FAQ

It is a common but mistaken belief that the moon’s size determines its age – for example, when people say, “Look how big the moon is; it must be the second or third night.” Such statements have no basis in either science or Sharīʿah. Sadly, they mislead others and disregard the clear instruction of the Prophet ﷺ.

There are numerous authentic Aḥādīth in which the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Begin fasting when you see the new moon and end fasting when you see it. If the sky is overcast, then complete thirty days.” (Muslim 1081b)

This Ḥadīth leaves no room for speculation or guesswork. The ruling of the new month is based solely on actual sighting (ruʾyah) – not on the moon’s thickness, brightness, or shape.

In reality, the moon naturally appears larger on the following night because its age increases by about 24 hours each day. For example:

• On the 29th night, the moon might be 18 hours old, only 4–5 degrees above the horizon, and visible for 15–20 minutes – making it almost impossible to see.

• By the next evening, its age will be around 42 hours, its altitude 12 degrees or more, and it will stay visible for nearly an hour – appearing much larger, though it is still the first-night moon.

Hence, a bigger or brighter crescent does not mean it is older; it is simply a natural result of time and visibility.

The Prophet ﷺ even foretold this confusion. Shuʿbah narrates that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:

“From among the signs of the Hour is that the new moon will appear large, and people will say, ‘It is two nights old.”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 37553; al-Ṭabarānī, al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ 9/147; al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr 10/198)

Imām Muslim devoted a specific chapter to this matter titled:

“Clarifying that it does not matter whether the crescent is large or small, for Allāh causes it to appear for sighting; and if it is obscured, then complete thirty days.”

He narrated that Abū al-Bakhtarī reported:

“We saw the new moon of Ramaḍān at Dhāt ʿIrq and sent a man to Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) to ask whether a small crescent was defective. He replied that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: Verily, Allāh has deferred its sighting, and if it is hidden from you, then complete thirty days.” (Muslim 1088)

A similar narration in Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ records Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) saying:

“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ deferred it until it is seen; the count begins from the night it is sighted.” (Mishkāt 1981)

In short, the Sharʿī ruling of a new month depends only on sighting, not on assumptions about how “fat” or “thin” the moon looks.

As for Moonsighting Australia, we continue to follow this Prophetic Sunnah – completing thirty days when the crescent is not seen, and accepting verified reports from any part of Australia.

The start and end of lunar months are determined only by ruʾyah (actual sighting), not by the moon’s apparent size or shape. Estimating the moon’s age by appearance contradicts both scientific reality and the clear teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.

Some suggest that Australia should follow a regional moonsighting system together with nearby countries such as Indonesia, New Zealand, or Fiji. However, this raises several problems.

Firstly, the idea of “neighbouring countries” is vague – does it include Malaysia, Thailand, or China? Secondly, expanding the region makes it extremely difficult to verify reports accurately. Past experiences have shown that many claims from neighbouring regions could not be reliably confirmed, leading to confusion and disagreement.

In addition, countries such as Malaysia use a combined Ru’yah (sighting) and Ḥisāb (calculation) system based on fixed criteria of 3 degrees altitude and 6.4 degrees elongation. If these conditions are met, the month is declared even without an actual sighting – meaning that for much of the year, the crescent is considered “seen” though never observed. For Ramaḍān, Shawwāl, and Dhul–Ḥijjah, final approval rests with officials.

For these reasons, restricting moonsighting to within Australia is both logical and practical. This approach is followed by major Muslim nations such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco, where the decision is made within national boundaries under the authority of local scholars. In countries without an Imām or ruler, scholars fulfil this role.

To read more on this topic, please visit: https://pathwaytoilm.info/feb-article-eng/

A common question is why local moonsighting should be limited by modern borders – and who defines what counts as “local.” In reality, this is not a new debate. Classical jurists did discuss the concept of local sighting and often used the term “country” (balad) to describe a shared maṭlaʿ (horizon).

