The Light of Truth — Page 353
REFUTING OBJECTIONS 353 tawātur [mass transmission] of the narration, sound knowledge, wit- nessing the occurrence of the actual event, and established proof. The text of the Quran, too, has affirmed it. Granted, it is succinct in its description, but despite this, we are witnessing [the fulfilment of] these Signs. The people of Makkah are astir and this affirms the truth- fulness of these prophecies. I have read in a letter that they are awaiting the lunar and solar eclipses with great eagerness, and anticipate them with the same excitement as the moon sighting that determines the day of Eid. Not a single home remains therein except that its inhabitants fall asleep and wake to this very thought, for this is a plan from Allah, who desires to spread this light. I see the people of Makkah entering in droves into the party of Allah, the All-Powerful, the Most Perfect. This is from the Lord of the heavens and it is wondrous in the eyes of the people of the earth. Some latter-day authors have stated that the moon will eclipse on the thirteenth night of Ramadan, and the sun on the twenty-sev- enth. There is, however, no real contradiction between this and what is related by ad-Dāraqutnī—at least not to those who reflect. This is because the statement of ad-Dāraqutnī proves, through clear evidence and unmistakable and sound context, that the lunar eclipse will not take place on the first night of Ramadan itself—and there is absolutely and certainly no way for this to occur. His statement is confined to the word al-qamar and the appellation al-qamar is used for this source of light [i. e. the moon] only after three nights have passed [from the start of the new moon] up until the end of the month. It is called qamar throughout these days due to its complete whiteness, and [is called] hilal prior to the third night, and about this there is no contention. This is a matter¹* upon which all Arabs have unanimously agreed till 1. The author of Tājul-Arūs said: The moon of the first two nights of the month is called hilāl. In aṣ-ṣiḥāḥ, al-Qamar is after three [nights] till the end of the month. Some [lexicons] say that al-hilal is till the seventh. Then Abū Ishaq has said-in agreement with what I have in my possession, and upon which the majority agree that the son of two nights is called hilal, for he shines forth his light on the third night. -Author