This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Farooq Rafi Sahib's book Qurbani, Aqiqa, and Ashra Zil-Hijjah.
Should the fast of Arafah be observed according to the Saudi calendar, or should people in every region fast on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah according to the lunar calendar? In the present era, an artificial complication is being created to cast doubts and suspicions in determining the Day of Arafah, and under the pretext of determining the Day of Arafah, an attempt is being made to make this sacred fast a complex issue. Although scholars who hold this view accept the lunar division in determining the fasts of Ramadan, other voluntary fasts, and the Night of Qadr, they are deceived by the Day of Arafah and make a futile attempt to attribute it to the Saudi calendar. The reality is that if this view is accepted, the entire Islamic world cannot fast according to the Saudi Day of Arafah, because in eastern countries, suhoor begins two or three hours before Saudi time, and iftar also occurs earlier than there. In this regard, the people of the East cannot fast according to the Saudi calendar, and in some western countries, the lunar calendar is ahead of the Saudi calendar. Thus, when the Day of Arafah occurs in Makkah, Eid al-Adha is being celebrated there, and due to this unfair division, Muslims in western countries will be deprived of the virtue of fasting on the Day of Arafah because fasting on the day of Eid al-Adha is prohibited. A more satisfactory answer to this objection will be seen in future fatwas:
Fatwa of Hafiz Abdul Sattar Hammad, may Allah preserve him:
Question: Saif ur-Rahman Siddiqui asks whether the fast of Arafah should be observed on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah or on the day when Arafah is observed in Makkah, even if in our region it falls on the 7th or 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
Answer: The noble saying of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is: "Fasting on the day of Arafah expiates the sins of the previous and coming year."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 11562. Sunan Abi Dawood: 2420. Jami` at-Tirmidhi: 749. Sunan Ibn Majah: 1713.
The Prophet ﷺ is the Messenger of Mercy and brought an easy religion. This mercy and ease require that the fast of Arafah be observed on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah. In Saudi Arabia, it is not necessary for the day of Arafah to coincide exactly with the local day of Arafah, for the following reasons:
① I have personally seen this narration in the works of Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him), though I do not have the reference now. In this narration, the words "اليوم التاسع" (the ninth day) are used for the day of Arafah, which means the fast should be observed on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
② The requirement of ease and mercy is that this Ummah is bound to perform worship according to their own conditions and circumstances. Although we are now in the scientific era, a few years ago such means to determine the day of Arafah in Saudi Arabia were not available. Even now, how will villagers and people in remote areas know when the day of Arafah is in Saudi Arabia to fast on that day? Therefore, considering our own circumstances, the fast of Arafah should be observed on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
③ There are regions on the earth where at the time of Arafah in Saudi Arabia it is night. What principle will apply for fasting there? If they are obligated to fast at the time of Arafah, they will be fasting at night, which is religiously prohibited. If they fast according to their own reckoning, the time of Arafah will have passed. Hence, ease lies in fasting according to one's own conditions and circumstances.
④ In our country, Pakistan, the day of Arafah falls on the 7th or 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah. Some Western countries observe the day of Arafah on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah. If they are obligated to fast on the day of Arafah according to Saudi Arabia, they will fast on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah according to their reckoning, whereas the Prophet ﷺ forbade fasting on that day. Therefore, it is necessary that we fast on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah according to our own reckoning.
⑤ There is a two-hour difference in sunrise and sunset between us and Saudi Arabia. If the fast of Arafah is linked to the day of Arafah in Saudi Arabia, then when we begin fasting, the day of Arafah will not have started in Saudi Arabia. Similarly, when we break our fast, the day of Arafah will still be ongoing in Saudi Arabia. These confusions can only be resolved if we do not link our fast to Saudi Arabia but determine the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah according to our own reckoning. These reasons require that we observe the fast of Arafah on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah according to our own reckoning, whether or not it is the day of Arafah there.
Reference: Fatawa Ashaab al-Hadith: 221/11, 220.
Fatwa of Hafiz Abdul Mannan Nurpuri, may Allah have mercy on him:
Question: The virtues of fasting on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah are established from the hadith. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "I hope from Allah that by fasting on the Day of Arafah (9th of Dhu al-Hijjah), Allah will forgive the sins of the past year and the coming year, and by fasting on the Day of Ashura, Allah will forgive the sins of the past year."
Reference: Mukhtasar Sahih Muslim: 620.
A religious scholar who teaches Sahih Bukhari holds the view that the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah in Arabia corresponds to the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah in our region, so we should fast on the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah instead of the 9th. Also, should the pilgrims fast on the Day of Arafah in the plain of Arafat or not?
Answer: There is a difference in the lunar calendar dates between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Sometimes the difference is one day, sometimes two days. The major and minor Eid are celebrated according to Pakistan's calendar. Similarly, the beginning of Ramadan also follows the local calendar. In these three matters, the lunar calendar of one's own country is maintained. Obviously, the same reasoning applies to the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, so the lunar date of one's own country will be considered valid for the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah as well.
It is narrated from Kareeb, may Allah have mercy on him, who was a servant of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both:
Sayyidna Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, had a wife named Sayyida Umm Fadl, may Allah be pleased with her, who sent Kareeb, may Allah have mercy on him, to Sayyidna Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, in Syria. Kareeb, may Allah have mercy on him, says that after arriving in Syria, I served him. While I was still in Syria, the crescent of Ramadan was sighted. I also saw the moon on Friday night, then at the end of Ramadan, I returned to Medina. Sayyidna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, asked me about the moon sighting: "When did you see the moon there?" I replied: "We saw it on Friday night." Sayyidna Abdullah bin Abbas then asked: "Did you see it yourself?" I replied: "Yes, many people saw it, and everyone fasted with Sayyidna Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, the next day (Saturday)." Sayyidna Abdullah bin Abbas said: "We saw the moon on Saturday (i.e., one day later). We will continue to fast according to that, until we complete thirty days." Kareeb, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Do you not consider the sighting and fasting of Sayyidna Muawiyah sufficient?" He replied: "No! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to do so."
Reference: Mukhtasar Sahih Muslim: 578.
From this hadith, it is clear that the local sighting of the moon in each region is valid, and in fasting, the two Eids, the Day of Ashura, the Day of Arafah, and all other Shariah rulings, the sighting of the moon in each region will be considered valid.
Reference: Ahkam wa Masa'il by Hafiz Abdul Mannan Noorpuri: 419/2, 418.
