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Statement on Sighting the New Moons
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 07-03-2023

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim

All perfect praise be to Allah The Lord of The Worlds. May His Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

Since being entrusted with the task of announcing the beginning of the lunar months, the General Iftaa` Department sights the new moons at the beginning and end of each month in compliance with the verse: "They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage." {Al-Baqarah/189}. The Department has adopted a precise scientific methodology based on scientific data and the examination of reports submitted by the competent authorities of astronomers. The latter perform accurate calculations of the moment the crescent is born and the conjunction occurs, the duration of its stay on the horizon, the possibility of sighting it and they present the findings to the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies.

Accordingly, the Department held a meeting with the astronomical and scientific authorities specialized in sighting the new moons to study the scientific data for the conditions of the birth and sighting of the new moons, among which is the moon of the holy month of Ramadan. The mansions of this moon have been monitored since the beginning of the month of Sha'ban and will continue until the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan is announced. The Department also holds scientific seminars in cooperation with the Arab Federation of Astronomy and Space Sciences, the Jordanian Astronomical Society and the Royal Geographical Centre. In these seminars, scholars of Sharia and astronomers in the Islamic world meet to exchange experiences, scientific updates and scholarly views.

After seeking The Help of Allah first, then the Iftaa` Department and the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies, sought the assistance of the astronomers and scientific committees to sight the new moon of the holy month of Ramadan on the 29th of the month of Sha'ban to prove the sighting of this moon. This is in compliance with the Prophetic directives embodied in the following narration: "Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it, and if the weather is cloudy treat Sha‘ban as having thirty days." (Bukhari and Muslim).

O Allah, allow us to witness Ramadan and make it a month of blessings for the entire Muslim nation. And all perfect praise Be to Allah The Lord of The Worlds. 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

My father placed shares worth twenty dinars in one of the banks, and their value doubled to become five thousand dinars. When my father passed away, one of the scholars told us that it is permissible for us to take the money. What is the ruling on this money, considering that it comes from a bank and involves interest (Riba)?

Allah The Almighty Said (What means): "And if you repent, then for you is the principal of your wealth. You do not wrong, nor are you wronged." [Al-Baqarah/279]. This is the precautionary ruling regarding what you are asking about. You are entitled to the principal amount, and you should give the excess as charity to the poor and needy. If you are poor, you may take from it. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

I`m a married young man. I fell in love with a widow and proposed to her but her family refused because they feared that this would have an adverse impact on the future of her children. However, we entered into unregistered marriage and told my family and even my wife about it. I`m a person who fears Allah, The Almighty and want to clear myself from any liability before Him, The Exalted. What should I do?

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of The Worlds. May His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
It is imperative that you proclaim this marriage to preserve rights. Therefore, you must register it in an Islamic court. A second marriage isn`t forbidden, however, if the unregistered marriage had taken place without the consent of the woman`s guardian nor the presence of two honorable witnesses, then it is considered void and your relationship with this woman is forbidden. Therefore, you must conclude a new marriage contract with the approval of her guardian and the presence of two honorable witnesses. We advise you to fear Allah and adhere to the teachings of Sharia in this regard since sinful conduct is that which turns in your heart (making you feel uncomfortable) and you dislike that it would be disclosed to other people. And Allah The Almighy Knows Best.

What is the ruling on the yellow discharge that comes from a woman during pregnancy?

These discharges are not menstrual blood, but they are impure like urine and break the Wudu (ablution). If the discharge is frequent, its ruling is similar to that of urinary incontinence. The woman should perform wudu after the time of each prayer, pray the obligatory prayer, and any additional prayers she wishes, read the Quran, and take precautions against impurity to the best of her ability. Using a special pad can prevent the impurity from spreading. And Allah Knows Best.

Is it permissible for the woman who is observing Iddah after the death of her husband to exchange calls with her relatives and husband`s family call?

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
It is permissible for the woman who is observing Iddah* after death of husband to exchange calls with them; however, when she speaks to non-Mahrams , she shouldn`t be soft of speech and she should be straight to the point. This because Almighty Allah Says (What means): "O ye wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like any other women. If ye keep your duty (to Allah), then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire (to you), but utter customary speech." [Al-Ahzaab/32]. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
 

 [1] The iddah is a waiting period that a Muslim woman observes after the death of her husband or after a divorce. The Quran says: For those men who die amongst you and leave behind wives, they (the wives) must confine themselves (spend iddah) for four months and ten days.

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