Islamic scholars explained that an entire country can be treated as a single horizon for moonsighting purposes. ʿAllāmah Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī quoted Ibn al-Mājishūn, who stated that when a ruler endorses a moonsighting, the entire country is bound by it – as though it were one unified city under his authority. ʿAllāmah al-Shawkānī also supported this view in his writings.

This principle is applied in many Muslim countries today. In Saudi Arabia, a sighting in Makkah is accepted for Riyadh, despite the distance of almost 900 km. In Pakistan and India, a sighting in one city applies to the whole nation. Likewise, in Australia, a verified sighting in Sydney would apply to Perth and all other cities, as the entire country shares one recognised horizon for moonsighting.

While some jurists support the notion of regional or global moon sightings, Australia’s uniquegeographical location makes it impractical. Positioned just west of the International Date Line,Australia is one of the first countries to experience sunset, with the sun setting hours later in regionsto the west. For example, sunset in Saudi Arabia occurs about 8 hours after Australia, while in the Americas, it is approximately 18 hours later.

If Australia were to adopt global sightings, it would require waiting for reports from distant locations like California. This delay creates significant challenges. For instance, if the crescent is not sighted in Australia on the 29th of Shaʿbān and the next day is declared the 30th, reports from Los Angeles could arrive around midday (on the next day) in Sydney, informing us that Ramaḍān has already begun. Following this approach would mean fasting for the remainder of the day and making up the day later, which is both impractical and disruptive.

A similar issue arises with ʿEīd. Australians could be fasting on the 30th of Ramaḍān when moonsighting reports from countries to the west indicate the start of Shawwāl. This would require immediately breaking the fast and rushing to perform ʿEīd prayers close to midday. Such a system would be chaotic and unfeasible for practical implementation in Australia.

The idea of a single, global moonsighting may sound appealing, but both Sharīʿah and science show that this is neither practical nor valid. The phenomenon of Ikhtilāf al-Maṭāliʿ – The difference of horizons – is a real and observable reality acknowledged by both astronomers and jurists.

1. The Moon Rises Differently in Different Places

Every region on earth has its own distinct horizon, determined by its longitude and latitude. The Qurʾān itself describes how Allāh ﷻ has appointed phases for the moon so that people may calculate time:

“And We have appointed for the moon phases until it returns like an old, curved twig.” (Sūrah Yā-Sīn:39)

Just as time zones differ – when it is Ẓuhr in Australia it is Fajr in Saudi Arabia – horizons differ as well. No one argues that we should pray Ẓuhr in Australia at the same time as Makkah because of “unity.” In the same way, fasting and ‘Eid must be determined by local sighting, not by the sighting of another country thousands of kilometres away.

2. The View of Classical and Contemporary Scholars

This understanding is not new. Many leading Imāms and scholars – both classical and contemporary – have affirmed the validity of Ikhtilāf al-Maṭāliʿ.

• Imām al-Nawawī (RA) stated that a sighting in one place applies only to nearby regions, not to distant ones.

• Imām Ibn Rushd (RA) wrote that all Mālikī scholars agreed the sighting in one land cannot apply to distant lands such as al-Andalus and al-Ḥijāz.

• Ibn Taymiyyah (RA) explained that when the moon is seen in the east, it must be seen later in the west – but not vice versa – showing natural variation in horizons.

• Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz (RA), the former Grand Muftī of Saudi Arabia, clearly stated:

  “There is no evidence in Sharīʿah that the sighting of Makkah al-Mukarramah should be taken as the basis for the entire world. Each region should rely upon its own local sighting.”

3. The Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿAbbās (RA)

A well-known narration in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim further supports Ikhtilāf al-Maṭāliʿ.

