Global Intifada

1. Fasting is obligatory upon every sane, adult Muslim. 2. Calculations are not sufficient to establish the beginning of Ramadhan as only sighting is legitimate. For example, if your calculation for Maghrib is at a particular time, and their is still light outside, then it is the calculations that are incorrect. Similarly, calculations cannot be used as a definitive proof for the beginning of Ramadhan. The consequences of using calculations is that one may (a) begin Ramadhan one day early and have an incomplete fast since one is missing a day at the end of the month, not to mention that one would be celebrating Eidh on a day when they are supposed to be fasting or (b) begin Ramadhan a day later, the effect of which is that one would be fasting on the day of Eidh (which is haram).

3. Both local and global moon sighting are acceptable opinions within the Hanafi madhab.

4. The Method of Determining the Moon-Sighting.

On the 29th of Sha’ban, one should go to see the moon. It is done after salatul ‘Asr and one may delay one’s Maghrib prayer in order to do so. A person should go to a high land with a clear view of the sky, especially in the Westerly direction in order to view the moon.

a. If the moon is sighted, then Ramadhan begins.

b. If the moon is not sighted, then one completes Shad’ban (the 30th) and then begins Ramadhan on the day after.

c. If the sky is cloudy, then one completes Sha’ban (the 30th) and then begins Ramadhan on the day after.
For more information concerning the fiqh of fasting, see Beheshti Zewar.

For more fatwas on moon-sighting, see the following.

Fore the inner dimensions of fasting, see the work by Imam Ghazzali (rahmutallah alayh).

Share This