Is Eidul-Adhab on the 16th or 17th?

Asslamo Allaikum,

Insha’Allah here we will attempt to discuss why Eid CANNOT be on the 16^th for British Muslims. If your sole argument is that “I follow my local Masjid” then that’s fine.

If your argument is “I follow Ulama” then please make the argument as it’s a false argument. 

Argument 1 (Taqleed):  

If someone claims that they follow the Hanafi Madhab then all the injunctions of the Madhab are binding upon them i.e. they cannot chose to say “Ameen silently”, “Not do Rafa Al-Yadain” etc and then ignore moonsighting.

The Hanafi Madhab has a very clear position on moonsighting:

1. When its cloudy THEN the testimony of 1-2 people can be accepted
2. When its not cloudy THEN testimony of 1-2 people will NOT be accepted and the testimony of "Jamme-e-Ghafeer (a large group)" will be required. In other words when there are clear horizons a large group must testify that they have seen the moon.

What is "Jamme-e-Ghafeer (a large group)"? This has differed amongst Fuqaha with some Ulama saying 40 people and so on but it is certainly a number of people which makes the news of moon sighting CERTAIN and BEYOND DOUBT.

If you look at it logically it makes perfect sense i.e. on a clear day many many people will see the moon.

There is NEVER ANY PUBLIC moon sighting in Saudia, EVER! Groups of Ulama in Madina reported NOTHING this year at all.

Saudi universities and centers of Astronomy with their powerful telescopes reported NOTHING this year at all.

World-wide universities and centers of Astronomy with their powerful telescopes reported NOTHING this year at all.

If you choose to follow the Hanafi Madhab on saying "Ameen Silently" but chose to follow your own desires on moon sighting rather then the teachings of the Madhab, then let this be on your head on the day of judgement.

 If an Alim chooses to follow the Hanafi Madhab on saying "Ameen Silently" but chose to follow your own desires on moon sighting or gives a Fatwa of this nature then this opinion and Fatwa is also be REJECTED!

Fortunately the Hanafi Ulama of UK/South Africa/India/Pakistan/Burma/SriLanka are UNITED on the issue of Saudi moon sighting not to be applicable for British Muslims.
 

http://www.wifaqululama.co.uk/

There isn’t a SINGLE HANAFI Scholar of any repute or understanding in the world who has given a Fatwa otherwise. So then you must ask, “Why do Darul-ulooms & Masjids in UK still follow Saudia?”

That’s a good question for you to investigate and ask!

In the Hanafi Madhab, in the face of such overwhelming Fatawa it is incorrect to abandon “Taqleed” and chose to follow something which has no backing.

Jazakullah Khairun


 

Argument 2 (I am a "Deobandi"): 

Darul-uloom Deoband was started in India around 1866 and all those (Ulama & laymen) who ascribe themselves to the Deobandi “Maslak” are associated with this illustrious institute.

All India Radio started broadcasting in 1923 and “World news” was a feature of Radio in India.

Since then the news of Hajj/Eid has been regularly known and broadcasted throughout the Indian subcontinent so the Deobandi Ulama were well aware of the matter and discussed in their books (see Fatawa-e-Rahemmiyah etc).

Despite the close proximity of India to Saudia NEVER ONCE did the deobandi Ulama declare their Ramadhan/Eidul-Fit’r/Eidul-Adha with Saudia, rather they have always and still rely on local moon sighting.

If the Ulama never relied on Saudi moon sighting for India (which is close), how on earth is it applicable to UK which is in a different continent and thousands of miles away?

 

I'm in suppurt of Wifaqul Ulama, but it looks like Hizbul Ulama are given preference as they also follow Saudi.

We had Sightings this year almost every where, this proved Eid to be on the 17th. I even sent an email out to many people only to be told that even my local mosque is doing Eid on the 16th.

Its a committee thing, the boys in the mosque dont listen to the Imams.

Every year I send an email trying to explain the difference between the "New Moon" and the "Hilal". Last Eid, I managed to keep it so simple with very little explantion and just images, and alHumdulillah, people finaly understood. I will try to upload it here InshaAllah. (Please note, it was a paint brush job)

I think they look at the way the world revovles, therefore technically, UK comes first & then India. A bit Stupid (or may be not) but...before I say more, let me make sure I get my facts right. I dont want to missquote!

Argument 3 (Isn't Eidul-Adha supposed to be day after Hajj?): 

This absurd position has NEVER been taken by anybody in the Muslim Ummah.

• Muslims started celebrating Eidul-Adha from the 2nd year of Hijrah
• Hajj became Fardh in 9th year of Hijrah

What did the Muslims do for the first 7 years of Islam?

Moreoever, currently there is ongoing discussion about Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain) and if Eidul-Adha was somehow tied to Hajj (in Makkah) how did the news get from Makkah to Cordoba (2879 miles away)?

What preparations were made to make the news of Hajj available 2879 miles away without Radio, email, Fax, TV etc? Did the Muslims in Cordoba wait around and did not fast or didn't cut their nail etc? You can clearly see the absurdity in this matter.

Fortunately the Deen of Allah (SWT) is perfect and there is not a trace of absurdity in it so Muslims fasted on 9th of Dhul-Hijjah locally and celebrated 10th of Dhul-Hijjah locally.

Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani Hanafi (HA) says this:

http://www.wifaqululama.co.uk/articlespdf/Eid%20ul%20Adha%20is%20on%20the%2010th%20of%20Dhul%20Hijjah.pdf view inline

Shaykh Uthaymeen Hanbali (HA) says the same:

http://www.wifaqululama.co.uk/fatwaspdf/UthaymeenFatwa_DulHijjah.pdf view inline
 

W-Salam,

There is only a 2 or 2 1/2 hour time difference between Saudia and many cities in India/Pakistan. Eidul-Adha is celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah. If the Deobandi Ulama wanted to they had 9 days to investigate and align their Eid to Saudia but they never did or never even attempted it.

Think about it.

But we will discuss the matter of East/West in detail later, Insha'Allah.

Jazakullah Khairun

Argument 4 (Contradiction in Fatwa): 

http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?37291-Discussions-with-a-Pro-Saudi-Moonsighting-Maulana&p=314839&viewfull=1#post314839

Nothing else needs to be said about the "Pro-Saudi Fatwa" if the argument above is read in detail.

Great, that was back in 2008. How many Eids have gone by.?

I spoke to the Mufti of our mosque and he didnt do Eid with the mosque for the first year just like somany others (and they were correct to do so), but when I approached him about it, he said, "You know what, you are right and the Ulama know this, but I cant be bothered with them. I will try to find that email so I dont miss quote.

Argument 5 (Following your local Masjid): 

There isn’t a single verse in the Qur’aan, or a single Hadeeth or a single text in Fiqh which makes an obligation upon anyone to follow their Masjid.

Proof that this is actually a position in Islam before it can be discussed further. And do you follow/agree with EVERY SINGLE thing your Masjid does? Then why single out moon sighting?

Since when did the Masjid committee/Administration become the criterion for truth?

Its a sad pathetic situation, its about the cast system of Gujarati/Pakistani/north/east/south/west & Money talks. If we dont do Eid when the Mosque does it, where will we do the Eid Salah. Even Mufti Saeed Palanpuri was at our mosque many years ago and he left on the day of Eid because he followed the correct  date, he even did a talk about it later.

This year Eid is on the 17th but again......