Fixing a date for the beginning of Ramadan without moon sighting or completion of Sha’ban: A display of ignorance, Chief Imam Sepeteri warns
The attempt to pre-determine Ramadan’s start based on calculations alone is not only unnecessary but also contradicts the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
To those who insist on fixing a date for the beginning of Ramadan in advance, we remind you that Islam has provided a clear and divinely guided method for determining the start of the blessed month: moon sighting. The attempt to pre-determine Ramadan’s start based on calculations alone is not only unnecessary but also contradicts the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
Islamic guidance on determining Ramadan
The Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly commanded that fasting should begin upon the sighting of the crescent moon and end in the same manner. He said:
“إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْهِلَالَ فَصُومُوا، وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَأَفْطِرُوا، فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْدُرُوا لَهُ”
(متفق عليه – البخاري 1909، مسلم 1080)
“When you see the crescent (of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see it (of Shawwal), stop fasting. If the sky is cloudy, then complete the month (of Sha’ban) as thirty days.”
This hadith makes it abundantly clear that fasting is linked to actual moon sighting, not to pre-determined calculations or calendar-based estimations.
The mistake of fixing a date in advance
Some argue that modern astronomical calculations can accurately predict the birth of the new moon, so there is no need for physical sighting. However, this reasoning is flawed for several reasons:
1. Islam Commands Sighting, Not Calculation
Islam is a religion of submission to divine commands. The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions did not rely on astronomical data, despite the knowledge existing at the time. If calculations were sufficient, the Prophet (ﷺ) would have instructed us accordingly.
2. The Lunar Month Varies
The lunar month is either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the crescent. If the sky is cloudy and the moon is not visible, we complete 30 days. Fixing a date in advance ignores this natural variation and defies the flexibility given by the Sunnah.
3. It Leads to Disunity
When some communities rely on moon sighting while others follow calculations, it creates division within the Ummah. The practice of fixing a date ahead of time has often led to confusion and disagreement among Muslims regarding when to start fasting.
Can astronomy be used at all?
Islamic scholars allow the use of calculations to assist in ruling out impossible sightings (e.g., if the moon is below the horizon). However, these calculations should not replace actual sighting. The correct approach is to sight the moon and use calculations only as a supporting tool, not as a replacement for the Sunnah.
A call to follow the Sunnah
To those who fix Ramadan’s start date without moon sighting, we urge you to return to the guidance of the Prophet (ﷺ). Fasting is an act of worship, and like all acts of worship, it must be done according to divine instruction. The correct method has been established by the Prophet (ﷺ) and upheld by the Ummah for centuries—sighting the moon before beginning and ending the fast.
May Allah guide us all to follow His commands and the Sunnah of His Messenger (ﷺ).
*Al Imam Engr Abdulhakeem Demola Raji MNSE MNIEEE is the Grand Chief Imam of Sepeteri Land, Oke Ogun, Oyo State. Reach him via Telephone: 08035439961
