Sunday, May 16, 2010

HILAL


Hilal (Arabic: هلال‎) is an Arabic term, meaning crescent moon, first developed in pre-IslamicArabia. The very slight crescent moon that is first visible after a new moon. Muslims look for the hilal when determining the beginning and end of Islamic months, but they don't worship it. The Quran says: "And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Prostrate not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate to Allah Who created them, if you (really) worship Him." (41:37). The need to determine the precise appearance of the hilal was one of the inducements for Muslim scholars to study astronomy.

(from wikipedia)


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photo! You are very talented - I can even see points on the star. I saw your link on Earthsky and wanted to thank you for sharing the photo and the cultural significance of the crescent moon.

skywatcher, west coast, USA

LOIS said...

oh wow. thanks so much Mr. Anonymous :)