Every Person Who Is Resident In A Country Is Obliged To Start And End The Fast With Its People
EsinIslam
Ramadan
The Awqaf -
Living Shariah
We are from the land of the Two Holy
Sanctuaries, and we work in the embassy in one of the
Muslim Asian countries (Pakistan). Should we start and
end the fast with the Kingdom or with the country in
which we are living?.
Praise be to Allaah.
What appears to be the case, based on the shar'i
evidence, is that each person who is living in a
country should start the fast with its people, because
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "The start of the fast is the day you start and
the end of the fast is the day you end it, and the day
of sacrifice is the day you offer your sacrifice." And
because it is known in Islam that we are commanded to
be united and warned against division and differences,
and because moon sightings may differ from one region
to another, according to the consensus of the
scholars, as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah
have mercy on him) said. Based on that, the embassy
employee in Pakistan who starts fasting with the
Pakistanis is closer to the right way than the one who
starts his fast with Saudi, because of the distance
between the two countries and the difference between
moon sightings in them. Undoubtedly when the Muslims
begin and end the fast when the moon is sighted or
when 30 days of the month have been completed in any
Muslim country, then they are closer to the apparent
meaning of the shar'i evidence. But if that is not
possible, then the closest is what we have mentioned
above. And Allah, may He be glorified, is the source
of strength. End quote.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy
on him)
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah (15/98, 99)
Shaykh Ibn Baaz was also asked: Sighting of the new
moon of Ramadan and Shawwaal may be two days later in
Pakistan than it is in Saudi. Should they fast with
Saudi or with Pakistan?
He replied:
What seems to be the case to us is that you have to
fast with the Muslims where you are, for two reasons.
The first is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "The start of the fast is the
day you start and the end of the fast is the day you
end it, and the day of sacrifice is the day you offer
your sacrifice." (narrated by Abu Dawood and others
with a hasan isnaad), so you and your brothers, so
long as you are staying in Pakistan, should fast with
them when they fast and break the fast with them when
they break the fast, because you are included in these
words and because the moon sighting varies from one
place to another. Some of the scholars, including Ibn
‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) were of the
view that the people of each land have their own moon
sighting.
The other reason is that if you differ from the
Muslims where you are with regard to the beginning and
end of the fast, that will cause confusion, provoke
questions and objections, and stir up disputes and
arguments. Islam came to encourage agreement, harmony
and cooperation in righteousness and piety, and to
encourage people to avoid fighting and arguing,
because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of
Allaah (i.e. this Qur'aan), and be not divided among
yourselves" [Aal ‘Imraan 3:103].
And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said, when he sent Mu'aadh and Abu Moosa to
Yemen: "Give glad tidings and do not put people off,
be in harmony and do not differ." End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah (15/103,
104).
Ramadan Team
©
EsinIslam.Com
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