Press Release
The Transitional Government’s Council of Fiqh Confuses Muslims in Sudan by Announcing Saturday as the First Day of Ramadan, even though the Month is Proven by Shariah to Start on Friday!
(Translated)

To further confuse Muslims in Sudan, the Islamic Fiqh Council announced that tomorrow, Friday, the day that completes the thirty of Sha'ban and that Saturday 25/4/2020 is the first day of Ramadan, in violation of the Shariah sighting that Saudi Arabia has established, and before, what was established yesterday by investigating the Shariah sighting (of the moon) in a number of Islamic countries where sighting has not been established, and they made today, Thursday, the final day completing the thirty Sha’ban. Thus, tomorrow, Friday, will be the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan.

We are in Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah of Sudan, on the premise of responsibility and honesty; we want to clarify the following:

First: On the backdrop of the Fiqh Council announcing the investigation of the moon on Thursday as the 29th Sha’ban, we issued a statement on Monday, 20/4/2020, which explained that the Fiqh Council is misleading people by making Thursday, the completion of Sha’ban, the day of investigating of the moon.

Second: Saudi Arabia’s announcement that the investigation of the moon is Thursday, 30 Sha’ban 1441 AH corresponding to 23/4/2020 CE, despite its contradiction with what was followed on the investigation, that it is on the 29th of Sha’ban, yet it investigated the moon on the 30 Sha’ban and the sighting was established by Shariah conditions. Which is sufficient for all Muslims in the world to start their fast. Because there is only one (crescent) moon, there is no special moon for Sudan and another for other countries.

Third: A very important question we ask to the brothers in the Fiqh Council in Sudan. Did you investigate the beginning of Sha’ban and the result of your investigation was that the beginning of the month on Thursday on 26/3/2020 CE?!  If the answer is yes, then why were your speeches mentioning the beginning of Sha’ban on Wednesday 25/3/2020?!

Fourth: What the Transitional Government's Fiqh Council has done is intended to confuse and preoccupy people from the crises suffocating them.

Fifth: The obligatory Shariah ruling on the Muslims in Sudan and in other Muslim countries is that fasting is tomorrow on Friday, because the Shariah sighting of the moon was confirmed. This is in compliance with the command of the Beloved (saw) who said:

«صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ؛ فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا اْلْعِدَّةَ ثَلَاثِينَ»

“Fast when you see it (crescent moon) and stop fasting when you see it (crescent moon), and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then complete thirty (days).”

And not to pay attention to what the Fiqh Council mentioned, because the Council’s action is leading people to commit what is forbidden, which is breaking the fast on the day of fasting, so there is no obedience to any creature in disobeying the Creator

As for those who talk about obedience to the guardian (ruler), the Muslims today, and since the Khilafah (Caliphate) state was destroyed, have no guardian. As for the rulers of today, they are the supporters of Satan, they rule by other than what Allah has revealed. The obligatory obedience is for the ruler (guardian) who is given a Shariah pledge of allegiance (bay’ah) as the Khalifah (caliph) of the Muslims. This is what is obligatory on the Muslims today; to work diligently in order to bring back the Khilafah Rashida (rightly guided Caliphate) on the method of prophethood and to pledge allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims, whose obedience is obligatory; who will remove the dispute between the Muslims.

  [لِمِثْلِ هَذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْعَامِلُونَ]

“For the like of this let the workers [on earth] work” [As-Saffat: 61]

Ibrahim Othman (Abu Khalil)
Official Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Sudan