophet (SAW) about this, he told them to resume their former practice of grafting the trees since they had more knowledge of their worldly affairs.

A very important lesson to learn from this incident among others, is that a believer firmly believes that Allah is the Provider and Grower of every fruit , grain and crop. In order to produce fruits on the date palms, Allah Has no need for anyone to graft any tree. Yet, the Prophet (SAW) advised the companions to continue to graft these trees in order to get better crops, because this served as a means based on their experience and knowledge of planting crops, and it was not against the teachings of Islam since they all had the firm belief that Allah is the sole Provider and the Main Cause for everything.

 

And Allah knows best

Mufti Waseem Khan

26/12/2023