▫️مَا الطُّرُقُ الْمُعْتَبَرَةُ شَرْعًا فِي إِثْبَاتِ دُخُولِ الشَّهْرِ؟ وَمَا حُكْمُ الِاعْتِمَادِ عَلَى الْحِسَابِ الْفَلَكِيِّ؟

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَٱلصَّلَاةُ وَٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ:

يَثْبُتُ دُخُولُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فِي الشَّرِيعَةِ الْإِسْلَامِيَّةِ بِأَحَدِ أَمْرَيْنِ مُحْكَمَيْنِ، لَا ثَالِثَ لَهُمَا، دَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِمَا السُّنَّةُ، وَأَجْمَعَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ:

🟢أَوَّلًا: رُؤْيَةُ الْهِلالِ
الأَصْلُ فِي دُخُولِ الشَّهْرِ هُوَ رُؤْيَةُ الْهِلالِ؛ لِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الْمُتَّفَقِ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: «إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَصُومُوا، وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَأَفْطِرُوا».
فَعَلَّقَ ﷺ وُجُوبَ الصَّوْمِ وَالْفِطْرِ عَلَى الرُّؤْيَةِ، وَهَذَا نَصٌّ جَلِيٌّ فِي أَنَّهَا السَّبَبُ الْمُعْتَبَرُ شَرْعًا.

وَقَدْ أَجْمَعَ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ عَلَى أَنَّ دُخُولَ الشَّهْرِ يَثْبُتُ بِالرُّؤْيَةِ، وَحَكَى هَذَا الْإِجْمَاعَ جَمْعٌ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ، مِثْلُ ابْنِ قُدَامَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ.

فَإِذَا تَرَاءَى النَّاسُ الْهِلالَ، فَرَآهُ بَعْضُهُمْ، ثَبَتَ دُخُولُ الشَّهْرِ. وَعَلَى الصَّحِيحِ تَكْفِي رُؤْيَةُ وَاحِدٍ عَدْلٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، إِذَا اعْتَمَدَهَا وَلِيُّ الْأَمْرِ أَوْ مَنْ يَنُوبُ عَنْهُ مِنَ الْقُضَاةِ؛ لِمَا ثَبَتَ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا أَخْبَرَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ رَأَى الْهِلالَ، فَصَامَ وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِالصِّيَامِ.

وَيُشْتَرَطُ فِي الرَّائِي أَنْ يَكُونَ عَدْلًا؛ فَإِنَّ غَيْرَ الْعَدْلِ لَا تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَتُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ.

🟢ثَانِيًا: إِكْمَالُ عِدَّةِ شَعْبَانَ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا
إِذَا تَحَرَّى الْمُسْلِمُونَ رُؤْيَةَ الْهِلالِ فَلَمْ يَرَوْهُ، أَوْ حَالَ دُونَ رُؤْيَتِهِ غَيْمٌ أَوْ غُبَارٌ أَوْ نَحْوُ ذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّهُمْ يُكْمِلُونَ شَهْرَ شَعْبَانَ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا؛ لِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ: «فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا عِدَّةَ شَعْبَانَ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا».

وَقَدْ نُقِلَ الْإِجْمَاعُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَبِهَذَيْنِ الْأَمْرَيْنِ فَقَطْ يَثْبُتُ دُخُولُ الشَّهْرِ فِي الشَّرْعِ.

🟢حُكْمُ الِاعْتِدَادِ بِالْحِسَابِ الْفَلَكِيِّ
أَمَّا الِاعْتِمَادُ عَلَى الْحِسَابِ الْفَلَكِيِّ فِي إِثْبَاتِ دُخُولِ الشَّهْرِ فَلَيْسَ مُعْتَبَرًا شَرْعًا، وَذَلِكَ لِأُمُورٍ:

- أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابَهُ لَمْ يَتَّخِذُوهُ طَرِيقًا مَعَ قِيَامِ مُقْتَضِيهِ فِي زَمَانِهِمْ، وَتَرْكُهُمْ لَهُ مَعَ الإِمْكَانِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى عَدَمِ اعْتِبَارِهِ، إِذِ الْعِبَادَاتُ مَبْنَاهَا عَلَى التَّوْقِيفِ. وَكُلُّ وَسِيلَةٍ كَانَ بِإِمْكَانِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابِهِ أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوهَا وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُوهَا، فَاتِّخَاذُهَا بَدْعَةٌ مُحْدَثَةٌ، كَمَا بَيَّنَ ذَلِكَ شَيْخُ الإِسْلَامِ.

- أَنَّ النُّصُوصَ النَّبَوِيَّةَ عَلَّقَتِ الْحُكْمَ عَلَى الرُّؤْيَةِ أَوْ إِكْمَالِ الْعِدَّةِ، وَلَمْ تُعَلِّقْهُ عَلَى الْحِسَابِ.

- أَنَّ جَمَاهِيرَ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَكَوْا الْإِجْمَاعَ عَلَى عَدَمِ الِاعْتِدَادِ بِالْحِسَابِ الْفَلَكِيِّ فِي ذَلِكَ. حَكَى الإِجْمَاعَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْبَرِّ، وَشَيْخُ الإِسْلَامِ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَةَ، وَابْنُ حَجَرٍ، رَحِمَهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا.

