The
Arrival of Ramadan
This
event is confirmed by sighting the new moon, even if it is seen by only one
just person, or by the passage of thirty days in the immediately preceding
month of Sha’ban.
Ibn
‘Umar said: “The people were looking for the new moon and when I reported to
the Messenger of Allah that I had seen it, he fasted and ordered the people to
fast.” This is related by Abu Dawud, al-Hakim, and Ibn Hibban, who declared it
to be sahih.
Abu
Hurairah reported that the Prophet instructed: “Fast after you have seen it
[the new crescent] and end the fast [at the end of the month] when you see it.
If it is hidden from you, then wait until the thirty days of Sha’ban have
passed.” This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Commenting
on these reports, at-Tirmizhi states: “Most knowledgeable people act in
accordance with these reports. They say that it is correct to accept the
evidence of one person to determine the beginning of the fast. This is the
opinion of Ibn al-Mubarak, ash-Shaf’i, and Ahmad. An-Nawawi says that it is the
soundest opinion. Concerning the new moon of Shawwal [which signifies the end
of the fast], it is confimmed by completing thirty days of Ramadan, and most
jurists state that the new moon must have been reported by at least two just
witnesses. However, Abu Thaur does not distinguish between the new moon of
Shawwal and the new moon of Ramadan. In both cases, he accepts the evidence of
only one just witness.”
Ibn-Rushd
comments that: “The opionion of Abu Bakr ibn al-Munzhir, which is also that of
Abu Thaur and, I suspect, that of the Zhahiri school of thought, is supported
by the following argument given by Abu Bakr al-Munzhiri: there is complete
agreement that breaking the fast is obligatory, that abstaining from eating is
based on one person’s report, and that the situation must be like that for the
beginning of the month and for the ending of the month, as both of them are
simply the signs that differentiate the time of fasting from the time of not
fasting.”
Ash-Shaukani
observes: “If there is nothing authentic recorded that states that one may only
accept two witnesses for the end of the month, then it is apparent, by analogy,
that one witness is sufficient, as it is sufficient for the beginning of the
month. Furthermore, worship based on the acceptance of one report points to the
fact that such singular reports are accepted in every matter unless there is
some evidence that specifies the peculiarity of specific cases, such as the
number of witnesses concerning matters of wealth, and so on. Apparently this is
the opinion of Abu Thaur.”
Different
Locations
According
to the majority of scholars, it does not matter if the new moon has been
sighted in a different location. In other words, after the new moon is seen
anywhere in the world, it becomes obligatory for all Muslims to begin fasting,
as the Prophet said: “Fast due to its sighting and break the fast due to its
sighting.” This hadith is a general address directed to the whole Muslim world
- that is, “if any one of you sees the moon in any place, then that will be a
sighting for all of the people.”
According
to ‘Ikrimah, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, Salim, Ishaq, the correct opinion among the
Hanafiyyah, and the chosen opinion among the Shaf’iyyah, every “country” (or
territory) is to take into consideration its own sighting and not necessarily
to follow the sighting of others. This is based on what Kuraib said: “While I
was in ash-Sham, the new moon of Ramadan appeared on Thursday night. I retumed
to Madinah at the end of the month. There, Ibn ‘Abbas asked me: ‘When did you
people see the new moon?’ I said: ‘We saw it on Thursday night.’ He said: ‘Did
you see it yourself?’ I said: ‘Yes, the people saw it, and they and Mu’awiyyyah
fasted.’ He said: ‘But we saw it on Friday night. We will not stop fasting
until we complete thirty days or until we see the new moon.’ I said: ‘Isn’t
Mu’awiyyah’s sighting and fasting sufficient for you?’ He said: ‘No . . . This
is the order of the Messenger of Allah.’ “This is related by Ahmad, Muslim, and
at-Tirmizhi.
About
the hadith, at-Timmizhi says: “It is hassan sahih ghareeb. Scholars act in
accordance with this hadith. Every land has its sighting.” In Fath al-’Alam
Sharh Bulugh al-Maram, it is stated: The [opinion] closest [to the truth] is
that each land follows its sighting, as well as the areas that are connected to
it.”
Sighting
of the Crescent by one Person
The
scholars of fiqh agree that if only one person sees the new moon, he is to
fast. ‘Ata differs and says that he is not to fast until someone else also
sights the new moon with him. The correct position is that he is to break the
fast, as ash-Shaf’i and Abu Thaur have ruled. The Prophet has based the fast
and its breaking on the sighting of the moon. One’s own sight is enough for him
and there is no need for another person’s sighting.
Fasting
(As-siyam)
As-Siyam
generally means “to abstain from something.” For example, a verse in the Qur’an
says: “I have vowed to the Merciful to abstain--that is, from speaking.
What
is meant here is abstaining from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn
until sunset with the explicit intention of doing so (for the sake of Allah).
The
Virtues of Fasting
Abu
Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, saying: “Allah
said: ‘Every action of the son of Adam is for him except fasting, for that is
solely for Me. I give the reward for it.’ The fast is a shield. If one is
fasting, he should not use foul language, raise his voice, or behave foolishly.
If someone reviles him or fights with him he should say, ‘I am fasting,’ twice.
By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the [bad] breath of the one
who is fasting is better in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection than
the smell of musk. The one who is fasting is happy at two times: when he breaks
his fast he is happy with it, and when he meets his Lord he will be happy that
he has fasted.” This is related by Ahmad, Muslim, and an-Nasa’i. A similar
version was recorded by al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud, but with the following addition:
“He leaves his food, drink, and desires for My sake. His fasting is for Me... I
will give the reward for it, and for every good deed, he will receive ten
similar to it.”
‘Abdullah
ibn ‘Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “The
fast and the Qur’an are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of
Resurrection. The fast will say: ‘O Lord, I prevented him from his food and
desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.’ The Qur’an will say: ‘I
prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.’ And their
intercession will be accepted.” Ahmad related this hadith with a sahih chain.
Abu
Umamah reported: “I came to the Messenger of Allah and said: ‘Order me to do a
deed that will allow me to enter Paradise.’ He said: ‘Stick to fasting, as
there is no equivalent to it.’ Then I came to him again and he said: ‘Stick to
fasting.”’ This hadith is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa’i, and al-Hakim who
classified it as sahih.
Abu
Sa’id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “No servant fasts on
a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the hellfire seventy years
further away from his face.” This is related by “the group,” except for Abu
Dawud.
Sahl
ibn Sa’d reported that the Prophet said: “There is a gate to Paradise that is
called ar-Rayyan. On the Day of Resurrection it will say: ‘Where are those who
fasted?’ When the last [one] has passed through the gate, it will be locked.”
This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
To
be continued
