Lets move on from bronze age timekeeping hey?
So Eid is supposed to begin once the new moon arrives. In some Arab countries it is starting tomorrow, from what I hear. In Egypt, it starts Tuesday. Maybe. We still don't totally know yet because apparently we are waiting for the religious authorities to make a judgement on whether or not they have spotted the new moon. Apparently all will be revealed this evening on prime time television.
This is kind of primitive and embarassing for Muslim countries. There is no subjective interpretation of when the new moon comes. It is a fact, detectable and entirely predictable by the instruments of science - and I'm guessing that it has been for at leat the last 300 years. We know which day the new moon will come for every Eid from now until the heat death of the universe. I can tell you which day the new moon arrives in 2067 if you give me 30 seconds, an internet connection, and google. This is the 21st century, people. Lets advance a little.
Maybe I am kind of grumpy because of the fasting, and kind of pissed because I want to leave for my glorious Sinai days as soon as possible, but I just think its kind of retarded to still use a system of astronomy that involves old men standing on the roof of a mosque looking at the sky.
This is kind of primitive and embarassing for Muslim countries. There is no subjective interpretation of when the new moon comes. It is a fact, detectable and entirely predictable by the instruments of science - and I'm guessing that it has been for at leat the last 300 years. We know which day the new moon will come for every Eid from now until the heat death of the universe. I can tell you which day the new moon arrives in 2067 if you give me 30 seconds, an internet connection, and google. This is the 21st century, people. Lets advance a little.
Maybe I am kind of grumpy because of the fasting, and kind of pissed because I want to leave for my glorious Sinai days as soon as possible, but I just think its kind of retarded to still use a system of astronomy that involves old men standing on the roof of a mosque looking at the sky.
7 Comments:
Same here in Indo. There's some sort of different opinion between the government (who argue that the Eid is on Tuesday) and this influential Islamic school Muhammadyah (on Monday).
For me, I'm following the government. I have my own reason.
Siz
"use a system of astronomy that involves old men standing on the roof of a mosque looking at the sky"
Well maybe that's the magic of it :)
In Bosnia the Eid is on Monday. We have 1 day holiday.
I am in full agreement. I think we need to tell the old men who refuse to embrace modern science that we have this one figured out and no need to resort to such sillyness.
Meri, Wes - I like the romantic notion of the old Sheikh gazing into the night from his minaret, searching the sky for a sliver of moon and calling out the sighting in joy to all the people on the streets below.....Thats cool, and its something I hope can stay alive.
It just needs to be seen as a religious/cultural tradition, not the official way that a huge bloc of countries set the dates for a series of public holidays....
While I agree with what you are saying, it sounds like you do need to take that vacation to sinai asap! Go enjoy yourself now, take Eid on Monday, and have fun looking across the Red Sea at the conservatives while you play glutton. Nice work putting this blog together this year Tom, thanks.
Same in Pakistan - and we have a 3 day holiday! For some reason, Monday's been declared a holiday even though its not Eid. Really, the notion isn't magical - its quite annoying because the announcement comes too late and people have things to do, food to cook and people to meet!
Hey Tom...
Why does it bother you so much? There are so many more embarrassing things you could concentrate your attention/emotions on... ;o))
Anyway.. maybe they guys on the roof are just buying time for the guy with the laptop below...
Anyway, I think it is a cool tradition. It makes me feel like it is really something that they used to do when Islam was first introduced centuries ago...
Just don't let it bother you.. and I hope you are having fun in Dahab!!
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