The Controversy over the Ethiopian Calendar: the Ritual of Sighting The Moon of Ramadan: an Islamic Perspective

Dr. Ahmed A. Moen, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

I have closely followed the controversy about the origin and the usefulness of the “Ethiopian Calendar” as a national symbol of unity and its unique status among the nations of the world.  I do not share the Editorial Consultant note of the fact that the Chinese, Arabs, Japanese, Iranian and Indians have accepted the Gregorian calendar, as an official business calendar is a good reason to rejoin the case.  I would like to argue that 75% of the world populations use the lunar calendar, but are also inclined to accommodate other cultural and religious considerations in running their mundane affairs. This is an important point of departure and should mark the difference between two reasonable people who want to change the course of history and convince the listeners that their position must prevail.  To dismiss cultural and belief systems as economically backward is to fit in a global economy and universal information system two incongruent ideas that may sound logical, but fail to meet the test of time in the future.  One of the opponents of the Editor said there are other issues more important than counting the days of the year and balancing financial statements according the Gregorian calendar.  Many similar issues of importance have crept into the claim that one culture is superior and the other is subservient.    

Some of the articles published on October 15, 2004 forced me to join the brawl to discuss the significance of the lunar month and its equal value in the ancient history of the Axumite Kingdom.  The article claims that the conversion of the country to Christianity necessitated the creation of the calendar, as we know it today.  The Orthodox Church, which is an offshoot of the Coptic Church in Egypt, played larger role in introducing important religious rituals which began in Alexandria and [Constantinople] as the seats of Christian Orthodoxy into one of the secular and technologically advanced nations living on the lower banks of the Red Seas.  Many of the religious holidays celebrated in the Ethiopian and Eastern Orthodox Churches differed from the Western Churches that followed the Gregorian Calendar as a result of it conversion from the Julian Calendar.   The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has complemented many religious holidays and designated days of the month on its calendar to venerate selective Saints and Archangels.   This innovation makes it unique and independent in its culture and rituals than the rest of Christendoms in many parts of the world. It then chose diverse lunar stations or constellations to calculate its months and name designations.    

The moon and the sun played great roles in personal life.  Astrology had been a system of Divination for thousands of years. In the Arab and the Axumite and traditional cultures, astrology was used to influence marriages, travels, farming, wars, and epoch-making tragedies.  These cultures have followed two different ways for calculating the Horoscope and Zodiac Signs then.  In the last few centuries, astrology had evolved as a means of personal analysis and behaviors. It is believed that understanding the basics of astrology and the Zodiac Sun Signs guides us to change ourselves for the better if we follow the opposite course from curse.  A person's horoscope, or birth chart as it is also called, depends on the time of the calendar year that he / she was born in. The year is composed of twelve sections, which make up the whole zodiac. Each section is called a sign. The zodiacs correspond to the twelve constellations in the sky...

Arabs use the “defunct” alphabets sequences known as “Abugida, Hewaz” or “Abgad, Hewaz” for calculation purpose. Each alphabet has a numerical value beginning with “A” as 1, “B” as 2 and ending with assigning 1000 for the last of 27 alphabets in the order combinations and sequences.   The Jews and Romans did it before the Arabs, but the discovery of the “0” and other arithmetical values by the Arabs diminished the value of the alphabets as accounting procedures.  The Arab/Muslim astrologers still use the names of the mother in combination of the individual name to calculate one’s Zodiac Signs.   The Europeans used different Zodiac patterns to predict behaviors and lucks.  I know of one example where a person who was born on October 20 was classified as “Libra” by European Zodiac Signs, but was classified Gemini by the Arabic Zodiac Signs.  Unlike the Arabs the Europeans use birth dates to figure out the Zodiac Signs range of dates of the months to figure out Libra, i.e. September 25-October 24 for Libra.  Therefore, the European belief system is indeed different from the Middle Eastern, who claim the science of astrology.  They chose not to follow the Europeans.      

