Reference: http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/13831
All praise is due to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. He legislated, and made His legislation easy,
{Allaah does not intend to make difficulty for you} [05:06]
May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad; he came with a Sharee’ah [legislation] which is easy and tolerable. From this is his saying (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam),
Initiate your fast with the sighting [of the moon] and end your [month of] fasting with its sighting. However, if it is concealed by the clouds then estimate it [by Sha’baan being thirty days] [1]
In another narration,
…then complete the days of Sha’baan – thirty days [2]
During the time of the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam), the Muslims used to start and end their fasting period according to this methodology which their Prophet had set out for them. They did it without over-complicating the sighting of the crescent, or doubting it.
This was until very recently when different groups and individuals took it upon themselves to delve deeply into knowing the beginning of the fasting period and its ending, as well as doubting the sighting.
They prefer to rely on astronomical calculations; organising conferences and seminars that often end without any conclusion. These calculations are carried out by humans and every person who calculates has a specific way which is different to another person who does the same action. Also, there is always the possibility of an error.
As for relying upon actually sighting the crescent or completing thirty days [of Sha’baan] as our Prophet ordered us to do, then this is an Islamically legislated ruling which is appropriate for every time and place. The final decision is based on a clear indicator that can be physically seen [with ones eyes].
The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) himself fasted and ordered the people to fast; he advised us to rely on the physical sighting [the moon]. So why do we leave this and instead rely on mathematical calculations?
This is replacing, changing and legislating with what Allaah did not permit. The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not complicate matters by investigating moon phases, disappearance of the moon being prior to the disappearance of the sun’s disk, moon degrees above the sun – or indeed anything else which places doubt in its sighting. This has recently been stated by the edict passed by the Muslim World League.
All of this is unnecessarily complicating matters which Allaah has not revealed any evidence for, and neither did the Messenger (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) order it nor do it himself.
The justification for this exertion is that the Muslims are differing in the beginning of their fasts and their ending, and therefore in order to diffuse this differing, people over-complicated the issue of [sighting] the new moon.
There is no harm in the [various Muslim countries] differing in their [sighting of the moon]. The Messenger (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) gave us a principle which each country can individually implement. [3]
Also, do the Muslims in the various countries all pray the obligatory prayers at the same time? This is not possible, and similarly with fasting.
Therefore, we thank those brothers who care about the affair of the Muslims, in wanting to unite their fasting periods, however we say to them why don’t you [show similar concern] in uniting them upon the correct belief, and yet you leave them to differ in their beliefs, despite difference in belief harming them.
As for difference in the beginning of Fasting and its ending, then there is no harm. This is because the Messenger (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered the Muslims in every country to begin their fasting and end it according to their own [individual] sighting [of the moon]. This is regardless of their different countries and lands.
I hope that Allaah guides the Muslims to turn to that which is more important, may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.
Footnotes
[1] Narrated by Abu Hurayrah; Collected by Muslim
[2] Narrated by Abu Hurayrah; Collected by Muslim
[3] The principle being as mentioned previously, that each country should sight the moon independently. If sighted, the people of that country fast, regardless of whether the moon was or was not sighted in any other country.
لا تكلف في رؤية الهلال
المرجع: http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/13831
الحمد لله رب العالمين، شرع فيسر {مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ}
والصلاة والسلام على نبينا محمد جاء بالشريعة السمحة، ومن ذلك قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم في: “صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته، فإن غم عليكم فاقدروا له”، وفي رواية “فأتموا عدة شعبان ثلاثين يوما”،
وكان المسلمون من عهده صلى الله عليه وسلم يمشون في صومهم وإفطارهم على هذا المنهج الذي رسمه لهم نبيهم دون تكلف أو تشكيك في الرؤية حتى ظهرت في العصر الأخير جماعات وأفراد يتكلفون في تحديد بداية الصوم ونهايته ويتشككون في الرؤية، ويحاولون الاعتماد على الحساب الفلكي فيعقدون المؤتمرات والندوات التي تنتهي بلا نتيجة، لأن الحساب عمل بشري وكل حاسب له طريقة تختلف عن الحاسب الآخر كما أنه عرضة للخطأ وأما الاعتماد على الرؤية أو إكمال العدة كما أمرنا نبينا بذلك فهو حكم شرعي صالح لكل زمان ومكان، يعتمد على علامة ترى عيانا وقد صام عليه السلام وأمر الناس بالصيام وأوصانا بأن نعتمد الرؤية فكيف نتركها إلى علم الحساب، هذا من التبديل وشرع ما لم يأذن به ا لله.
ولم يتكلف صلى الله عليه وسلم في اعتماد الشهادة بمعرفة وقت الاقتران ومعرفة غياب القمر قبل غياب قرص الشمس أو بعده، وأن ارتفاع القمر في الليلة التي تعقب اقترانه قد يكون بدرجة أقل أو أكثر حال الرؤية مما ينفي الشك في شهادته كما جاء في قرار رابطة العالم الإسلامي كل هذا من التكلف الذي ما أنزل الله به من سلطان ولا أمر به الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم ولا فعله.
وتبرير هذا التشدد بأن المسلمين يختلفون في بداية الصيام ونهايته فلأجل تلافي ذلك جاءت هذه التكلفات في اعتبار الرؤية، مع أن الاختلاف في ذلك لا يضر لأن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أعطانا قاعدة يسير عليها كل بلد بحسبه ثم هل المسلمون يصلون الفريضة في وقت واحد في جميع أقطار الأرض لا يمكن هذا أبدا وكذلك الصيام.
ونحن إذا نشكر هؤلاء الأخوة الذين يهتمون بأمر المسلمين ليوحدوا صيامهم لكن نقول لماذا لا يهتمون بتوحيدهم على العقيدة الصحيحة ويتركونهم يختلفون في معتقداتهم مع أن الاختلاف في العقيدة هو الذي يضر، وأما الاختلاف في بداية الصيام ونهايته فلا يضر، لأن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أمر المسلمين في كل بلد أن يصوموا للرؤية ويفطروا لها مهما اختلفت أقطارهم وديارهم أرجو أن يوفق الله المسلمين للاتجاه لما هو أهم.
وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وآله وصحبه.
