The authentic hadiths indicate the obligation to rely on the sighting of the moon and not to consider astronomical calculations
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Question: Is it permissible to fast Ramadan and pray the festival prayer based on the calendar?
Answer: It is not permissible to rely on the calendar, which is calculation, for fasting and breaking the fast; because that contradicts the authentic hadiths. Rather, the basis is the sighting; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Muwatta Malik 18:3, and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan an-Nasa'i 2140Sahih (Darussalam) and he tucked in his thumb on the third: Sunan an-Nasa'i 2141Sahih (Darussalam) and he gestured with all his fingers, the hadith. By this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) meant that the month may be twenty-nine days and may be thirty days.
And he said (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 684Sahih (Darussalam).
And all of these are authentic hadiths, and they have multiple wordings, all of which agree in meaning. They indicate the obligation to rely on the sighting or to complete the number, and that it is not permissible to rely on calculation. This is what the scholars whose opinions are considered have said. And success is from Allah.
Answer: It is not permissible to rely on the calendar, which is calculation, for fasting and breaking the fast; because that contradicts the authentic hadiths. Rather, the basis is the sighting; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Do not start the fast or break it until you see the new moon. If the new moon is obscured from you, then complete a full thirty days.
لا تصوموا حتى تروا الهلال، ولا تفطروا حتى تروه فإن غم عليكم فأكملوا العدة ثلاثينWe are an unlettered Ummah, we do not use astronomical counting or computation. The month is like this, and this, and this,
إنا أمة أمية لا نكتب ولا نحسب الشهر هكذا وهكذا وهكذاThe month is like this, and this, and this
والشهر هكذا وهكذا وهكذاAnd he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
Fast with its sighting and break fast with its sighting, and if it is cloudy, then count for thirty days
صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته؛ فإن غم عليكم فعدوا ثلاثينAnd all of these are authentic hadiths, and they have multiple wordings, all of which agree in meaning. They indicate the obligation to rely on the sighting or to complete the number, and that it is not permissible to rely on calculation. This is what the scholars whose opinions are considered have said. And success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
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