Islam Essentials

On Ramadan and Moon Sighting - When should we start?

By Hamzah Abdi

Every year we Muslims, and especially the ones in the West, fall into debating and arguing about the start of Ramadan. Surely this is an important issue that has repercussions. Yet when we go to the bottom of it, it really boils down to the fact that we use opinions and get emotional about something we know nothing about, using our judgment not backed up with evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Thus, I thought it would be of benefit to post this article on this subject to bring clarity.

The Prophet(Salallahu alayhi wasalam) said: “ We are illiterate nation; we neither write, nor know accounts. The month is like this and this, i.e. sometimes 29 days and sometimes 30” (Bukhari and Muslim).

The Prophet(Salallahu alayhi wasalam) described this Ummah, as a nation that does not use calculation unlike other nations, including Jews, Christians and Hindus that use calculation to know the timing of their worship. It is forbidden for us to imitate them, how sad that an organization claiming to represent the Muslims, ie ISNA, comes up with this new practice in opposition of this Hadeeth.

There is an Ijmaa’ among the scholars that determining the beginning of Ramadhan using astronomical calculations is not permissible. The fact of the matter is that in Islam, the beginning and end of the month is determined by the sighting of the moon and the timings of prayer (Salat) is are determined by the movement of the sun.

The Prophet(Salallahu alayhi wasalam) told us, “When you see the crescent start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of Shawaal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can’t see it) then Faqdoro lah regard the crescent (month) of Ramdan (as of 30 days)” (Bukhari and others).

The Madhab of Majority of the scholars is for the Muslims to fast when the crescent is seen regardless of the country they are in, and that different moon sightings in different lands does not matter. The proof they have is the generality of saying of the Prophet(Salallahu alayhi wasalam): “When you see the crescent start fasting”.

There is also the opinion of other scholars who have taken the position of Ibn Abbas (Radiya-Allahu anhu), Who was approached by Kurayb, saying that he had seen the moon the night of Friday in Sham. Ibn Abbas said: “But we saw the moon on Saturday night, therefore, we will keep thirty days fast according to that unless we sight the moon on the 29th.  Kurayb said: You don’t think the moon sighting of Muawiya and his fasting is enough for you. Ibn Abbas replied: this is how the Messenger of Allah instructed us.” (Muslim H.1819, Tirmizi H.629, Nasai H.2084, Abu-Dawood H.1985, Musnad Ahmad H.2653 Dar-qutni H.2234)

Those that say the moon sighting of another country does not make it compulsory upon them to start fasting use this Hadeeth as an evidence. Shaykh Al-Albani says, that this hadeeth is not a proof for this but it is a proof for one that starts fasting with the people of his locality should continue fasting based on the sighting of his locality until they see the moon or complete 30 days.

Ibn Taymiyyah concluded: “To summarize: a person who learns about the sighting of the moon in good time to be able to utilize it for fasting, for ending his fast, or for sacrifice, he must definitely do so. The texts [of Islam] and the reports about the Salaf point to this. To limit this to a certain distance or country would contradict both the reason and the Shar` (Islamic law).” [Al-Fatawa, volume 5, page 111]

The stronger evidence, and the Madhab of Jamhoor, suggests that the command of fasting and of breaking the fast when the new moon is sighted is a command which addresses all Muslims all over the world.

This argument has been strongly put forward by Shaykh Al-Albani (Rahimahullah) and is also the opinion that Ibn Baaz (Rahimahullah) who sees that Muslims should not be in a
state of confusion because the Shariah which is complete, came to unite the Muslims and not disunite them.

However until the Muslim Ummah comes together and abides by crescent sighting, the individual Muslim should begin fasting with the people of his locality and never be on his own so that not to create division among the Muslims.

We ask Allah to unite the Muslims and make it easy for them to understand His religion.

———————

Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us, verily You are the All-Hearing, the All-knowing.
And accept our repentance, truly You are the one who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.