On ramadan: is the hijri/lunar calendar quranic?

In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Salaamun alaykum.

Hijri calendar, which is a lunar based calendar, has been accepted by majority of muslims today as THE islamic calendar. All of their religious events are based on this calendar, especially in regard to fasting, hajj, and the sacred months.

As believers who follow Qur’an only, we always have to check if this calendar is supported by the Qur’an.

First of all, the history of Hijri calendar itself is already telling. It started during the reign of the second khalif, Umar bin khattab, in 639 CE, 7 years after the passing of prophet Muhammad, when he made arbitrary judgment to make the year of prophet Muhammad’s migration (hijra) as the start of the new islamic year.

Knowing this history, as the calendar is crucially related to religious affairs, any believer should ask: did Umar have the authority to make his judgment?

The name of Umar doesn’t exist in the Qur’an, and neither does his character. In fact, the Qur’an clearly condemns anybody who judge without authority from Allah as stated in verse 68:39

do you have oath from Us extending until the day of resurrection that you can judge as you please?

This means that Umar is one of those people addressed by this verse as he had no authority to judge.

Secondly, the hijri calendar is based on the lunar phases. It does have 12 months in a year, which is in line with 9:36.

indeed the number of the months with Allah is twelve months in the Record of Allah, from the day He created the heavens and the earth, four of them are sacred; that is the upright deen. So don’t wrong yourselves in there, and fight the musyrikoon altogether just like they fight you altogether, and know that Allah is with the righteous.

However, each month in a lunar calendar varies between 29-30 days. So now let’s see what the Qur’an says about this.

In verse 2:183-184

o you who believed, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you may become righteous; for a numbered days. So whoever among you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days; and a ransom of feeding a poor for those who can afford it; and whoever volunteer good, then it’s better for him; and fasting is better for you, if you know.

This verse tells us that - fasting is done for a certain number of days - Whoever can’t fast for several days because of sickness or on a journey, s/he has to make up with the same number of days - for those who can afford it, the ransom is feeding a poor person

Verse 5:95

…and whoever among you killed it intentionally then the compensation is similar to the cattle he killed, judged by two just men among you as the sacrificial animal delivered to the ka’bah or an expiation of feeding the poor people or equivalent of that in fasting, so that he may taste the consequence of his deeds…

This verse tells us that: - Compensation for killing a cattle while in ihram is killing similar sacrificial animal as judged by 2 just men - an expiation is accepted by feeding the a number of poor people, equivalent to the value of the sacrificed animal - or fasting for a numbered days equivalent to the number of the poor people. So verse 2:184 and 5:95 tell is that fasting for one day = feeding one poor person.

Next in verse 58:4

then whoever doesn’t find (a slave), then fasting for two months consecutively before they both touch each other. But whoever is unable to do that, then feeding 60 poor people. That is so that you believe in Allah and His messenger; and these are the limits of Allah; and for the rejectors is painful punishment.

This verse tells us that fasting for two consecutive months can be expiated by feeding 60 poor people.

From these verses, it then can be concluded that 2 consecutive months in a quranic calendar equal to 60 days. Since the number of days in a lunar month alternates between 29 and 30 days, the maximum number of days in this calendar can only be 59, never 60. This proves that lunar calendar is NOT quranic.

(Added) Thirdly, the Qur'an specifies which calendar is quranic, and it's not lunar calendar.

Verse 17:12

and We made the night and the day two signs. Then We eliminated the sign of the night and We made the sign of the day visible, so that you may seek the bounty from your Lord and that you may know the number of the years and the account; and We have explained everything in detail.

This verse tells us that: - Allah made two signs for the night and the day. - He eliminated the sign of the night (moon) - He made visible the sign of the day (sun) - so that we know the number of the years and the account.

So the sun is used to know the number of the years and the calculation, not the moon.

In conclusion, the Hijri (lunar) calendar is not supported by the Qur’an and should NOT be used to determine religious affairs especially the timing of Ramadan, hajj, and the sacred months.

So what’s next? This writing is my opinion based on my understanding of the Qur’an and i don’t use this calendar, but each of us is free to choose to follow any calendar of their choice.

Allahu A’lam.

all my knowledge comes from Allah. He is al-‘Aleem al Hakeem.

Salaamun alaykum.