وَعَلَيْهِ؛ فَالْقَوْلُ بِالِاعْتِمَادِ عَلَى الْحِسَابِ قَوْلٌ شَاذٌّ مُخَالِفٌ لِلسُّنَّةِ وَالْإِجْمَاعِ، وَلَا يَجُوزُ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنْ يَبْنُوا عِبَادَتَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَا تُقَدَّمُ عَلَى النُّصُوصِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ وَلَا يُتَابَعُ أَحَدٌ فِيهَا.

فالْوَاجِبُ هُوَ التَّمَسُّكُ بِمَا ثَبَتَ فِي الشَّرْعِ دُونَ تَعَدٍّ وَلَا ابْتِدَاعٍ.

نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَنْ يُوَفِّقَنَا لِلِاتِّبَاعِ، وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَمَسِّكِينَ بِالسُّنَّةِ، السَّائِرِينَ عَلَى هَدْيِهَا ظَاهِرًا وَبَاطِنًا، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ وَسَلَّمَ وَبَارَكَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ.

▫️What are the Shariah-recognized methods for determining the beginning of the month, and what is the ruling on relying on astronomical calculations?

All praise is due to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The beginning of the Month of Ramadan in the Shariah is established by one of two well-defined means, and there is no third alternative. These two methods are indicated by the Sunnah, and scholars have reached consensus on them:

🟢First: Sightings of the Crescent The primary basis for the commencement of the month is the sighting of the crescent. As the Prophet ﷺ said, in the well-authenticated Hadith agreed upon by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, reported from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): "If you see it, then fast; and if you see it, then break your fast."
Thus, the obligation of fasting and breaking the fast is dependent upon the sighting. This is a clear and decisive indication that sighting is the legally recognized cause.

Scholars have unanimously agreed that the start of the month is confirmed by sighting, and this consensus has been reported by many scholars, including Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy on him.

According to the correct opinion, it suffices that one just and trustworthy Muslim sees it, provided the sighting is verified and approved by the ruler or his delegated judges. This is based on the report that Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet ﷺ that he had seen the crescent, and the Prophet ﷺ fasted and commanded the people to fast.

It is a condition that the person who sights the crescent must be just; the testimony of a non-just person is not accepted in this matter.

🟢Second: Completing Thirty Days of Sha‘ban If the Muslims attempt to sight the crescent and do not see it, or if clouds, dust, or similar obstacles prevent its sighting, then they complete thirty days of Sha‘ban. This is based on the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: "If it is obscured from you, then complete the month of Sha‘ban to thirty days."

Consensus has also been reported on this matter. Therefore, the beginning of the month is established only by these two methods in Shariah.

🟢Ruling on Relying on Astronomical Calculations As for relying on astronomical calculations to establish the beginning of the month, this is not legally recognized in Shariah for several reasons:

1) The Prophet ﷺ and his companions did not adopt astronomical calculations as a method, although they had the means to do so. Their abstention indicates that it is not to be relied upon, as acts of worship are to follow divine guidance, not human conjecture. Any attempt to adopt such a method is a newly invented innovation, as clarified by Shaykh al-Islam.

2) The Prophetic texts link the ruling to sighting the crescent or completing the month; they do not link it to calculations.

3) Scholars have unanimously ruled that astronomical calculations are not a valid basis for determining the beginning of the month. This consensus has been reported by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, and Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on them all.

Therefore, relying on calculations is a bid’ah that contradicts both the Sunnah and scholarly consensus, and Muslims are not permitted to base their worship on it.
One must adhere to what is firmly established in Shariah without transgression or innovation.

We ask Allah, Glorified and Exalted, to guide us to follow His path, and to make us among those who adhere to the Sunnah, walking upon its guidance outwardly and inwardly. And Allah knows best. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

▫️عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَال: قَالَ ﷺ: «مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ، ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ سِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ، كَانَ كَصِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ». [رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ]

وَتَبْدَأُ السِّتُّ مِنْ شَوَّالٍ مِنْ ثَانِي أَيَّامِ عِيدِ الْفِطْرِ (٢ شَوَّالٍ)، فَاحْرِصْ عَلَى صِيَامِهَا، وَاجْتَهِدْ فِي ذَلِكَ قَدْرَ مَا تَسْتَطِيعُ، وَاحْمَدِ اللَّهَ مَا دُمْتَ عَلَى قَيْدِ الْحَيَاةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَفُوتَكَ الْفُرْصَةُ. وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ صِيَامَهَا مُتَتَابِعَةً، فَلَهُ أَنْ يَصُومَهَا مُتَفَرِّقَةً، كَصِيَامِ يَوْمَيِ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَالْخَمِيسِ خِلَالَ شَهْرِ شَوَّالٍ، فَلَا يُشْتَرَطُ فِيهَا التَّتَابُعُ.

وَاللَّهُ الْمُوَفِّقُ.


▫️On the authority of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever fasts during Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted an entire year."[Narrated by Muslim]

The six days of Shawwal begin on the second day of Eid al-Fitr (Shawwal 2nd). Be diligent in observing them and strive to fast them as much as you are able. Praise Allah for the blessing of life, for one may not be granted this opportunity again.

For those unable to fast all six days consecutively, it is permissible to fast them separately, like fasting on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the month of Shawwal. Consecutive fasting is not a requirement in this case.

And Allah is the One who grants success.