The Old Moon and the New Moon
“People in the past knew very well matters related to humans, animals, and plants alike. Everything was planned according to the old phase of the moon, and actions were taken accordingly; thus, an extraordinary abundance was experienced. Today, however, the new generation hardly knows these things.”
The linguist Şemseddin Sami, in his dictionary Kâmusî Türkî, defines abundance (bereket) as follows:
“Bereket, whose plural in Arabic is berekât, means blessing, divine favor, and a heavenly gift. It signifies abundance and overflowing grace.”
Abundance is a warm and comforting concept—one that we wish would surround every moment of our lives.
To express abundance, we say, “This year the crops are very abundant.” We also refer to it with words such as blessedness, good fortune, and happiness, using phrases like “by the blessing of that person’s conversation” or “by the blessing of your prayer.” When we are extremely thirsty and find only a small amount of water, we still say, “A little water that suffices as if it were much,” to express its blessing.
The Key to Abundance: Lawful (Halal) Earnings
We believe that wealth not earned through lawful (halal) means carries no blessing, and many of us have experienced this repeatedly. Let it be little, but let it be lawful; its blessing is sufficient. In trade, we pray by saying, “May it be blessed,” and receive the reply, “May you see its blessing.”
Sometimes, while working in very hot weather—especially when fasting—we say, “Fortunately, the weather was cloudy; otherwise, we would have fainted from the heat,” thus attributing yet another meaning to blessing.
We dislike lack of blessing and wish it to stay far away from us.
With this in mind, we spoke with Uncle Mustafa İmamoğlu about abundance.
Wisdom from an Experienced Farmer
Uncle Mustafa is an experienced, old-school farmer who truly understands abundance. He first explained how deeply abundance is embedded in life and how the word itself reflects its meaning in our language.
While chatting with Uncle Mustafa, time passed like flowing water.
“These days,” he said, “we complain about the lack of blessing in both time and soil. Look at the farmers—they speak of modern agriculture and use all kinds of modern tools. In the end, there is produce, but no blessing. There is constant complaint. Everyone says there is not enough time. Above all, there is no gratitude for the blessings received. How can there be abundance then?”
We asked, “What was the abundance like in your time? What was the secret behind the fertility of the soil?”
As Uncle Mustafa shared his years of experience with deep insight, we realized that he was revealing remarkable secrets about abundance—things we had never heard of before or perhaps had not considered important.
What Are the Old Moon and the New Moon?
According to the lunar (Hijri) calendar—also known as the moon calendar—the days from the 1st to the 14th of the month are called the new moon period. The days after the 14th are called the old moon period.
Up to the 14th day, water circulates within living beings; after the 14th, the water recedes and returns to a normal state. Many of you may recall that due to the moon’s gravitational pull on Earth, tidal phenomena (ebb and flow) occur. When the moon is full, this is called a major tide; at other times, a minor tide.
Trees and Seeds Are More Productive During the Old Moon
When fields are prepared and seeds are sown, attention must be paid to whether it is the old or new moon. Trees planted and seeds sown during the new moon period are not productive.
According to the Hijri calendar, if trees are cut between the 1st and 15th of the month, they rot, bend, and become infested with worms because they have not yet drawn out their moisture. If cut after the 15th, when the moisture has receded, the wood becomes strong and durable.
Seeds sown after the 15th day yield abundant crops, and tree planting follows the same principle. In this way, produce becomes healthy and resistant to disease.
When planting trees, one should also ensure it is after the 15th and provide sufficient initial watering. Thus, trees will take root at a rate of up to 99% and grow well. Pruning done after the 15th likewise strengthens the tree and increases yield. People in the past knew this well and planned their planting, sowing, and pruning accordingly.
The same applies to grafting. Grafts done during the old moon have a very high success rate and increase crop abundance.
I would especially like to draw the attention of authorities: if this principle is also followed in forest planting and logging, timber will be stronger and more durable wherever it is used. It will last longer, and every stage of production will become more blessed.
Unfortunately, these practices are gradually being forgotten today.
Strong Generations of Humans and Animals
People in the past also understood matters related to animals very well, but the new generation hardly knows these things. If livestock breeding is done during the old moon, the offspring will be healthier, more productive, and grow faster. If healthy livestock cannot be obtained, breeding may have been done during the new moon.
The same applies to humans. A child conceived during the old moon is believed to be healthier and more intelligent.
For the sake of healthy generations, attention should be paid to this. In the past, people did not use so much medicine or go from doctor to doctor as they do today. Nowadays, this is called preventive medicine. The Ministry of Health should also raise public awareness in this regard.
As we said goodbye to Uncle Mustafa after such a blessed conversation, we did not forget to thank him for this treasure-like knowledge.