Fatawa Europe Pdf

[Lorin Searing]

Whoeverlives in a land in which the sun does not set during the summer and does not rise during the winter, or who lives in a land in which the day lasts for six months and the night lasts for six months, for example, has to perform the five daily prayers in each twenty-four hour period. They should estimate their times based on the nearest country in which the times of the five daily prayers can be distinguished from one another

Polar regions like Norway, Finland, and Alaska have areas where the sun stays below horizon for several months in winter, and stays above horizon for several months in summer. However, there comes a time in every day when the sun is at its highset point (Noon) and at lowest point (Midnight). At temperate latitudes, the highest point is visible but lowest point is below horizon. But at higher latitudes (Polar region, like Norway, Finland, and Alaska) the highest and lowest point occur below horizon in winter (meaning several months long night), and above horizon in summer when the sun never sets for several months (meaning several months long day). But we can calculate those two points and determine Prayer times around those two known times every day.

...We said: Allah's Messenger, would one day's prayer suffice for the prayers of day equal to one year? Thereupon he said: No, but you must make an estimate of time (and then observe prayer)... (Sahih Muslim 41:7015)

Although the above hadith was reported regarding the time of Al-Dajjal, wherein he will walk the earth for forty days, one day like a year, one day like a month, and one day like a week, the ruling made by the prophet in this exchange can also be applied to the so-called "Lands of the Midnight Sun", where the sun literally does not set for days or months at a time.

As for those countries in which the times of prayer can still be determined according to the position of the sun, but in which said times are highly inconvenient due to the sun setting extremely late and rising extremely early during the summer, or vice-versa during the winter, I know of no reason that the same ruling could not be applied. The above report suggests that the exact times of the prayers (in relation to the position of the sun) is less important than the fact that they are still performed regularly.

Alternatively, joining prayers (such as joining the Maghrib and Isha prayers so they are performed at the same time) is another option, as the prophet is reported to have done the same so as to make things easier for his followers (Sahih Muslim 4:1516).

There are different opinions on the matter, some Fuqahā' say for fasting and prayers you should follow your home country times. Some others say the nearest country in which the times of the five daily prayers can be distinguished (as Ansari pointed out).

The European council for fatwa and research (ECFR) has given a fatwa on this very purpose:Saying that one can combine maghrib an 'isha prayer in the summer (when days are long) and dhur and 'asr in winter

And in Germany the local fiqh (?) council announced that this would be applied for the situation where 'isha' prayer time is later then 11 pm, but they -apparently- added that this is only applied for mosques, as the combination of prayers like this was only made in mosques (they apparently did qiyas for the matter if it was raining etc.). But personally I don't agree with this, as the fatwa of the ECFR is providing a general statement. Note that in my opinion and practice I have the feeling that about nobody takes care of the fatawa neither those of the ECFR nor the German council except a couple of mosques who seem to pin them as an announcement no more no less.

The fatwa is based on the hadith of ibn 'Abbass () quoted in Sahih Muslim, Sunan an-Nasaa-i, Sunan abi Dawod and Jami' at-Tirmidhi which is saying that the Messenger of Allah () combined prayers even when there was no fear nor rain (an addition that is not present in all versions of this hadith).

Recently here in London the followers of Sistani had been informed to celebrate Eid on Wednesday. Whereas followes of Khamanei were informed for Tuesday. Taqleed therefore makes it compulsory for each follower to adhere to the their respected Ayatollahs.

Problem is my brother follows Khamanei and I follow Sistani which ultimately means we gotto celebrate eid on seperate days unless the moon has been sighted around europe by any of the shia authorities who form the board governance of either Ayatolllah on any particular day.

What I want to know is, exactly what ruling is given from both Ayatollahs in order to allow us to do Eid on one specific day?? Naturally sunnis have the same problem, but does this problem cause any serious harm to our practices or is it seen as a mild inconvenience according to the ulema?

It's unusual for Khamenei's and Seestani's to have different days because I didn't think the rulings varied much, but I might be mistaken. Can somebody please post the ruling of Ayatullah Khamenei? I always thought that it was based upon the moon being sighted in the region.

the ruling differing that Sistani believes that if you share the horizon with another country and they sight the moon, you can follow. however, i live in america, and we sighted the moon monday night making eid on tuesday, but we do not share the horizon with europe, therefore they can't follow us.

Our local scholar was on the phone to one of the Sistani aids in UK on Monday....first it was announced Eid was on Wednesday, later after several phone calls way after Isha salaat, it was then confirmed that the moon had been sighted in Spain by a group serving as representatives of Sistanis office, therefore the trusted source allowed us to do Eid on Tuesday.

Let me help you with an example. A marja will tell you that blood is najis. But no Marja will tell you whether what you have on your shirt is blood or catchup. It is YOUR responsibility to decide whether this instance at hand, matches a certain set of rules or not.

You need to know what are your Marja's rulings about how to see the moon (with naked eye or binocular or ...). Also what counts as a testimony. Two Adel in your city, or in the same horizon, or in the same night (the three rulings I've seen different Marjas have)

But you decide yourself, whether the case you have at hand matches your Marjas rule or not. There is NO taghlid in whether the moon is seen or not. Their office might announce their understanding for their city, but it is NOT binding in anyways, as there is NO taghlid in instances (masadigh)

I agree with what Atlantis has said. Whatever Ayatullah Sistani, his representative offices, or anybody, says in regards to moonsighting reports, nobody is bound by an such announcements until you are satisfied with the truthfulness. Vice versa, if you receive a report of a moonsighting and Ayatullah Sistani does not believe it but you do, then you can start Eid, even if Ayatullah does not endorse it - provided that you follow his fatawa about the rest of the issues and how the moonsighting has been made (e.g. with or without telescope and horizon issues).

However, It is now known that if the moon is seen in one place, say in central Africa somewhere, it does not necessarily mean the moon will be seen in London, because the moon could be beyond our line of sight.

Therefore, Ayatullah Sistani, recognising this fact, has said that if the moon is seen in one city, another city can follow reliable moonsighting reports in that first city, provided they share the horizon, and sharing a horizon means that if the moon is seen in one city it should necessarily be seen in the other city.

With Ayatullah Khomeini's fatwa, there are no such limitations and we can go as far south and east as we want as far as moonsighting reports are concerned, without concerning oneself about whether it is even possible to see the moon or not.

At the beginning of this month, with the moon setting before the sunset, it was impossible to see the moon in London, so it was impossible according to Ayatullah Sistani's fatwa, to have 1st Shawwal on Tuesday.

3a8082e126