Ruling on a Fasting Person Who Broke His Fast Based on the Sighting of the Crescent in a Neighboring City

This is a message from the questioner, Fathi Ahmad Mahmoud Salem, an Egyptian working in Iraq. He says: I broke my fast on the last day of Ramadan in Iraq after hearing the confirmation of the crescent on the Saudi Arabian radio, the Syrian radio, and others. I broke my fast based on that, knowing that the people of the country where I reside are still fasting. What is the ruling in this case, and what is the reason for the difference of opinion among people regarding Ramadan?
Answer: It is obligatory for you to remain with the people of your country; if they break their fast, break your fast with them, and if they fast, fast with them. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , and because disagreement is evil. Therefore, it is obligatory for you to be with the people of your country. If the Muslims in your country break their fast, break your fast with them, and if they fast, fast with them. As for the reason for the difference, it is that some people may see the crescent while others do not. Then, those who see the crescent may be trusted by others, who then feel reassured by them and act upon their sighting. Or they may not be trusted, and thus others do not act upon their sighting. This is why the disagreement occurred. One state may see it and rule accordingly, fasting based on it, while another state may not be convinced by this sighting or may not trust the first state, or there may be political tensions between them, so politics has an effect in this matter.
The point is that it is obligatory for Muslims to fast collectively when the crescent is sighted, due to the generality of his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): , and his statement: . This encompasses the entire Muslim community. If everyone is reassured of the validity of the sighting and that it is a true, established sighting, then it is obligatory to fast and break the fast based on it. However, if people differ, as is the case in reality, and some do not trust others, then you must fast with the Muslims in your country and break the fast with them, acting in accordance with his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): . It is established from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that Kuraib informed him that the people of Sham fasted on Friday and the people of Madinah fasted on Saturday. Ibn 'Abbas, in the first century, said: "We saw it on Saturday, so we will continue to fast until we see the crescent or complete thirty days." He did not act upon the sighting of the people of Sham because of the distance of Sham from Madinah, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) considered this a matter of independent legal reasoning. So you have a precedent in Ibn 'Abbas: fast with the people of your country and break the fast with the people of your country. And success is from Allah.
The presenter: What is the ruling regarding this day on which he broke his fast? Does he have to make it up?
The Shaykh: He fasted? He did not break his fast?
The presenter: He broke his fast on the last day of Ramadan, and the people of Iraq are fasting?
The Shaykh: He does not have to make up this day because it is not a day of Ramadan. It has been established that it is not from Ramadan. However, if he had not broken his fast, that would have been better. But since he broke his fast, he does not have to make it up, because it has been established that it is from Shawwal, not from Ramadan. However, fasting with them is in the category of avoiding disagreement. But since the matter has occurred, we believe he does not have to make it up, because it has been established by several witnesses that it is from Shawwal.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.