MONTHS OF FASTING, HAJJ AND SACRIFICE (adha) ARE DETERMINED BY “NASS” (âyât-i karimas and hadîth-i sherîfs)
It was clearly narrated that the first days of lunar months – especially Ramadan and Dhu’lhijja months- to be determined by sighting the crescent.
Ayat-i karimas and Hadîth-i Sherîfs about observation of crescent:
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“They are asking you about crescents, say that they are the mîqats (time signals) for humans and Hajj” (Sura-i Baqara, 189th âyet-i kerîma). Mustafa Sabri Effendi has shown this âyet-i kerîma as a proof for this issue.
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In a hadîth-i-sherîf quoted in Marâqil-falâh, it is declared: “When you see the Moon, start fasting! When you see her again, stop fasting!”
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“Fast on the condition of sighting the Moon and make ’iyd on the condition of consecutive sighting. If the sky is cloudy, complete (the month of) Sha’bân up to thirty” (Bukhârî, Muslim,Tirmizî, Nesâî, Dârimî, Musned-i Ahmed bin Hanbel).
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It is stated as follows on the two hundred and eighty-ninth page of the first volume of (Ibni Âbidîn), in the section on how to find the direction of qibla: “Scholars said that we should not trust calendars in learning the first day of Ramadân-i-sherîf. For, the fast becomes fard after the new moon is seen in the sky. Our Prophet ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: ‘Begin to fast when you see the new moon!’ On the other hand, the appearing of the new moon depends on calculation, not on seeing it; calculation is valid, and the new moon appears on the night indicated by calculation. Yet it may be seen on the following night instead of that night, and it is necessary to begin the fast on the night it is seen, not on the night it must appear (according to the calculation). Such is the commandment of Islam.”