Kuraib (RA) said: “Umm al-Faḍl bint al-Ḥārith sent me to Muʿāwiyah (RA) in al-Shām. I arrived there, fulfilled her task, and it so happened that the month of Ramadan began while I was in al-Shām. I saw the moon myself on the night of Friday. Later, when I came back to Madinah, ʿAbdillāh ibn ʿAbbās (RA) asked me when we had seen the moon. I replied, ‘We saw it on the night of Friday.’ He asked, ‘Did you see it yourself?’ I said, ‘Yes, and many others saw it too, and Muʿāwiyah fasted.’ Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) said, ‘But we saw it on the night of Saturday. We will continue fasting until we complete thirty days or see it (ourselves).’ I said, ‘Will you not be content with the sighting and fasting of Muʿāwiyah?’ He replied, ‘No. This is how the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ commanded us.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1/407)

The former Chief Qāḍī of Makkah, ʿAllāmah ʿAbdullāh ibn Ḥumayd (RA), authored an excellent treatise on this topic titled “Tibyān al-Adillah fī Ithbāt al-Ahillah,” in which he quotes Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah:

“The proof in this matter is that we know with certainty that during the era of the Ṣaḥābah and the Tābiʿīn, the crescent moon was often sighted in some Muslim lands before others. This is a recurring natural phenomenon that cannot change – western regions see the moon earlier, and eastern regions later. Undoubtedly, news of such sightings would reach other regions during the same month. If it were obligatory upon those who saw it later to make up (qadāʾ) for the missed fasts based on earlier sightings, then the early generations would have exerted effort to investigate moon sightings in all parts of the Muslim world just as they did for their own cities. Consequently, the obligation of Qadāʾ would have been frequent in most Ramadans. Since no such reports exist, this indicates there is no basis for such an obligation. The Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿAbbās (RA) clearly supports this.” (Tibyān al-Adillah fī Ithbāt al-Ahillah: 414–415)

4. The Consensus of Later Scholars

Later jurists and fatwā councils – including Dār al-ʿUlūm Deoband, Jāmiʿah Binorī Town, Jāmiʿah Farūqiyyah, and Dār al-ʿUlūm Karachi – have reaffirmed that distant lands such as Australia and Saudi Arabia fall under Bilād Baʿīdah (distant regions). Therefore, their horizons differ and each country must rely on its own moonsighting. Among the later scholars of the Ḥanafī school who affirmed the validity of Ikhtilāf al-Maṭāliʿ (difference of horizons) are many distinguished jurists and researchers. These include ʿAllāmah Fakhr al-Dīn al-Zaylaʿī, ʿAllāmah ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn al-Kāsānī, Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī, Shāh Walī Allāh al-Muḥaddith al-Dihlawī, Ṣāḥib al-Qudūrī, ʿAllāmah Shabbīr Aḥmad ʿUthmānī, ʿAllāmah Anwar Shāh Kashmīrī, ʿAllāmah Yūsuf al-Binnūrī, ʿAllāmah Ẓafar Aḥmad ʿUthmānī, ʿAllāmah ʿAbd al-Ḥayy Farangī Maḥallī, Shaykh al-Islām Ḥusayn Aḥmad Madanī, Mufti Rashīd Aḥmad, and Mufti Muḥammad Shafīʿ. These scholars collectively clarified, through their writings and fatāwā, that the crescent’s sighting in one distant region does not automatically apply to others. Each locality is bound by its own horizon, as differences in longitude, time, and visibility are realities acknowledged by both Sharīʿah and astronomy.

5. Logical and Practical Reality

If people in Australia waited for reports from North America, it would already be the next afternoon -long after Fajr or even after ‘Eid prayer. Such a system is irrational and contradicts both astronomical reality and Sharīʿah principles.

In summary, Ikhtilāf al-Maṭāliʿ (difference of horizons) is a real, recognised, and well-established concept in Islam. Just as we pray according to our local times, we must also fast and celebrate ‘Eid according to our local moonsighting. This is the position of the Qurʾān, Sunnah, and the vast majority of scholars – past and present.

Modern observatories can accurately determine many of the conditions that affect whether the moon can be seen. These calculations are helpful for preparing calendars and predicting sighting possibilities. However, even with this knowledge, the Sharīʿah principle remains unchanged – the actual sighting of the crescent (Rūʾyah Baṣariyyah) always takes precedence over calculation.

