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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

Sometimes I receive a message containing a picture of someone desecrating the Noble Quran. The sender asks recipients to send that message to their contacts as an act of defending the Quran. What should I do when receiving such messages?

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

You don`t have to circulate that message, because this isn`t the proper way to defend the Quran. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

Is it permissible for me to name my first son “Kassim” ?

The Prophet(PBUH) prohibited combining his name and his nickname, but using one of them is desirable.

I`m married to an American citizen who used to be married to a man in Mexico and filed for divorce there. It is worth pointing that in America she isn`t registered as married. When she arrived in Jordan, her lawyer called and told her that she got the divorce, and based on this we got married in Jordan. What is the ruling of Sharia on this?

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.
 
You haven`t mentioned whether this woman has converted to Islam or not. If she had embraced Islam and three menstrual cycles passed, but her first husband hasn`t converted to Islam, then her relationship with him is over. If you married her after this (Passing of three menstrual cycles and first husband not having embraced Islam) then your marriage is valid. However, if she didn`t convert to Islam then your marriage contract with her is invalid and you have to wait until she gets divorced by her first husband and observes Iddah, which is three menstrual cycles. Afterwards, you can conclude the marriage contract. We pray that Allah doesn`t hold you to account for what you have done because you thought she was divorced. We recommend that you seek Allah`s forgiveness as much as you can and do righteous deeds. We also advise you to marry a Muslim woman to preserve your and your children`s religion since Almighty Allah Says (What means): "Wed not idolatresses till they believe…" [Al-Baqarah/ 221]. It is true that marrying a Kitabi (One who believes in a book of sacred scriptures and with whom a Muslim may marry in what is deemed a lawful marriage) is permissible, it involves great risks, as stated in the aforementioned verse. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
 

Is it permissible for a father to divide his property amongst his children except one under the pretext that he has paid for the latter`s tuition? This is knowing that his other children were given the opportunity to pursue their education but didn`t because they were educationally poor. Moreover, is he allowed to give his other children who have helped him with growing his business?

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May Allah`s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
The father should be just between his children as regards gifts, in case they had similar circumstances. However, if any had a special merit, then it is permissible for the father to take that into account to be just. For example, giving his children who have helped in making his fortune and received no reward for that or giving the little ones because they haven`t taken as much as the older ones or giving the sick child who is unable to make a living. The most important thing is achieving justice. Moreover, the father is not interdicted by any of his children, and he is free to do whatever he wants with his money and Allah will call him to account as regards observing justice between his children. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

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