• Prayers & Duties >> Sawm (Fasting)

    Question ID: 1512Country: United States of America

    Title: The month of ramadahn usually brings a challenge to our community, everyone follows the opinion that they consider strong and starts the month accordingly. For the sake of unity is it allowed to adopt an opinion that may be considered weak. Like in my community we always differ on when Ramadhan will start, some people want to start with the country that sights the crescent first (usually Arab brothers take the opinion la ibra fi ikhtilaf al matalie), some want to follow local sighting, some want to follow continental sighting (usually south Asians), So as a Imam or knowledable person in the community is it OK to start ramadhan with a group in an attempt to unite the muslims (so we do not give or become the laughing stock of the media) even if the opinion is a weak one like: 1-there is no consideration for a matlaa all over the world 2-It is OK to confirm the entry of a month wholey on astronomical calculations? Please answer this and help is unite.

    Question: The month of ramadahn usually brings a challenge to our community, everyone follows the opinion that they consider strong and starts the month accordingly. For the sake of unity is it allowed to adopt an opinion that may be considered weak. Like in my community we always differ on when Ramadhan will start, some people want to start with the country that sights the crescent first (usually Arab brothers take the opinion la ibra fi ikhtilaf al matalie), some want to follow local sighting, some want to follow continental sighting (usually south Asians), So as a Imam or knowledable person in the community is it OK to start ramadhan with a group in an attempt to unite the muslims (so we do not give or become the laughing stock of the media) even if the opinion is a weak one like: 1-there is no consideration for a matlaa all over the world 2-It is OK to confirm the entry of a month wholey on astronomical calculations? Please answer this and help is unite.

    Answer ID: 1512

    Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim !

    (Fatwa: 970/904=B)

     

    Hazrat Imam Tirmizi put a heading in his book Jame-e-Tirmizi: لکل اھل بلد رویتھم i.e. people of every city have to follow their moon sighting. If the moon was not sighted in the city they will complete the month by 30th day provided they do not receive any confirmed news from other city. The confirmation from other city can be categorized as below: (1) witness of moon sighting (2) witness on witness (3) witness on ruling of a hakim; two just and reliable men bear witness that they have sighted the moon, or two just and reliable men bear witness that the qazi of so and so place accepted witness of moon sighting in our presence, or they bear witness that the qazi of so and so place announced moon sighting in our presence. If these rules are followed there will never be a controversy.

    Allah (Subhana Wa Ta'ala) knows Best

    Darul Ifta,

    Darul Uloom Deoband, India