Eid Celebration and Moon Sighting Rules

Question

The uk government has said it’s impossible to see the new moon for eid Al fitr on Thursday night, meaning eid should be on Saturday, not Friday. Many people may still do eid on Friday instead of fasting Friday and completing 30days of Ramadan.

Would it be sinful do this without the new moon being sighted? Would someone be liable for kaffarah penalty as they have neglected fasting the whole of Friday and just did eid instead?

Answer

In UK or anywhere else, it is impermissible and totally against the Shari’ah to celebrate Eid without moon sighting. The hadiths clearly say: don’t start new month until you see the moon.

So those who start the new month on the basis of moon’s birth they are against the Shari’ah law.

If someone celebrates Eid a day before without a moon sighting being announced then he will be a sinner because of skipping the fast, and it is necessary for him to tobah and do Qadha for the fast of one day, there is no kaffara on him. Because the kaffara is for breaking the fast, not for leaving the fast.

Answered by: Mufti Sajid Attari

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