Question:

Dear scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. Whenever the month of Ramadan comes near, Muslims get divided into two groups. The majority starts fasting and celebrates `Eid with their local community. This group follows a major local organization such as the Islamic Society of North America, which is a well-established organization in North America. But the other group, which is a minority, always creates a division and disunity within the community and follows Saudi Arabia (or its own mother country) in starting and ending their observation of the holy month. For the sake of the unity, don't you think the Muslim community should unite and start and end fasting on the same day? Which opinion do you strongly prefer: to stick with your local community or to follow another country that is far from you? Jazakum Allah khayran.


Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake. May Allah reward you abundantly for your interest in knowing the teachings of your religion, Islam!

First of all, we'd like to state that Muslims should strive and do their best to achieve their unity in all aspects, not only in the beginning and end of Ramadan and celebrating the `Eids. It is against the spirit of Islam to see Muslims in the same country divided in their rituals and their Islamic dates and events. The Islamic spirit is against division and disunity. That is why Muslims are not allowed to hold two congregational Prayers in one mosque at the same time.

Muslim scholars have differed regarding the following issue: if the new moon is sighted in one region or country, ought the people of other regions to follow this sighting or follow their own sighting? The preferable view is that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow this sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night.

However, if this unity cannot be achieved nowadays, then Muslims in each country must be united and start fasting on the same day. The dilemma of Muslims in the West is that they are divided between their locality and their countries of origin. Some are inclined to follow their countries of origin or major Muslim centers like Saudi Arabia. This, in fact, causes division among Muslims living in the West and they fail to achieve the least level of unity regarding their Islamic dates and events. Moreover, this causes Muslims problems with the authorities in these countries and deprives them from some of their rights. For instance, Muslims cannot demand the day of `Eid as a day off if they do not agree on a certain day.

In this regard, the eminent Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi states:

*We should be keen and strive to achieve the unity of Muslims regarding the beginning and end of fasting and all other rituals. We should not lose hope in achieving this goal or removing the obstacles in its way.

*However, it is to be stressed that anyhow if we fail to achieve the unity of the whole Muslim nation, we should at least be keen to achieve the unity of Muslims in each country. It is not acceptable at all that Muslims of the one country or city be divided among themselves and differ regarding the beginning of the fast so that some of them start fasting on one day while the others do not observe the fast on that day.

*It is agreed upon that the decision of the ruler or the people in authority and charge of Muslims affairs lifts the differences in disputable matters. Therefore, if the authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting of the moon in a given country (such as Dar al-Iftaa [House of Fatwa], Supreme Court, or Presidency of Religious Affairs) announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in such region should follow its decisions, as it is obedience in goodness even if the decision differs with other countries.

In light of the above mentioned facts, Muslims are to achieve unity among themselves. They are to follow their own recognized authorities in order to achieve this goal. It is also the duty of Muslim organizations to reach an agreement on this issue in order not to cause disunity and division among Muslims.

Masha Allah. Good post sis
We have that same problem over here. We have two mosques in the same area. Around 20min drive from each other.
The turkish mosque follows turkey, whereas the other mosque follows whatever the situation is Australia with the rest of the mosques in sydney. Around two years ago we ended up celebrating 2 different eid days. in the same town..
Its crazy!

Yea. I think its everywhere brother..same here. My dad works with a Muslim. We celebrated last Eid n Ramadan differently from him. But as I know, my family and I follow the country we live. I mean it is common sense....
The timing in Turkey is for the people in Turkey. The timing for Australia is for the people in Australia. I dont understand why people are so dumb! lol
I mean its day in America but could be night in another country. Does it make sense to follow a country with a different time zone? Not quite!! lol
It is a big problem...
May Allah unite us all once again, InshAllah. Ameen!

we even have different prayer times. I dont know why they want to follow turkey
Insha Allah it will all change in the future. THis is the kind of disunity we dont need.

wat??? LOL thats way off!!
Completely unnecessary to go that far...Astaghfirullah.
May Allah forgive our ways, InshAllah.