Part One: SEERAH (Biographical Sketch) CHAPTER

C:\Users\Admin\Dropbox\The Message - Material of Maulana\16. Books and Review\Apa's Books\Life And 76 Now the situation is such that there is a pressing need for Ijtihaad. In the case, Ijtihaad would rule that where tradition uses the word ‘sighting’, the Mujtahid would say that according to the change in circumstances, this tradition needs to be given a new interpretation. And that is that the sighting of the moon by the machines will be held to be as reliable as that of the human eye. That is, if on the occasion of the beginning of the month the horizon is not clear and the moon cannot be sighted by the human eye, a mechanical observation will be relied upon. If the moon has risen according to the mechanical observation the decision will be taken that the month of Ramadan has started and the fasting will be observed. Let this point be made clear here that, according to modern research the new moon appears on the 29th of every month. However, the moon can be sighted only when it is 8 degrees above the horizon. In ancient times man had no knowledge of this reality. That is why in those days sighting by the human eye was the only dependable source. Now that by means of calculation or the “mechanical eye” the movement of the moon can be ascertained with precision, it will certainly be a proper use of Ijtihaad to establish that the sighting of the moon by the mechanical eye is as dependable a source as that of the human eye. “Ijtihaad of this kind has continued to be exercised in Islamic history. This process of Ijtihaad is essential to lend an eternal character to the teachings of Islam. If this process of Ijtihaad comes to a standstill, Islam’s eternal journey will also be affected.” (Al-Islam, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan) Here we provide some instances from the early history of Islam. The written or recorded pieces of the Quran were collected during the caliphate of Abu Bakr, the first caliph, and under the guidance of Zayd ibn Thabit Ansari one copy of the complete Quran was compiled in book form. After the preparation of this volume the question arose as to what should be done with the remaining recorded parts of the Quran, which had been collected from the possessions of different companions. These were written