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Modern Islamic Texts Sayyid Qut .b, commentary on Qur’ān 2:189 They ask you about the new moon; say, ‘‘They are means people use for measuring time, and for Pilgrimage.’’ Righteousness does not mean that you enter houses from the rear, but truly righteous is he who fears God. Enter dwellings by their [front] doors and fear God, so that you may prosper. [Qur’ān 2:189] The significance of the new moon may be viewed in more than one way. Some reports suggest that the Prophet Muh .ammad was asked why the moon goes through its various phases. Others say that he was asked why the new moon appears in such a regular fashion, which would have been more consistent with the answer given in the sūrah: ‘‘They are means people use for measuring time, and for the Pilgrimage.’’ They serve as a means by which people fix and measure the time of important religious and worldly events and activities such as travel, Pilgrimage, fasting, marriage and divorce, as well as trade transactions and loan periods. Whatever the original enquiry, the answer had gone beyond mere abstraction and given practical, rather than ‘‘scientific,’’ information relating to the phases of the moon. The Qur’ān, without going into a detailed astronomical discussion, spoke of the function of the moon and its role in people’s daily life. Despite its being implied in the question, the Qur’ān did not embark on an explanation of the moon’s position within the solar system or the relative movement of stars, planets and galaxies. What significance lies behind the answer given by the Qur’ān? The Qur’ān’s principal objective was the creation and promotion of a new conception of life in a new social, political and economic order. Indeed, it was working towards the creation of a new human community, with a special role of leadership in the world. It was developing a new model of human society, 134 modern islamic texts  135 the like of which had not been known before, to uphold a new way of life that would firmly establish essential universal features and principles which the rest of mankind would look up to and emulate. A ‘‘scientific’’ answer would undoubtedly have provided the Prophet’s followers with theoretical knowledge about the universe, to add to their meagre understanding of it. Indeed, it is doubtful that the Arabs knew enough about astronomy at that time to be able to make use of further theoretical information , which would have required an understanding of basic principles and phenomena that were beyond all scientific progress achieved in the world up to that time. The Qur’ān avoided a ‘‘scientific’’ answer because people were not ready for it, and it would have been of little use for the universal mission the Qur’ān was revealed to fulfil. Its role was far greater than the mere dissemination of detailed knowledge. The Qur’ān was never intended to be a book on astronomy , chemistry or medicine, as some of its admirers and detractors try, each for their own different purposes, to demonstrate. These attempts betray a lack of understanding of the nature of the Qur’ān, and of its function and scope. It is mainly concerned with the human soul and the state and direction of the human condition. Its purpose is to establish a broad view of the world in which we exist and its relationship with the Creator , and with a general outline of man’s position in this world and his relationship with the Creator. On the basis of these broad concepts, the Qur’ān goes on to establish a way of life which enables man to apply all his skills and abilities, not least his intellectual faculties. Once these are properly and correctly developed, they are given full freedom, through observation, experiment and scientific research, to probe the mysteries of life and the Universe and make the appropriate conclusions—which could never, in any case, be said to be final or absolute. The basic raw material with which the Qur’ān is concerned is man himself: the way he views things around him, his beliefs, emotions and ideas, his behaviour and activity, and the ties and relationships that govern his life. The conduct and development of material science and innovation are left to man’s mental and intellectual...

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