Inevitability of Change And Its Accommodation in Modern Era

The Middle Eastern countries are good case studies to exemplify the present controversy about the Ethiopian calendar.  The Arabs of Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq with diverse religions and ethnics, for example, use the farmer’s calendar to trace the four seasons of the year - spring, fall, winter and summer.  Yet, they use the Islamic calendar to trace religious holidays and days.  On the other hand, they adopted the Gregorian calendar to balance their financial statements and follow the market trends in the Wall Street or French Bourse.  They don’t have to worry about Shanghai, Tokyo or Bangkok because the American and European Stock Market were already linked to the economies of these Far Eastern countries through direct financial and capital investments. The lessons learned from this is that the policy and opinionmakers succeeded in synchronizing the farmer’s and religious calendars that follow traditional lunar stations with the Gregorian or Julian Calendars which are European innovation.   They still did not give up their designation of the farmer’s month “Kanoon the Second”  which stands for January and represents the second month of the winter season because winter actually begins in the third week of December, which is “Kanoon the First ” according to the farmer’s calendar.  In the case of Ethiopia, “Meskerem” is not the same  “January” of  the Gregorian calendar, but it falls in the second week of “September” which is equivalent to springtime and end of the rainy season. The day also coincides with the old Egyptian festivities and carnival time to celebrate the Crest of the Nile on its Banks. The “Pagumes” were designated as their “Mardigra” on the Nile.  The difference is a matter of culture, natural and economic imperatives.

It seem that the Middle Eastern societies managed to synchronize their calendars by accepting the inevitable duality of the system without violation of their cultures or natural laws.  One can conjure that the transition from agricultural to industrial economy played greater role in the evolution of their understanding of the banking systems.  Today, the above-mentioned Middle Eastern Society has “adopted” the Gregorian calendar for business purposes and the European days on the newspapers and official documents appear side by side the farmer’s and Islamic days of the month.   The Ethiopian Herald used to show these dates on its banner. The European colonial experience has not tampered with the culture, which they feared they would lose; rather they used their economic logic to twist the mind of its colonies to comply.  Again it is the desire of the people to accommodate themselves to the imperatives of industrial economies and adjust their cultural and religious rituals to meet their other needs.

Not all Arab/Muslim countries from Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, Nigeria in West Africa and Indonesia or Malaysia in East Asia followed the above examples blindly.  They have separated the secular calendar from the religious calendar to serve their business deals with the Europeans, but preserved their native calendars, which was inherited from Islam.  The influence of the Islamic teachings has persisted without conflict in their minds about its primacy in a dual system.   As we write, the modern Muslim innovators have presented themselves with a new dilemma over this issue and they bolstered their economic logics by using information technologies to predict the birth of the new and its rotation to create a unified calendar days.  Yet the traditionalists believed their ancestor did it for a reason when they trusted human certainty over technological gadgets. The naked eye observation is as natural and logical as the foundation of their belief system.  The reasons for change may be valid, but accommodation requires something else besides coercion.  Choice is a democratic right that must be counted in social changes.   

The Importance of the Moon as Temporal Reference

The followers of the Muslim Calendar have their own justification and logics too.  The Arabians used to worship the moon and the sun as part of their deities. The names and rotation of months followed defined religious rituals.  Most of the festivities and rituals follow the natural order of the two seasons [dry and rain] or four seasons [winter, spring, summer and fall]. The pilgrimage period is not fixed; it changes from year to year based on the lunar calendar. However, the pre-Islamic Arabs who were similar with the Axumite in their belief systems venerated the moon and the sun and other deities. The Arabs used to worship the stars, the moon and the sun as their omnipotent gods. The ritual of sighting the moon and predicting its birth was an obsession that bordered on irrationality. Islam came to change their belief system and made them focus on the Divine Creator as an independent deity logically separated from the stars, the moon and the sun.  It wanted to change their psyche and love of the fullness of the moon and their fear of its eclipse or disappearance in the last days.  The love of the moon is ingrained in their literature and religion.   

