RasulAllah ﷺ said, «صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته، فإن غُبِّيَ عليكم فأكملوا عدّة شعبان ثلاثين» “Fast upon the sighted crescent moon sighting and break the fast upon its sighting” (al-Bukhari). RasulAllah ﷺ commanded Muslims collectively, altogether, to begin the obliged Fasting of Ramadhan, upon the sighting of the crescent moon.
Ibn Abbas (ra) reported, جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الْهِلَالَ – يَعْنِي هِلَالَ رَمَضَانَ -، فَقَالَ: «أَتَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ؟» قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: «أَتَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ؟» قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: «يَا بِلَالُ أَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ أَنْ يَصُومُوا غَدًا» “A bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, ‘I saw the crescent (of Ramadan)’. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Do you bear witness that none is worthy of worship save Allah?’ He said, ‘Yes’. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Do you bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘Yes’. So the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘O Bilal, announce to the people that they must fast tomorrow.’” (al-Hakim). Thus, in our Great Deen, the sighting of the crescent moon by a single Muslim is binding upon the entire Ummah, wherever that Muslim is found in the world. It is wrong to make analogy of the beginning of Ramadhan with the timings of the Salah, as they are distinct rulings. The timings of Salah differ from region to region, specific to each region, determined by the sun’s position in that region. However, regarding Ramadhan, its beginning is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon in any one region, such that it is binding upon all regions.
O Muslims of Pakistan and their Ulema in Particular! In the absence of our Khilafah to practically unify us as one state, the current rulers are negligent in the issue of moon sighting, creating division amongst us, even though there is great sin in missing a single Fast of Ramadhan or Fasting on the day of Eid. So, until the return of our Khilafah, the Muslims must depend on the sincere amongst the Muslims, including the advocates of the Khilafah, who are found throughout the Muslim World, from Indonesia to Morocco. Let us make sincere efforts for the sighting of the moon after maghrib on Sunday 5 May 2019, corresponding to 29 Shaban 1440 AH. And let us send the reliable confirmed reports via the WhatsApp number +90-531-814-7385 and the email address [email protected]. Allah (swt) said, شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنْ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمْ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ “The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it…” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:185]
Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Pakistan
Saturday, 21st Sha’ban 1440 AH
27/04/2019 CE
No: 1440 / 51