It happens every year. The government declares 1st of Ramadan to be on so and so day while the shi'ite community is feeling muffled. Then we would have the same old game of "my marja says Ramadan starts on this day", "my marja says Ramadan starts on that day" etc, while of course the sunni neighbors would be convinced that we are a bunch of kafirs who don't fast so lets kill them and book a place in jannah! Then again, the same thing is repeated towards the end of Ramadan while trying to determine the day of 'Eid. OK, so what is the solution? Actually, it is pretty easy.
Man la yahdhuruhul faqih:
وقد روي عن عيسى بن أبي منصور أنه قال: " كنت عند أبي عبدالله عليه السلام في اليوم الذي يشك فيه الناس فقال: يا غلام اذهب فانظر أصام الامير أم لا؟ فذهب ثم عاد فقال: لا، فدعا بالغداء فتغدينا معه
And narrated 'Isa b. Abi Mansur who said "I went to Imam Abu Abdullah(as) on the day for which people were in doubt (Imam(as))said "O Slave! Go see if the ruler is fasting or not?" He went then returned, said "No." So (Imam(as)) called for food and we ate with him."
وسأله عبدالكريم بن عمرو فقال: " إني جعلت على نفسي أن أصوم حتى يقوم القائم عليه السلام، فقال: " لا تصم في السفر، ولا في العيدين، ولا [في] أيام التشريق ولا اليوم الذي يشك فيه ". ومن كان في بلد فيه سلطان فالصوم معه والفطر معه لان في خلافه دخولا في نهي الله عزوجل حيث يقول: " ولا تلقوا بأيديكم إلى التهلكة
And asked 'Abdul Karim b. Amru (who)said (to the Imam(as)) "I've ordained it on myself to fast till Imam al Qaim(as) rises." (Imam(as)) said "Don't fast in travel, and not on 'Eids, and not in days of Tashreeq and not on day of doubt."
And whoever lives in a town (ruled by)authority/monarch should fast and break fast (i.e. do 'Eid) with the authority (i.e. in accordance with the days the authorities fast and celebrate 'Eid) for doing against this one will enter the forbidden of Allah(swt) as mentioned (in Qur'an, Pikthal translation) "and be not cast by your own hands to ruin."
Related Posts : Fiqh
as Salaamu Alaykum
ReplyDeleteI am a bit confused by this hadith, it seems to indicate that the actual date is not important, as we should just follow the ruler, is it an issue of taqiyya?
ws
@Anonymous: Wa'laikum assalam,
ReplyDeleteYes, it is an issue of taqiyya. Taqiyya is wajib in tashayyu and ahadith say that when living uder tyrant leaders we should follow their orders and not publicize ourselves.
3 - حدثنا أبي رحمه الله قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله عن عمرو بن أبي المقدام عن علي بن الحسين عن أبي عبد الله (ع) قال: إذا كنتم في أئمة الجور فامضوا في أحكامهم، ولا تشهروا أنفسكم فتقتلوا، وان تعاملتم باحكامهم كان خيرا لكم
3- Told us my father (ra), who said: Told us Sa'd b. Abdullah from Amru b. abi al Muqdam from Ali b. al Hussain from abi Abdullah (as) who said: "When you are among oppressive leaders then act by their orders, and do not publicize yourselves so you kill yourselves, and if you carry out their orders it would be better for you people."
http://realtashayyu.blogspot.com/2011/02/doing-opposite-of-sunniswahabis.html
Ahadith tell us that the best worship is the one done in taqiyya. The actual date of Ramadan is important under ideal conditions, but in the case above the Imam (as) seems to have done taqiyya and in the hadith advised us also to observe fasting as per the ruling authority.