The Qura’n denounced the pagan style rituals.  It says:  “The night and the day, the sun and the moon, are some of His Signs.  Prostrate yourself neither to the sun nor to the moon, but to Allah [God] Who had created them, if you truly worship Him. [Chapter 41:Verse 37].  This verse attempted to neutralize the created as an object of worship and instead it diverted the attention of the believer to the utility of the stars, the moon and the sun as means of enjoying secular enjoyment.  The pagan’s celebration then gave each day of the month one of the names of their poly gods. Their favorite gods and season patronized all days.  The strongest patron helps them to win wars and the generous give them good harvest season. The patron saints augured [foretold] victory or defeat in battlefields or daily business unless they were placated by certain offerings.   

In the same manner, the Qur’an, admonished the pagans who argued over and abused the sacred months to wage wars so they can claim that their god gave them victory over their enemies.  It says: “With Allah [God], the number of months [which was written and used by mankind] in His Book when He created the skies and the earth is twelve, of which four are sacred. That is the true religion.  Therefore, do not do injustice to yourselves by killing each other outside the sacred months.” Chapter 9, Verse 36.  In the next verse the Qur’an argued: “Postponing [the sanctity of one month to another] is nothing but an escalation of disbelief, by which those who disbelieve are misguided. They allow it in one year and prohibit it in another, in order to meet the number of the months that Allah has made sacred. [i.e. 1^st month, 7^th month 11^th month, 12^th months of the Islamic Calendar] ” Chapter 9, Verse 37.

Misconception Or Ignorance

This leads me to address the misconception prevalent among the Non-Muslim lay people about the importance of sighting the moon at the beginning of Ramadan – Muslim fasting month.  The sighting of the moon by the naked eyes in the absence of observatory technologies is not limited to the Month of Ramadan, but also to all other important celebrations such as the Birth of Prophet Mohammed, Eid-Elfitr and Eid Al-Adha days. The moon sighting ceremonies are important public display of seasonal rituals and religious identity.  Historically speaking, the two Eids mark the end of worshiping season such as Ramadan Fasting on the 9^th month and the culmination of the mandated Pilgrimage to Arafa, and Mekka on the 12^th month of the Islamic Hijra Calendar.  The visit of Medina, which is the first capital city during Prophet Mohammed’s exile and his burial place, is an optional and a preferable ritual following the mandated pilgrimage and when one happens to be in the vicinity.  The Muslim calendar adopted 1425 years ago marked the “Flight” or “Hijra” of Prophet Mohammed from Mekka to Medina.  Its value is ingrained in the hearts of every Muslim because it signified the end of “oppression” and the beginning of “freedom” to worship One God.  The event marks birth of the basic fundamental human rights in Islam and the right to escape from torture and persecution and live in a secured and free environment.  Similarly, the “First Flight” of Muslims from Arabia to Ethiopia in 7th century marked not only the “Flight from Persecution” but also the beginning of the dialogue between Christianity and Islam and the history of tolerance and understanding of the mutual destiny of two divine religions surrounded by a sea of pagan’s practices then.  These two events have greater meaning for Ethiopians as a host of the first “Flight” and those of us in Diaspora.   

Muslim children and adults are bothered by the frivolous questions facing them when someone describes Muslims as moon worshipers who cannot free themselves from the Ramadan moon spell. The reason for such misinformed question was that Muslims are excited when they welcome Ramadan and the sighting activities is only part of the ceremony which invites the holy season into their spiritual life. No more no less.   In fact, the Ottoman Empire used to declare the sighting of the moon by firing 21-gun salute.  In Ethiopia, thirty years ago, the Imperial Army was invited to fire seven gun salutes in a public square thereby welcoming Ramadan.   It must be noted that the 9^th and 12^th months are the most important months to sight the birth of the new moon.  The 9^th month is known as Ramadan and the 12^th month is known as “Dul-Hijja” which means the Pilgrimage to Mekka. The significance of these two months is ingrained in the five pillars of Islam, i.e. fasting and pilgrimage when one can afford it.  The third and important month is the celebration of 1^st day of the first month of the year, namely,  “Meharem” which is the “Hijra” or “Flight to Medina is very similar to “Meskerem” as the beginning of the spring season. Many other great events occurred “Me harem” such as the tragic massacre of the grand son-in-law and grand children in now holy cities of Kuffa and Negef in Iraq.    