Scientists and astronomers agree that three main factors determine whether the moon can be seen:

1. Age of the Moon at Sunset:
   The moon must be at least around 20 hours old for it to be visible. If it is younger, sighting is highly unlikely. Historical records show that the youngest moon ever sighted was about 13 hours old – an extremely rare exception that cannot serve as a standard.

2. Elongation (Distance from the Sun):
   This refers to how far the moon is from the sun in the sky. Most observatories agree that when the moon’s elongation reaches about 12 degrees, it becomes visible to the naked eye. Classical and modern astronomers alike have recorded that before this distance, the illuminated edge of the crescent is not visible.

3. Altitude (Height Above the Horizon):
   The moon’s altitude at sunset must be at least five degrees above the horizon for sighting to be possible.

   • The moon moves roughly one degree every two hours, and each degree of altitude generally corresponds to 8–10 minutes of time between sunset and moonset.

   • This means that if the moon is five degrees high at sunset, it will remain above the horizon for about 40 to 50 minutes, providing a realistic chance to see the crescent.

   • If the moon’s altitude is less than five degrees, or if it sets before the sun, sighting becomes scientifically impossible because the crescent would be too close to the horizon or hidden in sunlight.

Astronomers such as Dr Nick Lomb (Sydney Observatory) have confirmed that for the crescent to be seen, the difference between sunset and moonset must be at least 47 minutes – which matches the five-degree rule. A moon that has not yet been born, or that sets before the sun, cannot be visible under any circumstance.

Unfortunately, some who claim to follow science overlook these clear factors, announcing Ramaḍān or ‘Eid dates when visibility is scientifically and Sharʿan impossible. Genuine scientific data, when correctly understood, actually supports the Sharīʿah position – that the month begins only after the crescent has been visibly sighted.

Moonsighting (ruʾyat al-hilāl) is one of the noble and enduring Sunan of the Prophet ﷺ. It is a practice that reflects obedience to Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ, and it forms an essential part of the way Muslims determine important times of their acts of worship. Allāh ﷻ has tied the timing of many rulings in Islam to the lunar calendar, making the sighting of the crescent moon a matter of worship, not custom.

Through moonsighting, the community determines the start and end of Ramaḍān, the celebration of ‘Eid, and the days of Ḥajj. Beyond these, other Sharʿī rulings such as Zakāh calculations and the waiting period (ʿiddah) for women are also based on the lunar months. The crescent, therefore, is not only a visual sign in the sky – it is a symbol that connects Muslims directly to divine instruction and the natural order created by Allāh ﷻ.

There are more than 35 Aḥādīth that highlight the importance of sighting the moon, narrated by numerous Companions – all conveying the same command from the Prophet ﷺ that we must begin fasting by sighting the moon and end it by sighting it. Below are a few examples mentioned for the sake of brevity:

عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ رضي اللهُ عنهما أنَّ رسولَ اللهِ ﷺ قالَ :الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ، فَلَا تَصُومُوا حَتَّى تَرَوُا الْهِلَالَ، وَلَا تُفْطِرُوا حَتَّى تَرَوْهُ، فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ ثَلَاثِينَ.

ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “The month is twenty-nine days, so do not fast until you see the crescent, and do not end your fast until you see it. If it is obscured from you, then complete the count of thirty days.”

(Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī: 1/346)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضى الله عنه قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم:‏ “‏إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْهِلاَلَ فَصُومُوا وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَأَفْطِرُوا فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَصُومُوا ثَلاَثِينَ يَوْمًا‏

Abū Hurayrah (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Whenever you sight the new moon of Ramaḍān, begin fasting; and when you sight the new moon of Shawwāl, end your fast. If the sky is overcast and the moon is obscured, then complete the month as thirty days.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1/406)

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: لا تَقَدَّمُوا الشَّهْرَ بِيَوْمٍ وَلَا بِيَوْمَيْنِ إِلَّا أَنْ يُوَافِقَ ذَلِكَ صَوْمًا كَانَ يَصُومُهُ أَحَدُكُمْ، صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ، فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَعُدُّوا ثَلَاثِينَ، ثُمَّ أَفْطِرُوا

