The Ruling on Casting Doubt on the Time of the Fajr Prayer

Question:
A questioner says: These days, many messages have spread on mobile phones casting doubt on the time of the Fajr prayer, claiming that it is advanced by approximately seventeen minutes.

Answer:
A group of pretenders and those who sow confusion among Muslims are casting doubt on acts of worship. These people cast doubt on acts of worship. They say that the Tarawih prayer is a religious innovation (bid'ah). They say that praying before the time is such and such. They say that fasting before the time is such and such. One should not pay attention to them. The ruling in this land is that one must act according to the Umm al-Qura calendar, which is what the authority has adopted and disseminated. So, do not pay attention to these manipulators whose only concern is casting doubt and whose only concern is finding fault with people. They have no concern other than this. Do not pay attention to them or to their words. Yes.