2. In Rahmathul Ummah it is written:
"They have agreed that when the Hilal is widely
seen in a country, fasting becomes compulsory on all the inhabitants of the
Earth." (Rahmathul Ummah page 118)
Fasting is compulsory in the month of Ramadan. The
rule for fixing the first of the month in the Shariah is seeing the first Hilal
on the 29th of the out going month or completion of 30 days for it. When 30 days are completed it is not necessary
to see the Hilal once again. The next month begins without seeing the Hilal.
Thefore seeing the Hilal is not the criterion for defining the months. Month is
a measure of time. It cannot be different for different people just as a
kilometer cannot be different.
The orders of the Prophet (SAW) to look for the
Hilal on the 29th of Shaban will not have any meaning if people looked on
different Days, like Friday and Saturday. Muslims of the present day do this
and render the sayings of the Prophet (SAW) meaningless and ridiculous. Even
after the Muslims at some place began fasting according to the rules of the
Shariah, the Muslims at another place are not ashamed to look at the sky
eagerly, to see the Hilal, which they never see and return disappointed to wait
for one more day!
There should be a limit to this foolishness. We
should know that Ramadan begins on the same Day for all in the world. The
quotation in the Rahmathul Ummah means that if some people began fasting on
Friday, basing on the appearing of the Hilal, or after completing 30 days for
Shaban, then all must begin it on Friday. If one could not fast on that Friday
owing to a permissible reason one must compensate for it by fasting one day
after Ramadan.