Dear brothers and sisters, December 7, 2008;
Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmathullahi Wa Bharakhathuhu.
The following Tradition is found in ALIM CD.
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Fiqh-us-Sunnah
Volume 5
Number 99
Fasting on the Day of Arafah
It is confirmed that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not fast on the Day of Arafah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Verily the Day of Arafah, the Day of Sacrifice (Yaum al-Nahr), and Ayam Tashriq (the 10th, 11th and 12th of Dhul-Hijjah) are our days of festivities. These are the days of eating and drinking." It is also established that the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade fasting on the Day of Arafah while at Arafah (for pilgrimage).
This has led most of the scholars to conclude that in fact not fasting on the Day of Arafah is desirable, so that a pilgrim should be strong enough to devote himself wholeheartedly to worship and supplications.
Some of the ahadith that encourage fasting on the Day of Arafah concern the persons who are not staying at Arafah as pilgrims performing Hajj.
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The 'Day of Arafah' is place-dependant; it is the day the pilgrims offer the combined Duhr and Asr prayers at Arafah. For the pilgrims it is the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah as per the calendar followed at Arafah. Precisely because the Islamic calendar is based on the sighting of the moon, different Muslim communities start the Ramadaan fasts on different days. If one insists that the fasting on the Day of Arafah is to be done on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah as per the local Islamic calendar it is wrong.
Due to technological developments sanctioned by Allah Subhana Wa Taala Muslims now know even the exact time of the Duhr and Asr prayers at Holy Kaaba. Muslims are to use the best of the knowledge.
Before the advent of global communications, when communications were based purely on written correspondence, the delay in ascertaining the presence of the pilgrims at Arafat took many days. Thus fasting on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah following the local Islamic calendar was the best. Such practice is not the best anymore.
Since Alhamdhulillah we know exactly when the pilgrims are present at Arafat it is preferable to fast when they are there.
Our suggestions regarding the fasting on the Day of Arafat does not in any way change the practice of determining the Islamic calendar based on the sighting of the moon. As regards the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha please notice that there are 3 days of such a celebration. While we celebrated Eid-ul-Adha on Monday at Columbia, SC, USA it was celebrated on Tuesday at Chennai India. When it was 10th of Dhul-Hijjah at Chennai, it was 11th of Dhul-Hijjah at USA.
Allah Subhana Wa Taala knows best.
Your brother,
Mohideen Ibramsha
Was Salaam
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--- On Sun, 12/7/08, cyber tiger <cyberkingtiger@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: cyber tiger <cyberkingtiger@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [MasjidNabwi] Arafat fast Sunday local time for Fiji; Saturday local time for Hawaii and in between for others -- Mohideen Ibramsha
To: MasjidNabwi@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008, 9:50 PM
I was receiving your email from various groups,
what about in USA,
If we assume that 10th Dhul Hijja on 8th Dec. in Saudi then same day will apper in USA after 24 hours, you have any comments to say.
Ulama e Haq said, perticular area, or city or state or country can adopt the same date & time but cant apply on whole world.
Ali Manikfan <manikfan@gmail. com> wrote:
The Quraan says :"Waqaddarahu Manaazila litha'lamoo adadassineena walhisaaba." Therefore the calendar must be based on the Manaazil of the moon for which it has been created. The first of Zul hijja according to the Manaazil of the moon is Friday and Arafa standing must be on Saturday. No one has right to interfere in the matters of Allah.
On 12/6/08, mohideen ibramsha <ibramsha7@yahoo. com> wrote: Dear brothers and sisters, December 6, 2008; Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmathullahi Wa Bharakhathuhu. On the day of Arafat the Hajees present in Arafat do not fast; the Muslims not in Arafat are encouraged to fast beseeching Allah Subhana Wa Taala to accept the Haj of the pilgrims in Arafat. Muslims in Saudi Arabia have the same time as in Arafat. Muslims in other countries have different times. Instead of feeling that different times make it infeasible for Muslims outside Saudi Arabia to keep the Arafat fast, we suggest that Muslims select a day in which the fasting time overlaps the presence of the pilgrims in Arafat. For example, the current time at Fiji islands is 2:42 am Sunday. The time for Fajr prayer in Fiji is 4:01 am. That is the Fiji Muslims start the fast in about 79 minutes from now. They would break the fast at 6:33 pm about 15 hours and 51 minutes from now. The current time at Makkah is 5:43 pm Saturday and the pilgrims would start assembling at Arafat from a few minutes after 5:23 am Sunday. The pilgrims would arrive starting from 11 hours and 40 minutes from now. The overlap between the fast of Fiji Muslims and the presence of pilgrims in Arafat is 4 hours and 11 minutes. Muslims in Fiji island fasting on Sunday local time do fast when the pilgrims are in Arafat. The western extreme is possibly Hawaii in America. The current time in Hawaii is 4:45 am Saturday. Adding 11 hours 40 minutes to 4:45 am gives 4:25 pm Saturday at Hawaii corresponding to the start of pilgrims at Arafat. Thus Muslims of Hawaii fasting on Saturday do have overlap with the pilgrims at Arafat. Maghreb prayer in Arafat is due at 5:39 pm and thus the pilgrims remain in Arafat for 12 hours and 16 minutes. The pilgrims start leaving Arafat in 23 hours and 56 minutes from now. Muslims of Hawaii fasting on Sunday start their fasts in 24 hours and 54 minutes later and thus they do not fast during the time of presence. For any other place in the world similar calculations would indicate that fasting on Sunday local day or Saturday local day would overlap with the presence of the pilgrims. For Washington, DC the Muslims are advised to fast Sunday local time to have overlap with the pilgrims at Arafat. Allah Subhana Wa Taala knows best. Your brother, Mohideen Ibramsha Was Salaam |