Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalam o alaikum brother

First i must have to say that ur effort for q n a has been outstanding i have been following for more than 3 years and learned alot may ALLAH reward u for ur efforts Ameen

My question is brother i live in usa we follow our local area muslim community announcement regarding eid/ramadan for sake of righteouness and muslim unity also but this year we r unamiuosly follwoing regarding eid and ramadan moon b/c they following icna and cair which is largest group in whole usa they r goign through lunar calculation not physically seeing moon,they have a panel of 18 known scholars and given fatwa regarding.

May ALLAH forgive me or anyone else if we r wrong just want to know ur feedback regarding that issue thank u

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Answer:

See moon for ramadan

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: …..they r goign through lunar calculation not physically seeing moon,they have a panel of 18 known scholars and given fatwa regarding.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 10 Surah Yunus verse 5:

5 It is He (Allah) Who made the sun to be a shining glory, and the moon to be a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her that ye might know the number of years and the count (of time). Nowise did Allah create this but in Truth. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail for those who understand.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 36 Surah Yaa Seen verse 40:

39 And the moon We have measured for her mansions (to traverse) till she returns like the old (and withered) lower part of date-stalk!

40 It is not permitted to the sun to catch up the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day: each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to a Decreed Law).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 54 (part):

54 …. He (Allah) created the sun the moon and the stars, (all) governed by Laws under His command. Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be Allah the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds!

Dear and beloved brother, each and every heavenly body including the sun and the moon move in its specific and exact orbit according to a Decreed Law of the Lord Most Majestic. There is absolutely no condition in Shariah that one must physically see the moon to count the start or the and of months….if Allah has blessed man to develop technology and mechanism which can accurately determine the movement and the timings of the moon, there is absolutely no harm in using this knowledge to determine one’s calendar.

In the times of the Prophet (saws), the believers would determine the time of the prayers by observing the movement of the sun. For example, when the sun had completely set on the horizon, they would initiate their ‘magrib’ prayers. But today, Allah Subhanah has blessed man to develop technology and mechanisms which can accurately state the exact time the sun will rise and set, days if not months or years in advance…simply because the movement of the heavenly bodies is governed by the Exact and Perfect Laws of the Lord Most Majestic.

In most muslim nations today, one does not need to go out and physically observe the setting of the sun to initiate their ‘magrib’ prayers or to break their fast. One can simply look at the timings listed for the sunset on their local calendar, and announce the call to ‘magrib’ prayer or break their fasts!

Similarly, when Allah Subhanah has blessed man to develop a mechanism today which can accurately predict the stages of the moon; there is absolutely no harm if one uses this determination to count the starting of their lunar months.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan