How is the hadith: (Fast upon its sighting) reconciled with the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas that every land has its own sighting?
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The questioner : ... reconciling the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas: , he said, this is ... the hadith regarding the sighting of each land when the one from Sham came to him?
The Shaykh : ... In this hadith of Ibn Abbas, there is no explicit statement that the Messenger ordered the people to fast, each of them according to the sighting of his country, in this hadith of Ibn Abbas there is no explicit statement; so are you remembering its wording?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : ... Okay, I remember that the hadith contains that Kuraib came from Sham, so he informed him that Mu'awiyah fasted; meaning: started fasting Ramadan, I think he said to him: on Saturday, so he said: As for us, we fast according to the sighting of the people of al-Madinah. He said to him: Will you not fast according to the sighting of Mu'awiyah? He said: No, this is how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us.
This is approximately, if not exactly, the wording of the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas. And in that case, as you see, it does not explicitly contradict the general statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):. Rather, the answer of Ibn 'Abbas was a response to a specific issue, the nature of which was that there were two regions: the region of Madinah in the Hijaz and the region of Sham. The region of Madinah fasted on a day different from the day of fasting in Sham, and it was not possible for either region to know when the other would fast due to the distance between them. However, when Kuraib returned, he came after the people of Madinah had already begun fasting before he arrived with news. He was able to inform Ibn 'Abbas that the people of Sham, following the order of Mu'awiyah, had fasted on Saturday, for example. Ibn 'Abbas replied that we fast according to the sighting of our land. He said to him: Will you not fast according to the sighting of the moon in Sham? He said to him: No, this is how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us. So, "this is how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us" refers to this discrepancy that occurred between the start of fasting in Madinah and in Damascus. If the people of Madinah had adhered to fasting based on the sighting of Mu'awiyah, there might have been a deficiency in their fasting. Suppose the people of Madinah fasted on Sunday, and the people of Damascus fasted on Saturday, then they broke their fast based on fasting for twenty-nine days, and then celebrated the festival. If the people of Madinah celebrated the festival with the people of Sham, they would have missed one day, and they would have been ahead by ... a day.
Therefore, the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas addresses a specific case: when one region begins fasting on a day different from another region. In that case, each region is allowed to complete its fast based on its own sighting. Either they see the moon for breaking the fast or exiting Ramadan, or if it is cloudy for them, they complete thirty days. Otherwise, matters would become confused between the two lands, and the lawful fasting would not be completed. This is what Ibn 'Abbas meant when he said: "This is how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us." And in that case, this does not contradict the general statement:; as evidenced by the fact that the one who says: like me, for example, says in a case like that of Kuraib: each has its own sighting, each has its own sighting.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ... No, because Kuraib came after each of the two countries had entered fasting with its own sighting, so he exits - also - from fasting with its own sighting; because if they differ in entering and agree in exiting, confusion may occur; either an extra day or a missing day.
The questioner : ... with the availability of means in one day, for example if the ruler has the means available.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : ... occurs.
The Shaykh : ... It does not occur, this occurs correctly; so I tell you that the hadith of Ibn Abbas treated a specific detail, the correct one is that it does not occur.
Yes.
Fast when you see it
صوموا لرؤيتهThe Shaykh : ... In this hadith of Ibn Abbas, there is no explicit statement that the Messenger ordered the people to fast, each of them according to the sighting of his country, in this hadith of Ibn Abbas there is no explicit statement; so are you remembering its wording?
The questioner: No.
The Shaykh : ... Okay, I remember that the hadith contains that Kuraib came from Sham, so he informed him that Mu'awiyah fasted; meaning: started fasting Ramadan, I think he said to him: on Saturday, so he said: As for us, we fast according to the sighting of the people of al-Madinah. He said to him: Will you not fast according to the sighting of Mu'awiyah? He said: No, this is how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us.
This is approximately, if not exactly, the wording of the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas. And in that case, as you see, it does not explicitly contradict the general statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Fast when you see it
صوموا لرؤيتهTherefore, the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas addresses a specific case: when one region begins fasting on a day different from another region. In that case, each region is allowed to complete its fast based on its own sighting. Either they see the moon for breaking the fast or exiting Ramadan, or if it is cloudy for them, they complete thirty days. Otherwise, matters would become confused between the two lands, and the lawful fasting would not be completed. This is what Ibn 'Abbas meant when he said: "This is how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us." And in that case, this does not contradict the general statement:
Fast when you see it
صوموا لرؤيتهFast when you see it
صوموا لرؤيتهThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ... No, because Kuraib came after each of the two countries had entered fasting with its own sighting, so he exits - also - from fasting with its own sighting; because if they differ in entering and agree in exiting, confusion may occur; either an extra day or a missing day.
The questioner : ... with the availability of means in one day, for example if the ruler has the means available.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : ... occurs.
The Shaykh : ... It does not occur, this occurs correctly; so I tell you that the hadith of Ibn Abbas treated a specific detail, the correct one is that it does not occur.
Yes.
Source
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