What is the ruling on one who deliberately delays the pre-dawn meal after the call to prayer on the grounds that the calendar is not accurate?
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The questioner : Shaykh, what is the ruling on one who deliberately eats or drinks after hearing the call to prayer, for example five minutes later, on the grounds that the mu'adhdhin calls to prayer according to the calendar and the calendar is not accurate?
The Shaykh : Yes, there is nothing wrong with this; this is a case of interpretation. The calendar we have in hand, the Am al-Qura calendar, is certainly five minutes early regarding the dawn. However, the point to consider now is that, even if we assume it is extremely accurate, do not clocks differ? Yes. If we estimate that the call is at five and a quarter, for example, and the mu'adhdhin's clock is five minutes fast, that means he called at what time? What time?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : This mu'adhdhin's clock is five minutes fast, and the call is at five and a quarter. So if he calls at five and a quarter, the meaning is that
The student: And ten.
The Shaykh : It is five and ten. It is five and ten. The time has not yet entered. So the matter, from the perspective of trusting the mu'adhdhin's call, is... But if we know that this mu'adhdhin is a decisive, trustworthy man who sets his clock exactly and calls according to the calendar, then as I told you: the calendar is five minutes early regarding the dawn, so there is no problem. Regarding the sunset, people have told me that they saw the sun, even though according to the timing it had already set. This indicates that the calendar may be early. But we say that what is not apparent, the original assumption, if Allah wills, is that the calendar is correct. And as for what is apparent, if the contrary becomes clear, it is contradicted.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : The question is for someone else.
The Shaykh : Yes, there is nothing wrong with this; this is a case of interpretation. The calendar we have in hand, the Am al-Qura calendar, is certainly five minutes early regarding the dawn. However, the point to consider now is that, even if we assume it is extremely accurate, do not clocks differ? Yes. If we estimate that the call is at five and a quarter, for example, and the mu'adhdhin's clock is five minutes fast, that means he called at what time? What time?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : This mu'adhdhin's clock is five minutes fast, and the call is at five and a quarter. So if he calls at five and a quarter, the meaning is that
The student: And ten.
The Shaykh : It is five and ten. It is five and ten. The time has not yet entered. So the matter, from the perspective of trusting the mu'adhdhin's call, is... But if we know that this mu'adhdhin is a decisive, trustworthy man who sets his clock exactly and calls according to the calendar, then as I told you: the calendar is five minutes early regarding the dawn, so there is no problem. Regarding the sunset, people have told me that they saw the sun, even though according to the timing it had already set. This indicates that the calendar may be early. But we say that what is not apparent, the original assumption, if Allah wills, is that the calendar is correct. And as for what is apparent, if the contrary becomes clear, it is contradicted.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : The question is for someone else.