The Muslims Are Required By Sharee'ah To Be United In Starting And Ending The Fast – And How That May Be Achieved -- By Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz
EsinIslam
Ramadan
By Shaykh ‘Abd
al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz
Why are the Muslims not united with regard to
the beginning and end of Ramadaan? How can that be
achieved?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Undoubtedly for the Muslims to be united in starting
and ending the fast is something desirable and it is
something that is required by sharee'ah wherever
possible, and there are only two conditions of
achieving that:
1 –All Muslim scholars should do away with relying on
calculations as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the early
generations of this ummah did, and follow moonsighting
or completing the number of days (in the month) as was
explained by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the saheeh
ahaadeeth. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said in al-Fataawa (25/132, 133)
that the scholars were unanimously agreed that it is
not permissible to rely on calculations for proving
the beginning and end of the fast and so on. Al-Haafiz
narrated in al-Fath (4/127) that al-Baaji said: The
consensus of the salaf is that calculations should not
be relied on, and their consensus is proof for those
who come after them.
2 – They should commit to following the sighting of
the moon in any Muslim state that follows the
sharee'ah of Allaah and adheres to its rulings. When
it is proven in that country that the new moon has
been sighted with shar'i proof, with regard to the
beginning or end of the fast, then they should follow
that, in accordance with the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Fast
when you see it, and stop fasting when you see it, and
if it is too cloudy then complete the number (of
days)" and "We are an unlettered nation, we do not
write or calculate. The month is such-and-such" and he
gestured with his hands three times, and held down his
thumb the third time, then he said, "or the month is
such-and-such" and he gestured with all of his
fingers, meaning that the month may be twenty-nine
days or it may be thirty. There are many ahaadeeth
with similar meanings, from Ibn ‘Umar, Abu Hurayrah,
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan and others (may Allaah be
pleased with them). It is well known that what the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said was not addressed only to the people of Madeenah,
rather it is addressed to the entire ummah at all
times and in all places until the Day of Resurrection.
When these two conditions are met, then all Muslim
countries will be able to fast together and break the
fast together, and we ask Allaah to enable them to do
that and to help them to rule by Islamic sharee'ah and
reject that which goes against it. Undoubtedly that is
obligatory upon them because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until
they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes
between them, and find in themselves no resistance
against your decisions, and accept (them) with full
submission"
[al-Nisa' 4:65]
And there are similar verses.
There is also no doubt that ruling all their affairs
in accordance with sharee'ah is in their best
interests and will unite them and help them against
their enemies and help them to attain happiness in
this world and in the Hereafter. We ask Allaah to open
their hearts to that and to help them to achieve it,
for He is All-hearing, Ever-near. End quote.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy
on him).
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah (15/74-76).
Ramadan Team
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EsinIslam.Com
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