Narrated from Abū Hurayrah (RA): The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “Do not begin fasting one or two days before the month (of Ramaḍān) unless it coincides with a fast that one of you habitually observes. Fast upon sighting the new moon and end fasting upon sighting it. If it is concealed from you by clouds, then complete the count as thirty days, and then celebrate ‘Eid.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 1/265)

Moonsighting was the method implemented by the Prophet ﷺ, continued by his Companions (RA), and upheld by scholars throughout history.

In essence, moonsighting is about obedience – doing what the Prophet ﷺ taught, just as he did it. It’s not about convenience or opinion, but about following a clear Sunnah that connects us to his way. When we continue this practice, we’re not only keeping a tradition alive; we’re showing our love and loyalty to the Messenger ﷺ and our submission to the command of Allāh ﷻ.

Some people claim that when the Prophet ﷺ said, “Fast when you see the moon and end your fast when you see it,” he was referring to Rūʾyah ʿIlmiyyah – intellectual or scientific awareness – rather than Rūʾyah Baṣariyyah, physical sighting. To support this, they quote Qurʾānic verses where the word Rūʾyah can mean knowledge or understanding rather than vision.

However, this interpretation is false and goes against both the Arabic language and the Prophetic context. In Arabic, many words carry more than one meaning, and the correct one is determined by how the Sharīʿah uses it – not by personal reasoning. For instance:

• Ṣalāh (صلاة) can mean mercy, supplication, or the ritual prayer.

• Rafʿ (رفع) can mean spiritual elevation — يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ (“Allāh will raise those who have believed among you”) – Sūrah al-Mujādilah: 11 — or physical elevation — بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ (“But Allāh raised him to Himself”) – Sūrah al-Nisāʾ: 158

• Mawlà (مولى) can mean master, ally, protector, or freed slave.

These examples show that a single Arabic term can hold various shades of meaning, and the correct meaning must always be determined by context and usage as defined by the Sharīʿah, not by personal reasoning. The same applies to the word رأى (to see), which in Arabic can mean seeing with the eyes or perceiving with knowledge.

Therefore, when the Prophet ﷺ said: “Fast when you see the moon, and break your fast when you see it,” the meaning of Ru’yah here is clearly visual sighting, not intellectual awareness or scientific calculation. The linguistic principle and Prophetic context both confirm that the Rū’yah intended in these Aḥādīth is Rū’yah Baṣariyyah, i.e., actual sighting with the eyes.

Furthermore, the Prophet’s ﷺ own practice confirms this meaning. He would personally look for the moon – if seen, he began the month; if not, he completed thirty days. He also said, “If it is obscured from you, then complete thirty days,” and the word “obscured” (فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ) only applies to sight, not to knowledge.

As explained by scholars such as Shaykh Muḥammad Najjār and Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz (RA), the Rūʾyah mentioned in the Ḥadīth refers solely to Rūʾyah Baṣariyyah – actual visual sighting – and not to scientific or intellectual determination.

Some people claim that when the Prophet ﷺ said “If it is concealed from you, then estimate it (فَاقْدُرُوا لَهُ)”, he was referring to astronomical calculation. They argue that the command to “estimate” means to use intellect and modern science to determine the moon’s position.

However, this understanding contradicts the context of the Ḥadīth and the explanations of the scholars. The phrase “فَاقْدُرُوا لَهُ” appears in one narration, but there are fourteen other Aḥādīth that mention the same situation – when the sky is overcast – and all of them clearly instruct: “Complete thirty days.” Expressions such as فَأَتِمُّوا العِدَّةَ ثَلاثِينَ and فَصُومُوا ثَلاثِينَ make the meaning unambiguous.

According to the principles of Uṣūl al-Fiqh, an ambiguous text (mujmal) is explained by clearer ones (mubayyan). Hence, the single phrase “فَاقْدُرُوا لَهُ” must be understood in light of the numerous clear narrations that explain it – meaning “complete the month as thirty days.”

This is also how the leading scholars understood it. Imām Mālik and Imām al-Bukhārī both narrated this Ḥadīth and then followed it with the explanation of Ibn ʿUmar (RA): “If it is overcast, then complete thirty days.” Imām al-Bayhaqī likewise clarified that “فَاقْدُرُوا لَهُ” means “أَتِمُّوا” – complete the count.

Therefore, the command “فَاقْدُرُوا لَهُ” does not refer to astronomical calculation. It simply means that if the crescent is not sighted due to clouds or obstruction, the previous month should be completed as thirty days – exactly as the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions practised.

Some people argue that just as we now use clocks and timetables to determine prayer times instead of visually observing the sun, we should also use astronomical calculations to determine the beginning and end of Ramaḍān and ‘Eid. However, this analogy is false and invalid in both Sharʿī and rational terms.

In Islamic law, Qiyās (analogy) can only be applied when no clear evidence exists in the Qurʾān, Sunnah, or scholarly consensus. In the matter of moonsighting, there are more than forty clear and authentic Aḥādīth commanding Rūʾyah Baṣariyyah – physical sighting with the eyes – and there is consensus (ijmāʿ) of the entire ummah, from the Companions and Tābiʿīn to the four Imāms and later scholars. When such explicit texts exist, analogy has no place – as established by the rule:

لَا اجْتِهَادَ مَعَ النَّصِّ
“There is no independent reasoning when a clear text exists.”

Even logically, the analogy fails because Allāh ﷻ created two distinct systems for worship:

• The solar system (Niẓām Shamsī) determines prayer times, based on the movement of the sun.

• The lunar system (Niẓām Qamarī) determines the months for fasting, ‘Eid, and Ḥajj.

For prayer, the cause (sabab) is time, and knowledge of time can be attained through either observation or calculation – the Sharīʿah did not require that we physically see the sun. But for fasting and ‘Eid, the Sabab is explicitly the sighting of the moon, as the Prophet ﷺ said:

«صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ»
“Fast upon sighting it and end your fast upon sighting it.”

Thus, the analogy between calculating prayer times and calculating moonsighting is invalid. The two acts of worship are based on completely different causes and systems – one solar, one lunar – and only the latter has been explicitly tied to actual sighting.

Some argue that Rū’yat al-Hilāl (moonsighting) is only a Sunnah, while unity of the Ummah is a Farḍ (obligation). They claim that for the sake of unity, Muslims should fast and celebrate ‘Eid on the same day worldwide – even if that means doing so on the wrong day. Although this argument may sound appealing, it is fundamentally flawed.

True unity can never come by abandoning the commands of Allāh ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ. There is no verse or Ḥadīth that permits us to disregard the Sunnah for the sake of superficial unity. Allāh ﷻ says:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللّٰهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allāh, and do not become divided.” (Sūrah Āl ‘Imrān, 3:103)

This verse forbids division, but it also defines unity – it is unity based on holding firmly to the Qurʾān and Sunnah. To unite while disobeying divine law is not unity; it is disobedience.

Allāh ﷻ further commands:

فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللّٰهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّٰهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ
“If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allāh and the Messenger – if you truly believe in Allāh and the Last Day.” (Sūrah al-Nisā’, 4:59)

This establishes that disagreements must be resolved by returning to revelation, not by ignoring it for convenience.

The Prophet ﷺ also said:

«لَا طَاعَةَ لِمَخْلُوقٍ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ الْخَالِقِ»
“There is no obedience to the creation if it involves disobedience to the Creator.”    (Jāmiʿ at‑Tirmidhī:1707)

Therefore, unity achieved by neglecting the Sunnah of moonsighting is not true unity – it is false and impermissible. The real unity of the Ummah lies in collectively following the Qurʾān and Sunnah. When every community observes moonsighting according to the Prophetic method, we are united in obedience – and that is the only unity that pleases Allāh ﷻ.