Differences or Unification in the Regions of a Shared Sunset for Moonsighting?!

(Translated)

By Khaleefah Muhammad – Wilayah Jordan

Since the destruction of the Khilafah (Caliphate) and the removal of the Shariah Law of Allah (swt) from governance in Muslim lands, their territories have been fragmented into weak entities. These entities, drawn up by the colonialist kuffar, are ruled by agent leaders who serve their masters' interests to maintain their crooked thrones. Since then, the true guardian of the Islamic Ummah has been absent, a guardian who does not eat until the Muslims are fed, nor sleeps until the Muslims rest in safety. From that time, the colonialist kuffar have controlled Muslim lands and their resources, creating crises and manufacturing problems.

One of the recurring seasonal problems that Muslims encounter and witness is the differences in the month of Ramadan every Hijri year, regarding determining the first day of the month of Ramadan, and determining the day of Eid. The agent rulers have made these two issues subject to their will, so that Muslims do not all fast Ramadan on one day, nor do they all break their fast for Eid on one day, nor do they all celebrate their Eid on one day. The rulers use excuses for which Allah (swt) has not given any authority, such as the differing regions of a shared sunset (اختلاف المطالع), and reliance on astronomical calculations.

Islam has left no aspect of human actions, large or small, without clear guidance. Allah (swt) says, [إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللهُ] “Indeed, We have sent down the Book to you O Prophet in truth to judge between people by means of what Allah has shown you.” [TMQ Surah An-Nisa 4:105].

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) clarified the Islamic ruling on determining the start of Ramadan and Shawwal. He (saw) said, »إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَصُومُوا وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَأَفْطِرُوا«“Fast when you see the crescent, and break your fast when you see it.” (Bukhari and Muslim).

He (saw) also said, «صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ ثَلَاثِينَ» “Do not fast until you see the crescent, and if it is obscured, complete the month of Sha'ban as thirty days.” (Bukhari).

If there were any other Shariah legitimate method, the Prophet (saw) would have mentioned it. The reliance on astronomical calculations is rejected, as the Prophet (saw) said,

«إِنَّا أُمَّةٌ أُمِّيَّةٌ لَا نَكْتُبُ وَلَا نَحْسُبُ، الشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا» “We are an unlettered Ummah. We do not write or calculate. The month is like this and this.” (Bukhari and Muslim).

The same applies to what they called the description of “differences in risings.” Since the moon is one for all Muslims, the sun is one, and the earth is one, then there is no value in the difference in the risings of the moon, in time or place, because its birth at the beginning of each Hijri month occurs once. Moreover, the pure Shariah did not make its birth a reason for starting fasting, nor did it make its rising, temporal or spatial, a reason for starting fasting. Instead, the Shariah legitimate cause indicated by the authentic Shari’ah texts is the sighting of the crescent moon.

Thus, the differences in fasting Ramadan and breaking the fast for Eid among Muslim countries are political, dictated by rulers, not based on Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudence). These differences are tied to the Sykes-Picot nationalistic borders, not the moon. Can any rational person imagine Muslims in Ramtha, in Jordan, fast Ramadan while those in Daraa, Syria, break their fast for Eid, or vice versa, with only a border point separating them? Or Muslims in Al Ain (UAE) fasting Ramadan while those in Buraimi (Oman) break their fast for Eid, or vice versa, with only a wire fence between them? What moon are they talking about? What difference in moon sightings are they claiming? This applies to all border regions between Muslim lands. These borders imposed by colonialist kuffar and maintained by agent rulers, who try to convince people with the notions of homeland and nationalism, concepts that have no basis in Allah's Shariah Law.

The unification of Muslims in starting Ramadan and celebrating Eid on the same day is one of the most important manifestations of the Islamic Ummah. They begin their Hijri year on the same day, stand on Arafat on the same day, and fast Ashura on the same day, just as they are ruled by one Khaleefah (Caliph), fight under his leadership, and are governed by one Islamic system implemented by the Khilafah (Caliphate). The Khaleefah concludes the collection of Zakat of Fitr from Muslims across the state on the same day. Islamic rulings are for all Muslims, and we have not seen significant differences in their implementation between countries except after the destruction of the Khilafah and the fragmentation of Muslims, with wars ignited between them. Now, we see many rulers, different flags, currencies, and systems for each country.

The agent rulers in Muslim lands have made it their primary goal to maintain the division of the Ummah and prevent its unity, following the dictates of their colonialist masters. They have ruined the Muslims’ joy in their occasions of Deen, with weak excuses, dividing them in fasting and Eid, just as they have divided them in loyalty. They invented the idea of “loyalty to the homeland,” which is, in reality, loyalty to a ruler who does not govern by the Shariah Law of Allah (swt). They try to convince Muslims to fast Ramadan and break their fast for Eid according to their country's moon sighting. However, it is merely fasting and breaking fast according to the whims of the rulers, who implements the will of his colonialist masters. They employ ulema to issue fatwas according to their desires.

It is time for Muslims to realize the harsh reality they live in and take decisive action, as a matter of life and death, to implement the Shariah rulings of Allah (swt), to seek His Pleasure, and strive to unify Muslims who worship one Lord, follow one Messenger (saw), and read one Noble Quran. They must be ruled by one ruler under one system, a single Khaleefah in a Khilafah on the Method of Prophethood, as foretold in the glad tidings of the Prophet Muhammad (saw).

It is Hizb ut Tahrir that works to establish this Khilafah. So, O Muslims, place your hands with the Shabab of Hizb ut Tahrir to restore the Ummah’s unification, including the unification of the day of fasting Ramadan and Eid.

Ar-Rayah Issue 536