Q: I humbly ask you please help me to find sukoon in the following matter what bothers me all the time nowadays. It is about our Islamic calendar. The Muslims in South Africa have Eid day on another day through observing the moon and we Turkish people follow the Turkish calender from “Diyanet” Musjid (this is a very big Turkish organisation in Istanbul and one of their Musjid in my town). I asked an Aalim what should I do on Eid day and whom should I follow. He replied that I should follow the Musjid announcement. I explained to him that they follow a calendar that is written a year before and that they do not observe the moon before Eid day. They determine somehow when is Eid day a year before. Next year we start Ramadhaan on 20.07.2012, Eid day is on 19.08.2012, Eid Adha on 25.10.2012, Ashura 24.11.2012. This is the Musjid announcement. I want to clear the issue if it is okay to follow their announcement for Eid days, Ashura and so on. Here in Germany it is dark and most of the time cloudy and I can not go outside and observe moon. The place where it can be seen is little bit far from here.
A: Months are determined with the sighting of the moon. If their calculations conform to the sighting, you may accept them and if they are not in conformity at all, e.g. the moon of Ramadhaan has been sighted a day before the announcement then you may start your Ramadhaan fast before that based on your sighting.
عن أبي هريرة : قال قال النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم لا تقدموا الشهر بيوم ولا بيومين إلا أن يوافق ذلك صوما كان يصومه أحدكم صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته فإن غم عليكم فعدوا ثلاثين ثم أفطروا (جامع الترمذي )
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)