Fatwa ID: 07472
Answered by Maulana Sarfraz Mohammad
Question
Respected Recipient(s),
I hope you are in the best of health and doing great.
I noticed that Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman remained Chairman of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (now re-named as Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council) as the lifelong Chairman “Gaddi Nasheen” in the past. The point of my concerns are:
- Why do we need a Committee or Research Council for moon sighting, just on 5 occasions in a year?
2. In the 70’s and 80’s, these people were not ready to use any scientific equipment for the task, and that was based on the belief that using naked eyes for moon sighting is what Sunnah was.
3. After a long struggle, they agreed to use scientific equipment, which used to be placed on the rooftop of Habib Bank Plaza, Karachi.
4. There have been issues in relation to moon sighting for the month of Ramadan & Eid-Ul-Fitr during the 80’s and 90’s. Because of diversity on faith in different regions of my beloved country, that practice is still continued (like Peshawar’s Masjid-e-Qasim and others).
5. When there is a yearly calendar for five (5) times prayer of each day, then why can’t a lunar calendar be made for each year to make a resolve on 5 occasions i.e. Muharram, Ramadan, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Dhil-hajj and Rabi-Ul-Awal?
Nepotism and Religion Cards should not be practiced based on ill-fated deeds “Nazaria-e-Zaroorat”. All relevant personnel should bring out character building measures in it’s true spirit, rather keeping fairy-tale things around on Islamic Principles.
By doing so, we will be able to become developed as a Civilized Nation on the face of the Earth. All policy makers and implementers should work on this matter collectively and devise a strategy with a true spirit of What is Right and What is Wrong. In my beloved country, Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony and Ministry of Science and Technology are the pillars of subject matter.
I am contacting your office, considering your institution’s vast knowledge and existence in our world, on Islamic Principles. I believe, we are living in the 21st Century, and our world has become a global village NOW, where sharing of knowledge has become more convenient. Can you please share your consent as what significance and impact of using Nepotism and/or Religion Card on any society, particularly to be based on ill-fated deeds, and provide related references from Quran and/or Sunnah? I am planning to write a research paper on subject matter, and your participation on providing guidelines will be highly appreciated. After all, it is about keeping the balance of momentum in Civilization Evolution and suggesting Corrective Action Plan.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
Moon Sighting: Tradition and Modern Science
In the Hanafi school of thought, following the Sunnah is essential. When it comes to moon sighting, there has historically been an emphasis on using the naked eye, based on the hadith:
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Fast when you see the moon and break your fast when you see it. If it is obscured to you, then complete the number (of Sha’ban) as thirty days.” (Sahih Bukhari, 1909)
This hadith reflects the reliance on direct observation. However, the Hanafi scholars, like other jurists, have evolved in their interpretations to accommodate technological advancements. While the foundational preference may have been for naked-eye sighting, the principle of maslaha (public interest) allows for utilising scientific tools such as eye glasses, binoculars, etc when the objective is to establish certainty, especially in an age where reliable calculations and equipment are available.
The existence of differing moon-sighting decisions in different regions of your country could stem from both the diversity of interpretations and local authority disagreements. From a Hanafi perspective, local moon sighting (ru’yat al-hilal) is typically upheld, meaning each locality may follow its sighting. However, modern challenges and global interconnectedness often call for a unified, scientifically informed approach to avoid disunity and confusion.
Only Allah knows best
Answered by Maulana Sarfraz Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah.
Darul Ifta Birmingham
واختلاف المطالع غیر معتبر علی ظاہر المذھب وعلیہ اکثر المشائخ وعلیہ الفتوی، بحر عن الخلاصۃ فیلزم اھل المشرق برؤیۃ اھل المغرب اذا ثبت عندھم أولئک بطریق موجب ،قال الزیلعی الاشبہ انہ یعتبر لکن قال الکمال الأخذ بظاہر الروایۃ احوط.”
(کتاب الصوم، ج:3 ص:417،418 ط: )“
- بدائع الصنائع :
- “اذا کانت المسافۃ بین البلدتین قریبۃ لاتختلف فیہا المطالع ،فاما اذا کانت بعیدۃ فلایلزم احد البلدین حکم الآخر لان مطالع البلاد عند المسافۃ الفاحشۃ تختلف فیعتبر فی اھل کل بلد مطالع بلدھم دون البلد
(کتاب الصوم ،فصل و اما شرائطھا،ج :2 ص: 83 )
وقال النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بشأن الهلال: صوموا لرؤيته، وأفطروا لرؤيته، فإن غُمَّ عليكم، فصوموا ثلاثين يوماً. رواه مسلم.
