Is the hadith (Fasting is the day the people fast) evidence that it is obligatory for us to fast with the country in which we are?

The Shaykh : The principle is that all Muslims fast.

The questioner : So, is the hadith not evidence?

The Shaykh : This is evidence for all Muslims fasting together.

The questioner : Some of our brothers use this hadith as evidence for what you have stated.The Shaykh: No.

The questioner : But, our Shaykh.

The Shaykh : This falls under the category of repelling a greater harm by a lesser one; otherwise, the principle is that all Muslims fast. The people of the West fast based on the sighting of the people of the East, and vice versa, if that is valid. Then all Muslims fast one single fast.

The questioner : But what happens is...

The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. But what happens is that the Muslims are divided in their fasting, just as they are divided in everything. If the people of one country or region fast before another region, and the other region wants to adhere to the original ruling , then one country will be divided into two parts. It is enough for us that the countries are divided from one another; we do not want to add to the division by having the people of one country, or even one household, with some fasting and some breaking the fast. This is something the Shari'ah rejects. Therefore, the rule of repelling a greater harm by a lesser one is what prompted us to say what you heard. There is no specific evidence for this; the specific evidence is that all Muslims fast one single fast. Even if one region is delayed by one, two, three, or four hours relative to another region, as the distance increases, the delay increases, but they fast based on the sighting of any country.