The Value of Diversity and National Calendars

The existing calendar used in Ethiopia is more remarkable for its “Thirteen Months of Sunshine.”  This “marketing gimmick” is one of the religion-free symbols of the existing official calendar.  It is secular and belongs to all Ethiopians as a tourist destiny.  Many of the Christian Orthodox followers have already built their religious celebrations and festivities around the existing official calendar.  Many of patron saints and archangels have occupied prominent places in the calendar.  Separating the calendar from the mystic presence of patrons has been problematic for many non-Christians.  Many attribute this to the indoctrination of the children in schools and official celebrations as uniquely Ethiopian.  This was true until the Socialist Revolution in 1974.  Ever since, the existing calendar ceased to belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and became uniquely Ethiopian for All Ethiopians.  The two Ethiopian Constitutions since 1974 have adopted three days from the Islamic “Hijra” calendar as a symbol of equality with the “Amete Mihret”.  The Ethiopian people seems to be happy for this inclusive approach and its tolerance for diversity as one can judge it from the other point of view. It indeed marked the separation of the Church from and State.  Equality is a belief system and natural to a just and tolerant state. A democratic state affirms diversity and mutual identity and protect the by the supreme law of the land.  This is what I sensed from many who discussed this matter with me.    

Most of the letters emanated from the Ethiopians who are in Diaspora and are partisans.   Perhaps some of us have failed to grasp the changing character of the Ethiopian society over the past thirty years.  Some Ethiopians in Diaspora have not come into terms with the changing and evolving legislative process, crude as it may appear, which aggressively dealt with “symbols” and  “icons” of power in the ancient orders.  It is very hard for some of my friends in Diaspora to recognize that change may be for the better after three decades and the emergence of a new generation of Ethiopians who are free from the baggage of business as usual.  Pessimism is the enemy of progress. 

As a student of history and the events that are taking place in our neighborhood, I find the old guards in the Arab societies put themselves in an untenable position when they relegated to themselves as the title of guardians of the Muslims.   Unlike the rest of the Muslims they are well connected with the European financial institutions.  The conflict was evident when the Saudi Royal Family took the guardianship of Mekka and when it declared that there were no national holidays except Eid-Elfir and Eid-Al-Ahda.  The two are obligatory celebrations in Islam.  All other secular holidays were not official and should be excluded from the calendar.  But secular forces were creeping from under their feet when they were obliged to celebrate the Saudi state achievements and its secular and economic power in the global market.   Now they have to add the Founding Day of the Saudi Kingdom on the calendar as a holiday not a holy day.  Moreover, the Gulf States, which are Euro-Arabized, adopted the Gregorian calendar to operate their banking system.  The Gregorian New Year day was an unofficial day and euphemistically called “Banker’s Holiday.”   Any other business or national holidays in Europe, including Christmas and Easter are considered  “Banking or Business Holidays” and the banks only attend to local business.   

As a result, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States moved towards the Lebanese, Syrian and Egyptian models by adopting diverse calendar system, which was devised half a century ago.   On the other hand, one would observe that the European colonizers when they were in power have failed to impose their calendar or impose their official holidays on independent countries on the Red Sea, such as Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Yemen. These countries remained cultural islands engaged in slow pace development anchored in agricultural economy.  The value of the calendar is embedded into their economic and religious imperatives.  Celebrating seasonal changes and waging wars were also determined by the climatic changes. In an industrial economy, it is hard to differentiate between sacred days and months and secular days.  Christmas in America and Europe are one example to be noted.

One can understand the confusion that will occur if the Ethiopians started to change the two national holidays, for example,  “Yeakit 23” and “ Miyazia 27” which all Ethiopians are proud to celebrate as mark of Ethiopian independence and call them “March 1 and May 5”.  The Church has different names for it “Giorgis’ and “Medhane Alem” days.  It will generate traumatic feelings and will upset any nationalist.  Somehow, we escaped the wrath during the Derg when we chose to celebrate “May 1” as “Labor Day”.  I would not be surprised if the Americans ask the world to celebrate “First Monday of September” as the new “Labor Day” after the fall of the Soviet empire and communism. I would support one because “September is the end of the rainy season” and the beginning of spring.  It would be offensive if an Ethiopian national holiday were imposed over its valued culture without meaningful interpretation attached to its significance and utility.    

Frankly speaking, many Ethiopian Muslims feel alienated when one begins to drug them into controversy.  But they would feel neutralized if the celebration of Meskel glorifies nature and its songs ” abeba hoy, Meskerem tebaye”.  One of the new records cut in Diaspora is out way out of touch when the singer reframed the meaning in his record:  “abeba hoy, Meskel neo bandiraye.”   The record ignores the common national sentiment towards to the flag as a symbol of unity, patriotism and tolerance that transcends religion as protected by the Constitution.  The attempt by some Ethiopians in Diaspora and the tone of their letters seem to reincarnate feelings that pre-dated the 1974 secular constitutions.  The solution must be contained by acknowledging that the Gregorian Calendar is a useful business tool, and the  “Orthodox Ethiopian Calendar” and “Hijra” are useful and honorable as cultural and religion symbols. The religious holidays are there to stay and some will still have national significance and symbol of diversity. The Ethiopian banking systems and business concerns are already tuned up to correspond with the global system.  The State Bank of Ethiopia that was begun during Menelik II reign is operating on different calendar without fuss.   The information technology and systems have assumed global significance by sharing database and open access to free market and economies.  So China, as a country that follows the lunar calendar still begins its year by designated  “Animal Symbols in as much as the Ethiopian church would like to begin its year by designated “Saints”. The similarity ends there and what is in a name if it does not intrude in the separation of church from state. 

The most important factor is to recognize the value of calendars as means for calculation of days, months and years and not to worship them as national shrines.  We have to be proud of our heritage, but the “melting pot” syndrome that has been discredited even in America should not trap us.  Diversity is a universal value that celebrates fundamental human rights and cements tolerance among one and many nations.  Ethiopian Muslims have learned this from their personal experience that time changes and their turn will come so long as they practice patience as a human virtue.  The Qur’an helps them to understand that diversity and tolerance is God’s way to manage this world.  It says:  Among His Signs also is the creation of the skies and the earth, and your language and color differences.  Verily there are Signs therein for the knowledgeable ones.” Chapter 30, Verse 22.  “Oh you human beings!   We have created you from a male and a female, and We have made you nations [peoples] and tribes in order to know one another …..”  Chapter 49, Verse 13.                           

The significance of the diverse calendars lies in beautiful configuration as time stations that govern human activities and synchronized celestial movements. Those of us who prefer to follow the lunar month have to be satisfied with the difference in days of the lunar month [29 versus 30].   On the lighter side of the issue, Muslims who fast in Winter are better off than those who fast in Summer when the rotation of the moon is backward.   I would recommend to the readers Dr. Getachew Haile’ Book “Bahera Hesab” “ The accounting of Calendar Days.  It will sum the argument about the status of the Ethiopian Calendar in its history.  

I wish everyone happy fasting seasons and pray that tolerance will prevail and one has to focus on doing good and forbidding bad feelings and actions. That is fasting when you no harm, but practice compassion and care and when your next-door neighbor is as safe as you are in your home.    n