HAJJ DATES  

The ZilHajj moon was sighted yesterday the 24 September 2014 in Saudi Arabia and shall probably be seen today the 25^th September in Pakistan. As such Hajj would be performed on 3^rd of October 2014 and the Eid ul Azha on the 4^th October at Makkah. However, Maulana Popal Zai of Peshawar has announced that Hajj or Eid ul Azha shall be observed on 5th October 2014. Besides the point when would the rest of the country observe the Hajj date and consequently the Eid ul Azha, I am somewhat confused as to how can we in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere else in the world except Makkah determine the dates of Hajj or Eid ul Azha.  To my mind Hajj is one thing that CANNOT be performed anywhere in the world except Makkah.  Is it, therefore, something not very strange that we see it being performed live on our TV screens and yet we say, "Oh no, our Hajj shall be tomorrow and the Eid day after that ?!!!"

We do it because we stick to the concept that Hajj is to be performed on the 10th of ZilHajj and  in our case the 10th of ZilHajj falls a day or two later than it falls in the Saudi Arabia.  I don't know how we have limited Hajj to the 10th of ZilHajj only. The Qura'n doesn't give any such date for the Hajj.  On the contrary it clearly says that Hajj can be performed at any time during the Special Sacred Months [Quran 2:197] “Hajj shall be observed in the specified months that are the known months". Please note it is MONTHS and not a month. Allah (swt) has not used the word  "Shahrun" in the ayah, therefore, it is not one month. He has not said  "Shahrain" either, so it is not two months also.  He has used the word  "Ashhurun",  which means "months", it is, therefore, definitely three or more months.

Pleas also refer to (2:197; 9:2, 36), where it says,  Hajj shall be observed during the specified Sacred Months. It is also clear from the Quran that the four Sacred Months are continuous, and that the Sacred Months and the regular months are not to be alternated.  Hence, where the 10^th of ZilHajj has come from, needs to be probed into.

Will someone more knowledgeable, therefore, please clarify that in Pakistan do we have to stick to the 10^th of ZilHajj or to the ACTUAL day the Hajj is being performed at Makkah?  Can we observe Hajj or Edi ul Azha on the days other than these are observed at Makkah?

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)