Some fast Ramadan based on the sighting of the crescent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while others fast according to the country in which they reside, which causes some differences in determining the start of Ramadan
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The questioner : Some fast Ramadan based on the sighting of the crescent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while others fast according to the country in which they reside, which causes some differences in determining the start of Ramadan. How should one act? May Allah reward us and the Muslims with the best reward.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
This issue, namely the issue of the crescent, is a matter of disagreement among the scholars:
Some hold that if the sighting of the crescent is established in a place in a legally valid manner, then it is obligatory for all Muslims to fast if it is the crescent of Ramadan, and to break the fast if it is the crescent of Shawwal. This is the well-known position in the madhhab of Imam Ahmad. Accordingly, if it is sighted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for example, it is obligatory for all Muslims in all regions to act upon this sighting by fasting in Ramadan and breaking the fast in Shawwal. This is the well-known position in the madhhab of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him). They cited as evidence for this the generality of the statement of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:185] and the generality of the statement of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 1080g They said: The address is to the Muslims, and it includes all Muslims in all regions of the earth.
Some scholars say that it is not obligatory to fast for the crescent of Ramadan or to break the fast for Shawwal except for the one who saw the crescent or was in a region that matches the region of the one who saw it in terms of the horizon of the crescent, because the horizons of the crescent differ, as agreed upon by those knowledgeable in this matter. If they differ, then each country must be judged by its own sighting. Other countries follow it if they match it in the horizon of the crescent, and if not, they do not. This is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). They cited as evidence for this view the statement of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:185] and the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 1080g That is, with the same evidence cited by those who hold the general obligation of fasting for everyone if the sighting is established in a place in the lands of the Muslims, but the argumentation differs.
The argumentation of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah regarding this verse and hadith is that the ruling is tied to the witness and the one who sees it. This implies that the one who did not witness it and did not see it is not bound by the ruling of the crescent. Therefore, if the horizons differ, the countries that do not match the country of the sighting have not witnessed the crescent nor seen it, and thus the rulings of the crescent are not established for them.
This is undoubtedly a strong argument and stronger than the first one, and it is supported by reflection and analogical reasoning. If the Lawgiver tied the abstention of the fasting person to the appearance of dawn and the breaking of the fast to the setting of the sun, and Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:187] The Lawgiver tied the ruling to the clarity of the appearance of dawn for abstention and to the night for breaking the fast. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 1918, 1919 and he said: It is known by the consensus of the Muslims that this ruling is not general for all countries, but it is specific to each country in which this matter is established. For this reason, you find that people in the East abstain before people in the West and break their fast before them according to the clarity of dawn and the setting of the sun. If the daily timing is tied to each country according to its own circumstances, then the monthly timing is tied to each country according to its own circumstances.
By this, it becomes clear that the view chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) is the stronger view in terms of both textual evidence and reasoning.
There is a third view that people follow their imam. If the imam, who is the highest authority in the country, declares the entry of the crescent, and this is based on the evidence of the Shari'ah, then it is obligatory to act upon this crescent by fasting in Ramadan and breaking the fast in Shawwal. If he does not declare it, then there is no fasting and no breaking of the fast. They cited as evidence for this view the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 802Sahih (Darussalam) This is what is practiced in our current time.
