Q&A: Celebrating Eid to Avoid Acrimony and Keeping Qadha for the Missed Fast
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Q. As an Imaam is it permissible to follow Saudi moon sighting for Ramadhan & Eid, if one has serious personal reservations about the validity of the moon sighting on the basis that there should not be an acrimonious split amongst the Masjid committee & the community who are unwilling to change.
In line with one’s beliefs, this may result in one having to keep a Qadha fast in order to perform Eid with the community after which the community is or will be informed of the Imam’s reservations.
Would the keeping of a Qadha fast in the aforementioned scenario constitute a valid excuse acceptable in Shar’iah. Please note the Hadith below in regards to this question:
“Whosoever eats on one day of Ramadhan without a valid excuse (acceptable in Shari’ah) shall never be able to repay that day even by fasting the rest of his life.”
A. If the Imaam is convinced that the day the community is celebrating Eid, is in fact the last day of Ramadhaan, then he should fast and not join the Eid Salaat of the community.
