Fatwa #1749813 February 2009United Kingdom
1. Have you studied closely the criteria of Wifaqul Ulama london, and Rabetatul Ulama Batley. 2)If so, do you agree with them. 3) Decision to follow South Africa's ru'yat in the event of no sighting in UK, even with no imkaane ru'yat in UK according to astronomic calculation...
Question
1. Have you studied closely the criteria of Wifaqul Ulama london, and Rabetatul Ulama Batley.
2. If so, do you agree with them.
3. Decision to follow South Africa's ru'yat in the event of no sighting in UK, even with no imkaane ru'yat in UK according to astronomic calculation, seems not sound, though we follow global horizon in such an event. Thus we have celebrated last Ramadhan and Eidain well off the imakaane ru'yat. is this proper?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
1. I have studied the criteria of moon-sighting by Wifaqul Ulama and Rabetatul Ulama.
2. I agree with the criteria.
In principle, if the crescent has been sighted anywhere in the world and that is reliably communicated then that information is valid in Shariah. It follows, if the crescent was sighted in South Africa, it will be sufficient for the UK. Imkanee Ru’yat by astronomical calculation is used merely as a guide and by no means is the Sharia criteria for sighting. Furthermore, on the basis of not following Ikhtilafe Matalih, there is no need for Imkanee Ru’yat only in UK.
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Wassalamu Alaykum
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa
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