The Secretary,

Ministry of Religious Affairs,

Government of Pakistan,

Islamabad.


Subject: Timing of صَلاةُ الْفَجْرِ: Morning time bound protocol of servitude and allegiance.

Dear Sir,

The foremost duty and responsibility of an Islamic State – its government is prescribed in simple and straight forward words in the Grand Qur’aan:

·         They are the people that if Our Majesty established them ruling in the Earth:

·         They would have organized and managed the institution of Ass-sa'laat: Time bound protocol of allegiance and servitude; and would have paid Az-zaka'at: financial liability for economic uplift of society.

·         And they would have enjoined to act according to accepted social values/norms and forbidden following conjectural innovations, deviations/unfamiliar, unauthentic and unverifiable myths.

·         Take note; the final decision and conclusion of all the matters are the exclusive monopoly for Allah the Exalted. [22:41]

Ever since the institution ofwas introduced by the “Father of Muslins” Iebra'heim علیہ السلام, the Exalted Messenger – Spokesperson of Allah the Supreme Sovereign of Universes, it has always been time bound:

·         The fact about Ass-sa'laat: It has remained prescribed and mandatory for the true believers, characteristically time-bound—scheduled. [Ref 4:103]

Though there is no substantial difference of opinion amongst different schools of thought about the timing of: صَلاةُ الْفَجْرِ with reference to location of the Sun below horizon, the tables of timings in circulation depict real time which is at variance to the agreed location of the Sun.

Two terms are used: صبح صادق and صبح كاذب respectively signifying True Dawn and False Dawn equivalent to “nautical twilight” and “astronomical twilight” that occurring when the geometric centre of the Sun is 12 and 18 degree below the horizon, respectively.

However, terms; صبح صادق and صبح كاذب do not find mention in Grand Qur’aan. It employs specific terms: سَحَرٌ and . It defines: سَحَرٌ as a segment of the night – a “cut” in the night:

·         The Messengers consoled him saying: "O Luet [alai'his'slaam], indeed we are the Messengers of your Sustainer Lord; it will never be possible for them to encroach towards you.

·         Therefore, you travel with your household, in the part cut from the night [illusory dawn-54:34]; Take note, not a single one of you people should look back [to see the happenings behind],

·         Take along your household except your wife. Indeed the same infliction is for her which will strike them.

·         Indeed their appointed time is the true dawn.

·         Is the true dawn not so near! [11:81]

·         Therefore you travel with your family in the part cut from night: illusory dawn; and you follow them remaining on their back-posterior;

·         And none of you people should look back; and you all keep going through the course you people have been advised to follow." [15:65]

The cut-part from the night is in between the night and: the dawn that emerges and is part of daybreak. What is the specific name of this part?

·         It is a fact that We had sent upon them that which pelts rock fragments-volcanic ash.

·         Except that it did not fell upon the followers of Luet [alai'his'slaam].

·         We had already rescued them at the time of illusory dawn - a part cut-distinguished from night. [54:34]

سَحَرٌ : It is a part segmented from the night on the brim of which is:the dawn. This word is derived from Root: س ح ر and like its basic signification of illusion and turning a thing from one manner to another manner, the time of سَحَرٌ is also short lived. It can cause optic illusion of dawn because of the presence of zodiacal light-astronomical twilight up in the sky. This begins when the Sun is 18 degree below the horizon and persists for the time it reaches 12 degree below horizon when:  occurs and life starts thriving. 

·         And swearing is by the Night when it has departed the layered haze - darkness; [81:17]

·         And by the true dawn when it transformed itself breathe- energize -photosynthesize; [81:18]

Most plants initiate the process of photosynthesis at true dawn and take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen in the atmosphere.

Mostly the time the سَحَرٌ (also termed by most as: صبح كاذب false dawn) remains is about 34 minutes, on average. Its short span is also understood from the advice given to Luet alai'his'slaam and his companions while leaving the city at: سَحَرٌ not to look back because a horribly disturbing scene was about to appear at: when they would not have gone much far off from the city.

Specific injunction about the start time of fasting is given in ayah 2:187 in these words:

• And you people eat and drink during the night till the horizontal white line renders itself for you people distinguishable emerging from unfolding of the day - daybreak—delineated from the horizontal line-layer of black-obscure colour;

• Thenceforward you complete the fast spatiotemporally moving up to the night-Sun set: beginning of a new lunar day. [refer 2:187]

Firstly please note that Ayah 2:187 is one of: Verbal passages that incorporate injunctions and instructions for aright conduct in time and space. Such verbal passages are self evident by the use of imperative-command verbs. The commands are issued by using such words which are conveniently understandable by the majority that comprises of people of ordinary prudence. However, the par excellence structuring of sentences embeds delicacies of sciences that the creator Allah the Exalted has set in the Universe.

The theme of Ayah is the sex and eating related activities during specific time location [مفعول فيه]—locative time adverb is: : the night of days of fasting.

It is ordered to undertake these activities during the flow of night towards a specific point in time when these activities must be terminated. The terminal point of time in the flow of night towards unfolding of the day is: : This is the subordinate clause of the preceding verbs. Particle: broadly functions as Preposition meaning "until", "to the point of", "up to", "as for as". It either precedes a noun or a sentence. The subjunctive verb occurs only in subordinate clauses. It indicates an act which is dependant upon that mentioned in the previous clause, and future to it in point of time. The verb: is third person, singular, masculine, mood subjunctive of form-V to which reflexive causative meanings are associated. Its subject is: : the horizontal line which is characteristically white - luminous. The action that it may do is for the benefit of: for you people.

The verb: signifies the rendering of the subject to become distinguishable and perceptible as distinct from something else in its surroundings or background for an observer. Here: becomes distinguishable: from the horizontal line which is characteristically black - dark - obscure.

The subject of verb: is from Root:  خ ى ط. Ibn Faris [died-1005] stated that it leads to the perception of stretching, lengthening a thing thinly. And that this stretching, expansion is not vertical, erect. And that it is well known, a needle. Thus the adjectival phrase: excludes the vertical feature from its semantic ambit.

The basic requirement of command expressions is that it must be explicit for the common people to perceive the intended meanings. The choice of word: excludes atmospheric optical phenomenon in the form of a vertical band of light which appears to extend above and/or below a light source which is termed as Light Pillar. A column of light can become visible in atmosphere. Its source can either by Sun when it is near or below the horizon or it could be caused by the Moon. This phenomenon is caused by interaction of light with ice crystals in the atmosphere.

The point is further clarified by the addition of circumstantial clause for the subject of verb by prepositional phrase: that it is emerging horizontally from the "unfolding of the day - daybreak". The definite verbal/noun of action: is from Root:  ف ج ر. Ibn Faris [died-1005] stated that it signifies the state of blossoming, efflorescence, blooming, unfolding of an object,  and from it is: الفَجْر the daybreak which is: انفِجار الظُّلمة عن الصُّبح rupturing of darkness caused by true dawn.

This is the exact point in time when general outlines of ground objects become distinguishable but the detailed outdoor operations are not yet possible, and the horizon is indistinct. This state happens when the geometric centre of Sun is 12 degree below the horizon, and from scientific perspective it is called Nautical Twilight. Immediately before this position of Sun at 12 degree below the horizon, a casual observer would consider the entire sky already fully dark.

When the Sun ascends from 12 degree below the horizon to 8.5 degree below the horizon, it provides the same level of illumination on the surface of the Earth as a full Moon directly overhead.

The time when Sun is at 12 degree below the horizon is the specific moment of the start of the Fasting and . All the time tables in circulation in Pakistan are patently incorrect which show the start time which matches with the time prevalent when the geometrical centre of Sun is 18 degree below the horizon.

From this point onwards the daybreak continues warping upon night: until the daybreak - Sun emerges on the horizon.

The chart shows the night, سَحَرٌ , , and :

The difference between سَحَرٌ (صبح كاذب false dawn) and is also clarified in Hadith as is evident from the following quotes (source: http://sunnah.com/muslim/13)

Samura b. Jundub (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

The Adhan of Bilal may not mislead you with regard to your food at the commencement of the fast, nor the vertical (streaks) of whiteness in the horizon (for it is an indication of false dawn). You should stop eating (food) till (the whiteness) spreads like it. Hammad narrated it and with the gesture of his band he explained, the horizontal position (of the streaks of light).

وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَيْدٍ - حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، بْنُ سَوَادَةَ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدَبٍ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

 "‏ لاَ يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ مِنْ سَحُورِكُمْ أَذَانُ بِلاَلٍ وَلاَ بَيَاضُ الأُفُقِ الْمُسْتَطِيلُ هَكَذَا حَتَّى يَسْتَطِيرَ هَكَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَحَكَاهُ حَمَّادٌ بِيَدَيْهِ قَالَ يَعْنِي مُعْتَرِضًا

Talq bin Ali narrated that :

The Messenger of Allah said: "Eat and drink, and do not be disturbed by the rising glow, eat and drink until the redness appears to you on the horizon."

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا مُلاَزِمُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ النُّعْمَانِ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ طَلْقٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي طَلْقُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏

 "‏ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلاَ يَهِيدَنَّكُمُ السَّاطِعُ الْمُصْعِدُ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَعْتَرِضَ لَكُمُ الأَحْمَرُ ‏"‏ 

Perhaps none disagrees with the afore-stated, but the time table in circulation incorrectly mentions the time of on 7-6-2016 as 3:14 a.m. for Islamabad, which, in fact, is the initial time of: سَحَرٌ (صبح كاذب false dawn).

It is the primary duty of the Government of Islamic state to issue regulations for the subjects to adhere to and strictly follow the injunctions contained in Grand Qur’aan, it is not the subject to be left to individuals.

It is therefore requested that your Ministry may take immediate notice of this anomaly and decide about the true timing of: صَلاةُ الْفَجْرِ and start time of Fasting and accordingly educate and inform the general public. It is the obligation of Government that it must discharge.

Thanks for your attention;

Regards,

Mazhar a. Nurani

52-A, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi.

0321-5251000

www.haqeeqat.org.pk
e.mail haqeeqat622@yahoo.com

Cc. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, P.M. Secretariat, Islamabad.