What is the ruling on one who prefers the solar months over the lunar months?
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The questioner : Some people prefer the solar months over the lunar months?
The Shaykh : Who prefers them?
The questioner : ... They say that it is more precise.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you for this. There is no doubt that only the tails of the disbelievers say this. The tails of the disbelievers are those who say this, because this calendar is foreign to the Muslims. Look at the history before the evil colonialism that corrupted the minds and religions of the Ummah. Look at who participated in that history; it was not those in the East or those in the West. All the scholars in the East, or in the West, or in the Arabian Peninsula, do not date anything except by the Hijri calendar, which Allah made a time marker for all people. But colonialism came, corrupted the world, and entered upon them, and they became its tails. When colonialism was upon them... they may have been excused because they had no choice. But when colonialism was lifted from them, it was obligatory for them to thank Allah for that blessing and to destroy all its evil plans, among which is this calendar. And I am amazed; al-'Ajiri mentioned in one of his books regarding the calendar up to the twentieth century that the Western thinkers thought about changing these months. They said, "It is not possible to have a month of twenty-eight days and a month of thirty-one days. We must change it, but we must follow the course of the sun. We must change it. Let us make it thirteen months and make them equal. And some of them said twelve months and make them equal. I do not know if they add a leap year or what. The important thing is that the Church rose up against them and said to them, 'This is apostasy. It is not possible... [regarding] the months.' The Church, which is a disbeliever, said that this is apostasy. And now, some people—most people, except in this Kingdom, may Allah protect it from evil—everyone dates by this calendar. And this is no doubt an elevation of the status of these disbelievers.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Meaning that their beginning is from the birth of Jesus? I do not know for sure, but it appears so, because it is known among historians, even Muslim ones, that between Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and 'Isa there are approximately six hundred years.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, by the lunar calendar. Even in 'Ashura, the Jews used to fast on 'Ashura, the tenth day.
The Shaykh : Who prefers them?
The questioner : ... They say that it is more precise.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you for this. There is no doubt that only the tails of the disbelievers say this. The tails of the disbelievers are those who say this, because this calendar is foreign to the Muslims. Look at the history before the evil colonialism that corrupted the minds and religions of the Ummah. Look at who participated in that history; it was not those in the East or those in the West. All the scholars in the East, or in the West, or in the Arabian Peninsula, do not date anything except by the Hijri calendar, which Allah made a time marker for all people. But colonialism came, corrupted the world, and entered upon them, and they became its tails. When colonialism was upon them... they may have been excused because they had no choice. But when colonialism was lifted from them, it was obligatory for them to thank Allah for that blessing and to destroy all its evil plans, among which is this calendar. And I am amazed; al-'Ajiri mentioned in one of his books regarding the calendar up to the twentieth century that the Western thinkers thought about changing these months. They said, "It is not possible to have a month of twenty-eight days and a month of thirty-one days. We must change it, but we must follow the course of the sun. We must change it. Let us make it thirteen months and make them equal. And some of them said twelve months and make them equal. I do not know if they add a leap year or what. The important thing is that the Church rose up against them and said to them, 'This is apostasy. It is not possible... [regarding] the months.' The Church, which is a disbeliever, said that this is apostasy. And now, some people—most people, except in this Kingdom, may Allah protect it from evil—everyone dates by this calendar. And this is no doubt an elevation of the status of these disbelievers.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Meaning that their beginning is from the birth of Jesus? I do not know for sure, but it appears so, because it is known among historians, even Muslim ones, that between Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and 'Isa there are approximately six hundred years.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, by the lunar calendar. Even in 'Ashura, the Jews used to fast on 'Ashura, the tenth day.