Abu Hurairah (ra) narrated that Muhammad (saw) said "When the month of Ramadhan starts, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed and the devils are chained." [Saheeh Bukhari]

Time Zones - Last year Libya and Nigeria started their Ramadhan on Sunday, the majority of the world fasted on Monday and the Iranians and Pakistanis fasted on Tuesday. What should we expect when we have apostate regimes with hypocrites in power and we do not have one Caliph whose final view is binding upon the Ummah. The ‘time zones' argument does not really hold water because the biggest time difference anyone country can have is 12 hours e.g. UK and Australia which means we all share the same 24 hour day.

Every Land Has Its Own Sighting - This seems to stem from a stubborn Madhab (school of thought) point of view and is popular with the Hanafites. They use the narration in Saheeh Muslim that describes Ibn Abbas (ra) not fasting the same day as Muawiyya (ra). Unfortunately the key parts of the narration seem to have been forgotten i.e. Muawiyya (ra) resided in Damascus where the moon was sighted on a Thursday and Ibn Abbas (ra) resided in Medina and fasted the following day (Saturday). The reality was that the distance between Syria and Hijaz (630 miles) prevented communication from being transmitted instantly. The people did not have mobile phones, email and fax machines. Today with the blessing of Allah (SWT) we do not have any difficulty in communicating globally.

Rely on Science - Whilst the fact remains there have been advancements in technology the digital age cannot be overridden by the divine text. The bedouins and nomads at the time of the Prophet (saw) were masters of the desert and used the stars to calculate their geographical orientation and physical position on earth drawing mental maps. So to assume we are superior to them in working out the skies is not entirely true. With all this knowledge available at the fingertips of the Prophet (saw) Muslims were still instructed to rely on the physical eye. Today we can use the telescopes and formulae as guides but the viewing of the moon must be natural. Abu Hurairah (ra) said Allah's Messenger (saw) said, "Whenever you sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadhan) observe fast, and when you sight it (the new moon of Shawwal) break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then observe fast for thirty days." [Saheeh Muslim] the wording of the Hadith is very clear the moon must be sighted by the naked eye.

Mathematical Astronomy - The only calculation Muslims can do to determine when Ramadhan starts is to add one (+1) Ibn Umar (ra) reported that the Prophet (saw) said, "We are an illiterate nation; we neither write, nor know how to do accounts. The month is like this and this. (the Prophet (saw) indicated this by opening and closing the palms of his hands three times on the last time the thumb was folded (i.e. 29 days) and sometimes of thirty days)." [Saheeh Bukhari] Its also been narrated by Ibn Umar (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said, "The month consists of twenty nine days, but do not fast till you sight it (the moon) and do not break your fast till you sight it. If the weather is cloudy (meaning you cannot see the moon), calculate (add one) it to thirty days." [Sunan Abu Dawood]

Safe Option - Some people would like to exercise the idea that we can fast a few days before Ramadhan enters and this will make sure we do not slip up by missing a day of fasting. Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated that Muhammad (saw) said, "Do not fast one day or two days just before Ramadhan except in the case of a person who has been in the habit of observing a fast (on that day)." [Sunan Abu Dawood] Also our beloved Messenger Muhammad (saw) said Whoever fasts the day of doubt has disobeyed Abul Qasim (i.e. the Prophet (saw))." [Sunan Ibn Majah].

Other baseless arguments have been presented such as following the local Masjid, follow the majority, follow the Saudis (the home of Islam) follow MINAB (a body baptised by the government). We sincerely advise the Muslims to stick to the divine revelation (Quran and Sunnah) based upon the understanding of the best generations (Salaf) in all of our affairs. At a time when the devils and their associates are being chained up the last thing we should be doing is accumulating more sin which is totally unnecessary and avoidable if we stick to the clear and established proofs. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, "Indeed I have left you upon a clear white path, its night is like its day. No one deviates from it after me, except that he is destroyed." [Sunan of Ibn Majah]