In the Islamic Republic of Kazakhstan, the month of fasting, its entry, and the day of the festival are determined astronomically, mathematically, or by estimation, without visual sighting.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner: O our Shaykh, we have encountered a problem in Ramadan, and by the grace of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), we coincided with our Shaykh on the issue that here in the Republic of Kazakhstan, although it is considered an Islamic republic, their timing for fasting and breaking the fast is either an approximation to Turkey... or a blind ijtihad from there, you know how the Hanafi school is there, meaning how their fanaticism is. There, the mufti arrives and says, "Break the fast tomorrow" or "Fast tomorrow," meaning he determines Ramadan a month in advance, or perhaps even a year in advance. So the youth here fell into confusion: should they follow the Arab countries, and they said, "By sharing the evidence... this talk," or should they fast according to the fasting of the people of this land, considering that they are Muslims, even if they err, and considering that they have a religious authority, a mufti, and an Islamic community? May Allah reward you, O Shaykh!
The Shaykh: If this mufti follows one of the schools of jurisprudence followed by the people of the Sunnah, then follow him; otherwise, do not. Perhaps you understood me?
The questioner: You do not rely on a school of jurisprudence, meaning, rather, it relies on the man himself.
The Shaykh: My brother, may Allah guide you, do not repeat the question. Did you understand the answer?
The questioner: If you repeat it, O Shaykh, may Allah reward you, I will understand the issue.
The Shaykh: Yes, may Allah guide you, you have taken up a lot of time, and yet you want to waste even more time.
The questioner: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: I say, if the mufti adheres to one of the four schools of jurisprudence in his fatwa, then you follow his fatwa; otherwise, you exercise ijtihad yourselves based on the Sunnah and the sighting of the crescent moon, or you fast according to the sighting of the country that announces fasting before another country.
The questioner: The first country, meaning?
The Shaykh: The first country.
The questioner: Yes, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: If this mufti follows one of the schools of jurisprudence followed by the people of the Sunnah, then follow him; otherwise, do not. Perhaps you understood me?
The questioner: You do not rely on a school of jurisprudence, meaning, rather, it relies on the man himself.
The Shaykh: My brother, may Allah guide you, do not repeat the question. Did you understand the answer?
The questioner: If you repeat it, O Shaykh, may Allah reward you, I will understand the issue.
The Shaykh: Yes, may Allah guide you, you have taken up a lot of time, and yet you want to waste even more time.
The questioner: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: I say, if the mufti adheres to one of the four schools of jurisprudence in his fatwa, then you follow his fatwa; otherwise, you exercise ijtihad yourselves based on the Sunnah and the sighting of the crescent moon, or you fast according to the sighting of the country that announces fasting before another country.
The questioner: The first country, meaning?
The Shaykh: The first country.
The questioner: Yes, may Allah reward you with good.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.