Based on this, we say to the questioner: It is better not to oppose the people. Or, to put it more accurately, it is better not to display opposition to the people. If you hold that it is obligatory to act upon the first view, and that if the sighting of the crescent is established in a place in the lands of the Muslims in a legally valid manner, it is obligatory to act upon it, and your country does not act upon this and holds one of the other two views, then you should not display opposition, because that leads to fitnah, chaos, and conflict. You can fast secretly for the crescent of Ramadan and break the fast secretly for the crescent of Shawwal. As for this opposition, it is not appropriate and is not what Islam commands.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
This issue, namely the issue of the crescent, is a matter of disagreement among the scholars:
Some hold that if the sighting of the crescent is established in a place in a legally valid manner, then it is obligatory for all Muslims to fast if it is the crescent of Ramadan, and to break the fast if it is the crescent of Shawwal. This is the well-known position in the madhhab of Imam Ahmad. Accordingly, if it is sighted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for example, it is obligatory for all Muslims in all regions to act upon this sighting by fasting in Ramadan and breaking the fast in Shawwal. This is the well-known position in the madhhab of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him). They cited as evidence for this the generality of the statement of Allah the Exalted:
So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it
فمن شهد منكم الشهر فليصمهWhen you see the new moon, observe fast, and when you see it (again) then break it
إذا رأيتموه فصوموا وإذا رأيتموه فأفطرواSome scholars say that it is not obligatory to fast for the crescent of Ramadan or to break the fast for Shawwal except for the one who saw the crescent or was in a region that matches the region of the one who saw it in terms of the horizon of the crescent, because the horizons of the crescent differ, as agreed upon by those knowledgeable in this matter. If they differ, then each country must be judged by its own sighting. Other countries follow it if they match it in the horizon of the crescent, and if not, they do not. This is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). They cited as evidence for this view the statement of Allah the Exalted:
So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it
فمن شهد منكم الشهر فليصمهWhen you see the new moon, observe fast, and when you see it (again) then break it
إذا رأيتموه فصوموا وإذا رأيتموه فأفطرواThe argumentation of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah regarding this verse and hadith is that the ruling is tied to the witness and the one who sees it. This implies that the one who did not witness it and did not see it is not bound by the ruling of the crescent. Therefore, if the horizons differ, the countries that do not match the country of the sighting have not witnessed the crescent nor seen it, and thus the rulings of the crescent are not established for them.
This is undoubtedly a strong argument and stronger than the first one, and it is supported by reflection and analogical reasoning. If the Lawgiver tied the abstention of the fasting person to the appearance of dawn and the breaking of the fast to the setting of the sun, and Allah the Exalted said:
So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset.
فالآن باشروهن وابتغوا ما كتب الله لكم وكلوا واشربوا حتى يتبين لكم الخيط الأبيض من الخيط الأسود من الفجر ثم أتموا الصيام إلى الليلCarry on taking your meals (eat and drink) till Ibn Um Maktum pronounces the Adhan, for he does not pronounce it till it is dawn.
كلوا واشربوا حتى تسمعوا أذان ابن أم مكتوم فإنه لا يؤذن حتى يطلع الفجرWhen the night approaches from here, and he pointed to the east, and the day departs from here, and he pointed to the west, and the sun sets, then the fasting person has broken his fast.
إذا أقبل الليل من هاهنا وأشار إلى المشرق وأدبر النهار من هاهنا وأشار إلى المغرب وغربت الشمس فقد أفظر الصائمBy this, it becomes clear that the view chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) is the stronger view in terms of both textual evidence and reasoning.
There is a third view that people follow their imam. If the imam, who is the highest authority in the country, declares the entry of the crescent, and this is based on the evidence of the Shari'ah, then it is obligatory to act upon this crescent by fasting in Ramadan and breaking the fast in Shawwal. If he does not declare it, then there is no fasting and no breaking of the fast. They cited as evidence for this view the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Al-Fitr is the day that the people break the fast, and Al-Adha is the day that the people sacrifice.
الفطر يوم يفطر الناس والأضحى يوم يضحي الناسBased on this, we say to the questioner: It is better not to oppose the people. Or, to put it more accurately, it is better not to display opposition to the people. If you hold that it is obligatory to act upon the first view, and that if the sighting of the crescent is established in a place in the lands of the Muslims in a legally valid manner, it is obligatory to act upon it, and your country does not act upon this and holds one of the other two views, then you should not display opposition, because that leads to fitnah, chaos, and conflict. You can fast secretly for the crescent of Ramadan and break the fast secretly for the crescent of Shawwal. As for this opposition, it is not appropriate and is not what Islam commands.