We are a small Muslim Pakistani community (mostly students) living temporarily in for few years. The country already comprises of about 20% Chinese Muslims. There is a local Chinese Muslim society, which controls all the masajid and takes decision about all Islamic events. They provide an Islamic Calendar, which is based on the calculations provided to them by the Country’s metrology department. According to our observations sometimes the calculations are not in agreement with actual moonsighting (as is the case of ). We already have complained to the Islamic society, which indeed comprises of Ullamah (Graduated from many reliable institutions around the globe, like Madinah University; Islamic University, Pakistan; Jamiah Azhar; Islamic Universiy, Beijing; etc), but they consider their Islamic calendar reliable. We being a very small Pakistani community, used to pray all our main congregational prayers (Jummah & Eid) with them.
Now this year, the Pakistani community split into following four categories for start/end of Ramadhan:
a. Most of the Pakistani’s started and ended ramadhan with local Chinese Muslims.
b. Since the start and end of ramadhan was luckily coinciding with Saudi Arabia, therefore few of us do the niyaat that they have followed Saudi Arabia and started/ended Ramadhan with locals. (Despite of the news of wrong moonsighting in this year as well)
c. Few thought that it is better to follow the local community and then make up 1 or 2 fasts after Eid based on actual Crescent sighting.
d. Few (not more than 5-8 in number) based the start and end of Ramadhan on actual Moonsighting and they differed from the entire Muslim community, and had a separate Eid Ul Fitr Jama’at at their own residence very next day.
There are two well-known Ahadees with more or less following meaning:
1. Fasting is the day when you all (entire community) fast….
2. Fast when you see the moon…..
Category ‘a’ strictly based their decision on Hadith 1 whearas ‘d’ based on Hadith 2. Category ‘b’ based their decision on the fatwa that announcement/sighting in Saudia is enough for the entire globe. Category ‘c’ being cautious, followed hadith 1 but as a precautionary measure, make up 1 or 2 Qaza fasts, based on actual moonsighting.
Under such situation, we would like your suggestion as which category has more strongly followed the Shariah and what should be done for the future Islamic events. Though for most of us your fatwa is sufficient, but we would humbly request you to substantiate your verdict from Quran, Hadith and way/verdicts of Salaf-e-Salheen in detail so that the entire community could be unified on a single strong verdict.
We appreciate your concern and sensitivity to the pristine Shari’ah. Allah Ta’ala has created every person differently with diverse qualities and traits. Every tribe / nation is different from one another. Every land has its own culture and background.
Alhamdulillah, Allah has brought many nationalities together in the country you are residing in. You may have noticed that even the methodologies adopted in Islamic practices are somewhat different to the different nationalities. People’s ideologies are different. To maintain unity despite different cultures and backgrounds is a great accomplishment. Since the Islamic society is in full control of all the Musjids and Islamic centres, they should be approached and the matter should be dealt with. Instead of taking matters into our own hands thereby causing disunity in the community, mutual consultation will be a suitable option. Allah commands us in the Qur’aan, ‘Hold firmly to the rope of Allah altogether and do not split up.’ (Qur’aan). Therefore, unity should be kept in front of us at all times. Follow the decision of the Ulama of the society. If they are willfully wrong, they will have to carry the burden on the day of Qiyaamat and not you.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai