Announcing the first of the month when the moon has not been sighted

Question

In Britain the sky is usually cloudy and hazy, because of which sighting the moon throughout the twelve months of the year is, if not impossible, then still not feasible. Therefore, regarding the determination of Ramadan and the two Eids, the practice every year is this: for the beginning of Ramadan a telephone conversation is held on 29 Sha'ban with the neighbouring country of Morocco, and on that basis it is announced whether Ramadan has begun or not.

Answer

In such a case those people should later keep one fast as a make-up (qada); kaffara is not required. Kaffara becomes required when a fast of Ramadan has been begun and then broken without an excuse valid in the Shari'a, and that did not happen here. Full caution was not exercised in announcing Eid.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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