Is it ok to begin and end Ramadan on days different than that followed by one’s community? Is the unity of the community more important than the ruling of the Fiqh? What has been promised by Allah for the unity of Muslims?
Shaykh Yasir Qadhi clears your queries.
What should I do if my family and friends begin or end Ramadan on a date different than
my dear brothers and sisters in Islam our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam encouraged unity of the Muslims. And he said, Allah, his hand is over the Jamaat over the group, and especially when it comes to Ramadan, our Prophet Sall Allahu Allah He was seldom said that Ramadan is the day when you all began to fast and they're easily fitted is the day when you all stop too fast. So, more important than the methodology that you use, whether it is moon sighting, whether it is global, whether it is this, whether it is that the unity of the community is more important than any of these principles of physics. So if you are living in a land of Islam, and the government or their
Mufti or the official administration announces that the whole country should fast on this day and stop, it's fast on this day, then you will follow the people of the land because Allah's mercy comes with Unity. And if you're living in lands that are not governed by Islam, and so every community is following itself, then you follow the majority and you follow your locality and your messages, you follow the people that you associate with, and try your best to achieve some type of majority within at least your city or at least your community. So the point is that you yourself should not break away from your family and friends, try your best to stick together and celebrate Ramadan as a whole
and realize that these are not issues where we should be divided over even if one machine begins on one day and the other machine begins on another. This is a difference in fifth that is permissible. And a lot of Xhosa will not punish either of these two groups, even if unity could not be achieved. So stick with the Gema stick with the group of people stick with your family and friends and try to form a unified position amongst yourselves. That is what is going to be best in this scenario.