Source: Silsilatul-Ahaadeeth As-Saheehah 224 (1/440-445)
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Regarding the hadeeth:
"Fasting begins on the day you all begin to fast, and Al-Fitr (the
'Eed) is the day when you all have broken your fasts." [1]
At-Tirmithee, after mentioning this hadeeth, said, "And some of the
people of knowledge explained this hadeeth, saying that fasting and
breaking the fast are both to be done along with the main body and
majority ofthe Muslims."
And As-San'aanee said, "In it is evidence that proves that agreement
of the people is needed for establishing the 'Eed, and that the one
who is alone in his knowledge of the moon sighting must go along with
the others, andtheir decision regarding the prayer, the breaking ofthe
fast, and the day of slaughtering is binding on him." [2]
And Ibnul-Qayyim, may Allaah have Mercy on him, explained this,
saying, "And it has been said (by the people of knowledge) that there
is a refutation in this for those who say that a person can fast and
break his fast based on calculated estimations, without others having
knowledge of this. And it has also been said that if alone witness
sights the moon, and the judge does not accept his sighting (forsome
reason), then he himself does not begin his fast based on it, nor do
thepeople begin their fasts based on it." [3]
And Abul-Hasan As-Sindee,after mentioning the hadeeth of Aboo
Hurayrahfound in At-Tirmithee's Sunan , said, "And what is apparent
from the hadeeth's meaning is that these affairs are not for
individuals, it is not for people to act alone in these affairs.
Rather, the decision is to be made by the imaam and the main body of
Muslims. It is obligatory for all individuals to follow the imaam and
the main bodyof Muslims. So therefore, if one person sees the moon,and
the imaam does not accept his testimony, then he has no right to go
off on his own in these affairs,rather he must go along with the
jamaa'ah." [4]
I say (Al-Albaanee): This is what seems to be understood from the
hadeeth. This understanding is supported by the way 'Aa'ishah used it
(the hadeeth) as a proof against Masrooq when he did not want to fast
on the day of 'Arafah, fearing that it may actually be theday of
An-Nahr (the 'Eed). She clarified to him that his opinion has no
weight,and that he must follow the jamaa'ah . She said, "The Day of
An-Nahr ('Eed Al-Adh-haa, the day of slaughtering) is the day the
people slaughter, and the Day of ('Eed) Al-Fitr is the day the people
break their fasts."
I say (Al-Albaanee): And this is what is befitting to the gracious
Sharee'ah that seeks to bring the people together and unite their
ranks, keeping them away from individual opinions that split their
unity. So the Sharee'ah does not give weight to the opinion of an
individual regarding acts of community worship likefasting,
establishing the day of the 'Eed, and praying in congregation, even
when the individual is correct as he sees it.
Don't you see that the Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them,
used to pray behind each other, while some of themheld that touching a
woman or bleeding nullifies one's wudhoo' , and others did not
understand that? And some of them used to pray the entire prayer
during their travels and others would shorten theirs? Their differing
in these affairs and others did not prevent them fromgetting together
to pray behind one imaam and being conscience of its importance. This
is because they knew that division in the Religion is worse than
differing over some opinions.
Some of them ignored opinions that contradictedthe leader's position
in great gatherings like the one at Minaa, to the point that they
would abandon their own position totally in such a large gathering, to
escape the fitnah that might result in their actions based on their
position. Aboo Daawood narrated that 'Uthmaan, may Allaah be pleased
with him, prayed four rak'ahs (not shortening hisprayer) in Minaa.
'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood detested his action, saying, "I prayed two
rak'ahs behind the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), two
rak'ahs behind Aboo Bakr, two rak'ahs behind 'Umar, and I used to pray
two rak'ahs behind 'Uthmaan in the beginning of his leadership, but
then he began to complete the prayer (praying four rak'ahs), and thus
the paths became divided. I only wish that I could have two of the
four rak'ahs accepted from me." Thereafter, Ibn Mas'ood prayed four
rak'ahs ! So it was said to him, "You blame 'Uthmaanand then you
yourself pray four rak'ahs?!" He replied, "Differing is evil." [5]
And Ahmad narrated this exact account on the authority of Aboo Tharr
[6], may Allaah be pleased with all of them.
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