What is the ruling on the multiplicity of moon sightings and the disagreement among Muslims regarding the fasting of the month of Ramadan? And is it permissible for us to follow Saudi Arabia because they see it, and to oppose the people of the country?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Okay, is there a difference between being in Saudi Arabia in the sacred month and in Ramadan?
The Shaykh : No.
The questioner : Okay, why?
The Shaykh : In terms of establishing the fact, there is no difference, but in terms of the phenomenon of disagreement.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : We say that in that case, each country fasts with its own country, because the original principle when we establish this issue is that all Islamic countries fast.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Based on a single sighting, but this original principle has been disrupted in Islamic countries; they do not apply it, correct?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, so the reality is that Islamic countries are not committed to this original principle, so they are divided. This division, of course, is not permissible in the Shari'ah because it is a general hadith:, and so on. But if we hold fast to this original principle in our country, for example, the division will increase, and the disagreement will increase. The disagreement was previously between one people and another, and it will become disagreement within the people themselves: some of them fasted and some broke the fast, some celebrated the festival and some did not celebrate. Islam addresses issues of division and tries to prioritize the lesser harm over the greater harm. Is that clear to you?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And the hadith:, supports this rule?!
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : The hadith:?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Meaning it aligns with this rule, the rule of unity?
The Shaykh : Of course, of course it aligns. The people here now fasted contrary to Saudi Arabia, so we fast with them so that we do not become divided and increase division upon division.
The questioner : Yes, okay. And those who argue with the difference in moon sightings, and the sighting of Ibn 'Abbas when he went to Sham and they said, "We fasted before you"?
The Shaykh : Do you settle down there?!
The student : We will finish.
The Shaykh : Not with the return.
The student : With the return, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : The hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, my brother, has no relation to the issue of the difference in moon sightings!
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : It has a relation to the fact that they started fasting, so they complete what they started with, because if we were linked with Saudi Arabia, our fasting might be either short by a day or long by a day.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : As for us fasting separately and breaking the fast separately, this is the original principle.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Do you remember that in the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas there is:?! So he fasts with those who saw the crescent on Saturday, and there is no contradiction with the hadith: Sahih Muslim 1081b.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, may Allah honor you, O my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : No.
The questioner : Okay, why?
The Shaykh : In terms of establishing the fact, there is no difference, but in terms of the phenomenon of disagreement.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : We say that in that case, each country fasts with its own country, because the original principle when we establish this issue is that all Islamic countries fast.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Based on a single sighting, but this original principle has been disrupted in Islamic countries; they do not apply it, correct?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, so the reality is that Islamic countries are not committed to this original principle, so they are divided. This division, of course, is not permissible in the Shari'ah because it is a general hadith:
Fast when you see it
صوموا لرؤيتهThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And the hadith:
Fasting is the day the people fast
الصوم يوم يصوم الناسThe Shaykh : How?
The questioner : The hadith:
Fasting is the day the people fast
الصوم يوم يصوم الناسThe Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Meaning it aligns with this rule, the rule of unity?
The Shaykh : Of course, of course it aligns. The people here now fasted contrary to Saudi Arabia, so we fast with them so that we do not become divided and increase division upon division.
The questioner : Yes, okay. And those who argue with the difference in moon sightings, and the sighting of Ibn 'Abbas when he went to Sham and they said, "We fasted before you"?
The Shaykh : Do you settle down there?!
The student : We will finish.
The Shaykh : Not with the return.
The student : With the return, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : The hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, my brother, has no relation to the issue of the difference in moon sightings!
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : It has a relation to the fact that they started fasting, so they complete what they started with, because if we were linked with Saudi Arabia, our fasting might be either short by a day or long by a day.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : As for us fasting separately and breaking the fast separately, this is the original principle.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Do you remember that in the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas there is:
As for us, we saw the crescent on Saturday
أما نحن فرأينا الهلال يوم السبتObserve fast on sighting it (the new moon) and break (fast) on sighting it (the new moon)
صوموا لرؤيته ، وأفطروا لرؤيتهThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, may Allah honor you, O my Shaykh.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.