Ramadan & Unity of the Muslim Community
- From: "Faris Jawad" <ana_faris_bila_jawad@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 11:50:47 -0400
Ramadan & Unity of the Muslim Community
As-Salamu `alaykum 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.
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.
You can also read:
http://www.islamonline.net/English/index.shtml
.
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