Breaking the fast on a radio report

Question

This year the Eid moon was not seen in Ballia. All the radio stations of India and Pakistan announced on the 29th of Ramadan that the moon had not been seen anywhere, but at 12 o’clock at night Radio Pakistan and Bombay radio announced that the moon of the 29th had appeared. On hearing this news some hasty people broke the fast.

Answer

Nowadays the news generally comes over the radio in this form: “the moon has appeared in such-and-such a place” or “it is Eid in such-and-such a place.” There is no information as to who saw the moon — one, two or more — whether the horizon was clear or not, whether those who saw the moon are persons whose testimony is acceptable or not, whether the moon-sighting committee…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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