What was the Prophet’s Practice?

From the report of Abu Hurairah (RA): From Abu Umair:  “A Caravan came to the Prophet (saw). They said: Yesterday we have seen the Hilal. The Prophet asked the people to break the fast and go to their prayer place next morning.” (Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maja, Nassaye).

From the report of Ibn Majah:

“It is said that the caravan arrived at the end of the day. The Prophet did not ask them about the distance. He asked them to break the fast without any enquiry (about the distance) even though the caravan came from a distant place.” Prophet (saw) said: “Fasting is on the Day you fast, Eid-ul-Fitre is on the Day you observe Eid-ul-Fitre, and Eid-ul-Adha is on the Day you observe Eid-ul-Adha.” (Turmudi).

The meaning is that the Day for observing the religious rites such as Jumu’a, Arafat, Ashura, Fastings, Eidul Fitre and Eidul Adha should be common for all in the world. The special rites of such Days should be performed on one Day throughout the world, at different times according to the distance. For example if it is a Friday all must do it on Friday. If Makkah is taken as the Center, those to the East observe all the rituals before Makkah. They extend up to 9 hours. Those to the West observe the rituals after Makkah. They extend up to 15 hours. The Shariah demands that the order of time sequence must be strictly adhered to.

From Ayisha (RA)

“Eid-ul-fitre is on the Day when people celebrate the Eid-ul-fitre. Eid-ul-Adha is on the Day when people celebrate Eid-ul-Adha.” (Abu Dawood, Ibn Maja).

In another report we can see that:

“Your Arafat Day is on the Day of your standing on the Arafat.”

These Ahadith declare the unity of the Days of Fasting and Feasting. It should be one Day for all people living in the world. The weekly Eid of Jumu’a is performed on one Day throughout the world. Then why cannot the annual Eid be performed on one Day all over the world? Why should people disagree in celebrating the Eid on one Day all over the world as commanded by the Prophet (saw)?

From Ibn Umair: “The Prophet said: When the Hilal appears, begin fasting and when it appears celebrate the Eidul Fitre.” (Bukhari, Muslim).

It is on the basis of this Hadith that the Imams of the 4 Madhabs and Imam Shaikhul Islam, Ibn Taimiyya ® have declared that when the Hilal appears at any place on the Earth, it shall be the basis for the beginning of the month on the Earth, for all people who come to know about it.

There is only the following narration of Kuraib on which some people argue that the Hilal, which occurs in one place is not applicable to another place.

No one says that it is prohibited to consider the Hilal confirmed at another place. The view that it is not applicable to the others is due to a misunderstanding of the Hadith of Kuraib. But those to the East of the Mathla’h’ (Date Line) shall not fast the next morning with those to the West. It will be prohibited there, because the Days and the directions of the Qibla differ at that place on the Earth. If the people of the West fasted on Friday, the people of the East also should fast on Friday, but there will be a gap of 24 hours’ difference there between the West and the East. This shall not be overlooked.