Press Release
The Transitional Government Jurisprudence Complex Misleads the Muslims in Sudan and it Announces that the Moon Sighting of Ramadan will be Done on the Day that Completes Sha’ban!!
(Translated)

Today, Monday 20/4/2020, the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported that the Council of the Islamic Fiqh Academy, headed by Dr. Abdul Rahim Adam Suleiman, will hold a meeting to explore the sighting of the Great Crescent of Ramadan on Thursday, 29 Shaaban 1441 AH corresponding to 4/2/2020 CE. It is well known to everyone that this Thursday is the first day of Ramadan if the moon sighting is proven or it is the day that completes the thirtieth of Sha`ban if the sighting is not possible, and it is not the 29th of Sha’ban as the council claimed! In the face of this treachery of the Transitional Government body, we in Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah of Sudan make the following clear:

First: It has been proven by the moon sighting that Wednesday, 3/25/2020 is the first day of the month of Shaaban 1441 A.H. Thus, on Wednesday 4/22/2020 corresponds to the day of Sha’ban 29 and not Thursday as stated in the statement of the Islamic Fiqh Academy! Accordingly, the moon sighting of Ramadan will be in the setting of the sun on Wednesday, 29th Sha’ban 1441 AH, corresponding to 4/22/2020 CE.

Second: Furthermore, it is an astronomical calculation, according to Umm al-Qura calendar, on Wednesday 4/22/2020, corresponds to 29 Sha’ban 1441 AH and not Thursday.

Third: Saudi Arabia, which officially announced not to do sighting of the crescent of Ramadan through the people, did not say that Thursday is the 29th of Sha’ban, but rather that Friday 4/24/2020 was the first astronomical day of Ramadan, and this came on the online event website 4/18/2020. Where it was stated in the news “Saudi Arabia announced officially: the crescent of Ramadan will not be sighted by citizens ... and it will be sufficient to explore the crescent astronomically, and the month begins Friday, 4/24/2020, and it is thirty days.” This is also a legitimate violation, because it is not permissible to rely on the astronomical account at the beginning of determining the month, but it can be used in the calculation, but it is necessary to do the Shariah sighting with the eye, as stated in the hadith, the Prophet (saw) saying: «صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ؛ فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ ثَلَاثِينَ»“Observe Saum (fast) on sighting the crescent and terminate it on sighting it (the new moon), but if the sky is cloudy before you, then complete the number (thirty days) of the month.”

Fourth: It is clear that what the council has done is that they want to match with Saudi Arabia, but knowing that the Muslims of Sudan will not accept the astronomical calculation without sighting, so they tried to trick the people and put forward the day by making the sighting on Thursday so they coincide with Saudi Arabia on Friday, the first day of Ramadan!

Fifth: We call on Muslims in Sudan and everywhere to join the sighting of the crescent of Ramadan in the setting of the sun on Wednesday, 29 Sha’ban 1441 AH corresponding to 4/22/2020. Hizb ut Tahrir and its workers throughout the world will join moon sighting on this date, Allah willing. We ask Allah the Almighty to prepare a Khilafah Rashidah (righteous Caliphate) for this Ummah upon the path of Prophethood that adheres to the rulings of Islam and obligates the Ummah to follow it. We also ask Him (swt) to facilitate fasting and qiyam for the Muslims in all parts of the world.

Ibrahim Othman (Abu Khalil)
Official Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Sudan