Taken from: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah – Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām
Should Ramadan and the two Eids be observed according to the lunar months or the solar months?
I live in Hamilton, Canada, where all five mosques observe Ramadan and both Eids according to the lunar calendar. My question is: does observing them according to the lunar months count as an innovation (bid‘ah)?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
From your question, it appears that your knowledge of religious matters in this regard is quite limited, because all Muslims are well aware of the following:
❀ Ramadan and both Eids are always observed according to the lunar months.
❀ The Sharīʿah fixes the dates of these occasions by the Hijrī (lunar) calendar, as in:
❀ To observe Ramadan and the Eids according to the solar calendar is entirely against the Shari‘ah.
❀ Observing them according to the lunar months is in exact accordance with the Sunnah and the rulings of the Shari‘ah — it is not a bid‘ah.
Conclusion:
Celebrating Ramadan and the Eids according to the lunar months is not only free from innovation, but is in fact a clear requirement of the Sunnah and Shari‘ah.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Question:
Should Ramadan and the two Eids be observed according to the lunar months or the solar months?
I live in Hamilton, Canada, where all five mosques observe Ramadan and both Eids according to the lunar calendar. My question is: does observing them according to the lunar months count as an innovation (bid‘ah)?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
From your question, it appears that your knowledge of religious matters in this regard is quite limited, because all Muslims are well aware of the following:
Determining Ramadan and the Eids in Light of Shari‘ah:
❀ Ramadan and both Eids are always observed according to the lunar months.
❀ The Sharīʿah fixes the dates of these occasions by the Hijrī (lunar) calendar, as in:
- Fasting is from the first to the last day of Ramadan.
- ʿĪd al-Fiṭr is always on the first of Shawwāl.
- ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā is always on the tenth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah.
No Basis for Using Solar Months:
❀ To observe Ramadan and the Eids according to the solar calendar is entirely against the Shari‘ah.
❀ Observing them according to the lunar months is in exact accordance with the Sunnah and the rulings of the Shari‘ah — it is not a bid‘ah.
Conclusion:Celebrating Ramadan and the Eids according to the lunar months is not only free from innovation, but is in fact a clear requirement of the Sunnah and Shari‘ah.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
