When a radio announcement is reliable

Question

This year, because the horizon was not clear, the moon was not seen here, nor, because of the clouds, did any report of the moon being sighted come from any village in the surrounding area. The radio reported the sighting of the moon in various parts of the country and the performance of the Eid al-Fitr prayer. Relying on the radio, the Eid prayer was performed in our village. Some people say that performing the Eid prayer on the strength of the radio is wrong according to the Shari‘a.

Answer

If a Muslim ruler, or a moon-sighting committee whose members know the limits of the Shari‘a and follow the Shari‘a, after the sighting has been established (having taken testimony) announces or has it announced on the radio in such a way as: “We have taken testimony and the sighting has been established; therefore the Eid prayer is to be performed on such-and-such a day,”…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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