Ruling on the Use of the Gregorian Calendar
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
His Eminence the Shaykh: My question consists of two parts: The first is that some people say: We do not prioritize the Gregorian calendar over the Hijri calendar for the sake of allegiance and support, but the Gregorian calendar is more precise than the Hijri calendar from their perspective,And they say: since most countries use this calendar; so why should we be exceptional and differ from them?
The reality is that timing by the lunar phases is the original standard for all humanity; this is the original standard,Read the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-Baqarah:189] for all people,And read the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-Tawbah:36] So what are these months? The months are lunar, and for this reason the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained them, meaning the four,That they are: Rajab of Mudar, and Dhu al-Qa'dah, and Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram. This is the original standard. And these months that are before people now are imaginary; they are not built on a foundation. If they were zodiac signs, they would have a foundation; the zodiac signs are clear in the sky, and their stars and times are known. But these imaginary ones have no foundation at all, as evidenced by the fact that some are twenty-eight days and some are thirty-one days; they are not built on the original standard.
But if we are afflicted and it becomes necessary to mention the Gregorian date, why do we deviate from the Arab, legal Hijri date to this imaginary date that has no foundation? It is very possible to date by the Arab date and then say: corresponding to such-and-such, considering that many Islamic countries, when colonized by the disbelievers, converted the date to their date as a form of enslavement and subjugation of the peoples.
So we say: If we are afflicted and it becomes necessary to mention the Gregorian date, let it be first in the Arab, legal Hijri date, and then we say: corresponding to such-and-such.
The questioner: The second part of the question: It is that some companies say: We do not use this Gregorian calendar for the sake of allegiance, but the international companies we deal with operate on this calendar, so we must deal with this calendar, otherwise there is harm to us regarding appointments, delivery, exports, imports, and so on. What is the ruling?Answer: The ruling is easy: Is it not possible to combine them? You say: I and so-and-so agreed on such-and-such on Sunday, corresponding to such-and-such of the legal Arab month, and then you mention the Gregorian date. Is it possible?The questioner: Yes, it is possible.
The reality is that timing by the lunar phases is the original standard for all humanity; this is the original standard,Read the saying of Allah the Exalted:
They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the new moons. Say, "They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj."
يَسْأَلونَكَ عَنِ الْأَهِلَّةِ قُلْ هِيَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالْحَجِّIndeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred.
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْراً فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌBut if we are afflicted and it becomes necessary to mention the Gregorian date, why do we deviate from the Arab, legal Hijri date to this imaginary date that has no foundation? It is very possible to date by the Arab date and then say: corresponding to such-and-such, considering that many Islamic countries, when colonized by the disbelievers, converted the date to their date as a form of enslavement and subjugation of the peoples.
So we say: If we are afflicted and it becomes necessary to mention the Gregorian date, let it be first in the Arab, legal Hijri date, and then we say: corresponding to such-and-such.
The questioner: The second part of the question: It is that some companies say: We do not use this Gregorian calendar for the sake of allegiance, but the international companies we deal with operate on this calendar, so we must deal with this calendar, otherwise there is harm to us regarding appointments, delivery, exports, imports, and so on. What is the ruling?Answer: The ruling is easy: Is it not possible to combine them? You say: I and so-and-so agreed on such-and-such on Sunday, corresponding to such-and-such of the legal Arab month, and then you mention the Gregorian date. Is it possible?The questioner: Yes, it is possible.