out to observe its crescent in order to confirm the sighting. When the
sighting is confirmed, Muslims start fasting, the minarets of mosques
are lit, the mass media celebrates the occasion and announces the glad
tidings of the advent of the month, people congratulate eachother,
guns are fired, scholars launch campaigns for spreading knowledge and
giving sermons and religious lectures are given everywhere in
religious associations.
It is no surprise that we receive the crescent ofRamadanwith all these
scenes, since it marks the beginning of fasting and descent of mercies
on theslaves of Allaah The Almighty. It is also the key to the blessed
days that the believing hearts long for from year to year, while
repeating at each moment the supplication: "O Allaah, make us
witnessRamadanand grant us success to perfectly fast, perform the
voluntary night prayer and obey You."
The majority of scholars are of the opinion that all Muslims worldwide
are required to fast when the crescent is sighted in any country. They
quoted the general indication of the Hadeeth)narration( in which the
Prophetsaid:"When you see the crescent, observe fast, and when you see
it )again( then break fast."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ They arguedthat
it is a general address for the Muslim Ummah )nation( as a whole.
A group of the scholars is of the opinion that the people of a given
country are not obliged to follow the sighting of other countries.
They quoted the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Kuraybwhere he
said,
"While I was in Shaam, the month of Ramadan commenced. We saw the
crescent on the night of Friday. I then returned toAl-Madeenah at the
end of the month. 'Abdullaah ibn 'Abbaas asked me, 'When did you see
the crescent?' I said, 'We saw it on the night of Friday.' He said,
'Did you see it yourself?' I said, 'Yes, andthe people also saw it and
they fasted and so did Mu'aawiyah.' He said,'But we saw it on the
night of Saturday. So we shall continue fasting until we complete
thirty days or we see it )the new crescent of Shawwal(.' I said, Is
not Mu'aawiyah's sighting and fasting sufficient for you?' He replied,
'No; thisis how the Messenger of Allaahcommanded us.'"]Muslim[
The majority of scholars argued that this Hadeeth is reported
concerning a person who started to observe fasting according to the
sightingof his own country and then he was informed that the crescent
was seen a day before in another country. In this case, he continues
fasting along with the people of his own country until they complete
30 days or see the crescent of the next month. This identifies
thedivergence in this case. Still the opinion of the majority of
scholars is thepreponderant one, particularly because this matter is
very easy today.However, it requires further care from the Islamic
countries until it becomes a reality.
Until all the Muslim countries adopt one viewin this regard, the
peopleof each country are required to fast when the country officially
declares the beginning of fasting, even if this is different from
other counties a day before or after. There should be nodifference in
one countryand thus some people fast and others do not fast. This
makes the difference so wide. Moreover, when someone sights the
crescent alone, he shouldnot fast alone because the Prophetsaid:"Your
fast is the day when you fast, and your breaking the fast is the day
when you break the fast, and your sacrifice is the day when you offer
the sacrifice."]At-Tirmithiwith similar words[
Scholars commented thatit means that each one should observe fast and
break it along with the Muslim community. However, when one is alone
in a certain place and he sights the crescent, he has to observe
fasting, because he is alone.
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