The Muslims in the West: Who do they follow regarding the entry of Ramadan?

The questioner : What remains for us is the case of those who are in the Western countries.

The Shaykh : There is no Muslim state that attends to this matter and observes the moon. So, the most reasonable view is that they should follow the country closest to them, provided that country rules by moon sighting. This is the reasonable approach. Some scholars have said that they should follow Makkah, because Makkah is the mother of cities, as Allah the Mighty and Majestic named it. So, when the moon is confirmed in Makkah, it is obligatory for people who do not have an independent Islamic state to follow it in fasting and breaking the fast. However, the closest option is that they should follow the Islamic country nearest to these Western countries, unless the Muslim community in these disbeliever countries has an association that binds them. In that case, they should follow the association and not deviate from it, because this association is considered in the position of an imam. So, they follow this association. Yes.

The questioner : Shaykh, in every disbeliever country, is it obligatory for those living there to follow a specific association? Is it possible for someone to live without joining it?

The Shaykh : What do they follow?

The questioner : The association, Shaykh. Does it require joining? I mean, is it just about its existence, or...

The Shaykh : No, no. There are organizations in disbeliever countries, and in some disbeliever countries there are no organizations.

The questioner : Is it obligatory, meaning, to join it?

The Shaykh : Yes, in terms of religious guidance. Yes.