For those Muslims residing in the USA and Canada the term FCNA, ISNA and
ICNA are all familiar terms commonly used in the two Countries?
Unfortunately for many of us residing outside these two countries it
could be anywhere on the Globe unless you are familiar with these
Organisations we need some further information and clarifications
regarding these abbreviations. The Islamic Society of North America
commonly known as ISNA and the Islamic Council of North America
abbreviated as ICNA are the most recognised and influential two Islamic
Organisations known amongst the intellectual circles bringing students
and other professionals North American Muslims together. These two
distinguished Organisations with other influential Organisations in US
and Canada joined hands to form an Institution called the Fiqh Council
of North America abbreviated as FCNA. The FCNA Council issues Fatwah on
behalf of the Organisations under it and other Scholarly verdicts
relating to affairs that concern the Muslims mainly those residing in
North America i.e. USA and Canada.
As Ramadan is fast approaching the FCNA
convened a special conference in Virginia early in June this year to
discuss the sighting of the new Moon which determines the new Islamic
Lunar Calendar a system being used from the time of the Prophet to our
present time. The meeting attended by Imams Jurists and Muslim
astronomers came with a controversial decision after careful
deliberation and considerations which generated controversy in favour
and drawing lot of criticisms from the Muslims all over the World.
According to the communiqué issued on the 10th of June from
that day the Council would no longer rely on eye moon sightings to
determine the start of the Islamic months instead it would use
astronomical calculations adopting new position completely. The FCNA
Fiqh Council said sighting of the new moon is not an act of Ibadah
(worship). Although it acknowledges that it is a means of knowing the
beginning of new Month which is apparently related to Ibadah and
therefore not against the Sunnah. Announcement of Islamic dates ahead of
time said the statement would reduce what it called hardship chaos
associated with the beginning of timings of Ramadan and the two Eids.
According to the Council other benefits to be derived by Muslims in
North America include helping them to plan their activities in advance
at the same time remove unnecessary financial burden as well as working
to have Islamic holiday recognised officially. In the end the communiqué
expressed the hope that the adoption of the new position would pave way
towards the development of a unified global Islamic Calendar for the
whole Muslim World. The eighteen FCNA strong- member Council fourteen of
which are all Doctors decided to use astronomical calculation to
determine the beginning of the Islamic lunar month with consideration of
the sight ability of the crescent anywhere on the globe. To determine
Islamic Lunar Calendar added the statement a conventional point of
reference must be used such as the International Date Line (IDL) or the
Greenwich Mean Time here in London. Based on the new position taken by
the Fiqh Council a new five- year Islamic Calendar has been drawn which
has given the exact date of each Islamic Month from July this year till
the end of October 2011. The new position has also generated a lot of
controversy with many Muslims in North America welcoming the idea while
others from Australia to Nigeria expressing their disgust and revulsion
at the decision which they see as against the Sunnah of the Prophet.
While the Council has acknowledged the differences on the issue they
said they would continue to work with Imams and scholars to develop a
common consensus on this matter urging the Ummah to be united despite
what it called “legitimate Fiqhi differences”. For more details and
information regarding the position of FCNA and the controversy it
generated plus the 5-year Calendar proposed by the Council all can be
found in the IslamiCity.Com Website currently hosted by the
Amanaonline.Com.
Wa Akhiri Daawana Anil Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil
Alameen.
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