When does the fasting person break his fast? And do they unify in breaking the fast just as they unify in the sighting of the new moon?

The questioner: His EminenceThe Shaykh : The principle you referred to, the great principle of the agreement of the Muslim community where possible, especially under the guidance of the Prophet, is breaking the fast during the day of fasting when the sun sets. And this phenomenon observed now is that sometimes people attend the iftar table in the mosques, and some of the youth rush to break their fast, perhaps three or four minutes early, even though this principle also exists in one country, like in Amman or Damascus, where the unity of the Muslim community in breaking the fast is considered along with new considerations. In reality, in cities now, one city extends over a distance of twenty or thirty kilometers, so the sun sets at the beginning of it there, while from the other end, it takes two or three or four minutes for the sun to set?

The Shaykh: Perfect.

The questioner : Should there not be a directive now to adhere to the adhan, as long as the matter is within the limit of two, three, or four minutes? It is not like the Shi'ah who wait until the stars intertwine; rather, they take the setting of the sun as the basis, but for specific considerations like the vastness of cities. For example, in Suwaylih, they sometimes say the adhan is called, and we can almost see the sun when the mu'adhdhin calls, while on the other side, toward al-Zarqa, the sun has already set.

The Shaykh : This is an argument for the opposite of what is implied in your speech. If we adhere to the adhan, do the people of Suwaylih break their fast?

The questioner : By observing this precaution of three or four minutes...

The Shaykh : No, no, here the case is the opposite. The adhan is called for some areas, as I explained, minutes after the sun has set. And I tell you, for my house, it is eight minutes, no less, but it is exactly the opposite. And we have seen this with our own eyes. And you have now brought up a new example: in Suwaylih, they hear the adhan and the sun has not set. Do they break their fast on the adhan?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh : So this does not correspond to its counterpart. A man sees the sun set with his own eyes but does not hear the adhan. I want to draw your attention to the fact that this matter is completely different from that, from the issue of the appearance of the moon and its non-appearance.

Another questioner : Peace be upon you

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.

The questioner : In the same area, in the same place, people's ijtihad differs regarding the setting of the sun and its non-setting. That is, if we tasked three people to call the adhan in three mosques, one of them would say the sun has set, the second would say it set one or two minutes ago, and the third would say it is like this. The disagreement of this ignorant community over three or four minutes, this thing happens and differs according to differences in ijtihad. That is, it is not precise to this degree. That is, the people who are on one methodology, who follow the Sunnah, who have minds, and who have the ability to determine, have not agreed with one hundred percent precision in this matter.

The Shaykh : Here, may Allah reward you...

The questioner : In the same neighborhood, we are not going to move to the level of Istanbul or Amman or the level of Damascus; it will be at the level of the same neighborhood that people differ.