 Welcome to An-Nashid. My name is Abdul Razak Ngutyeb and I have one question for you. But first, you know, I missed you so much. I've not seen you for a very long time. I don't even know how you celebrated your Eid. I don't know how you spent the entire week. I think I was with you here last week. You just missed me maybe because you didn't see me for two days. And we celebrated. My Eid was so much fun. I prayed on Tuesday. Mashallah. And I was invited over to my cousin's place. So I really enjoyed it. Alhamdulillah. But I think you should remind them your beautiful name. Fatma. My name is Fatma by the way. And you're watching An-Nashid. I love hearing that name. Anyway, I missed you so much and I just missed you so much. I don't know if I should go on and say that, but it's okay. I prayed my Eid on Wednesday and it was really fantastic and it was just so awesome. I prayed on Wednesday and the weather was just fantastic. People were saying it so cold, but I think that's the best weather ever because the sunshine was not there. It was just an overcast day and the weather was really fantastic. I just wish that one day all the Muslims all over the world will all pray in one day. And not a few people praying on Tuesday and others on Wednesday. So I hope, inshallah, next time we'll all pray the same day with our confessions. I also, you've just reminded me what Sheikh Hassan said. We've actually left you to the conversation, but it's okay. So the other time when you said that it will be good if Muslims just sacrifice this one day and pray all of them across the entire world on that similar day. I think it will unite us more than we are right now because do you know Muslims can be, or anyone who knows something or who thinks they know something, they can be very argumentative and it can be divisive because I know you know, but we know differently and we want to do something, we want to do it at the same time. I do it my way, you go your way and it divides us. You have a point Fatima there? I think Fatima's wish, unfortunately, cannot happen for either. It cannot happen for it. And for best reason is that as we look at the world, the world is around. As we speak now, my brother, it's around five something in Kenya or let me just quote, 17 hours so that we go GMT way. There's someone who is 001, 002, 003 till we get to 17 hours. So it cannot be possible for all of us to pray together in the entire world. What she can say in the region because the crescent is cited in the region. So in region we can agree and we agreed many years back almost 1985. We all agreed that we'll be praying one day. Unfortunately, there are people who don't listen to Fatima and the rest and that's why they make confusion. Sure, when I say we all pray at the same day, I mean like we all pray like we have Monday here in Africa, we also have Monday in America. When I say we pray all the same day, I mean like if it's on Monday, all of us... You're talking about all praying in the dead five. That's true, that's very true. I think that's one more thing that we should really get to talk about because people prayed on Tuesday, those who prayed on Tuesday and now it emerges that Saudi Arabia says they misled people and they're going to pray for that and they would like all those people who broke their fast on Tuesday to add an extra day on top of that in order to compensate for it. Yes, one thing I must advise people is that every year I thank Allah swt I go for Hajj and that's why I thank KBC and especially the one setting at the studio today because behind me is put at the best place, Madinah to Munawwara for those who don't know, the photo there is the photo of Masjidun Naba with the mosque of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him one of the best places in this world to be and when you go to Madinah, that's an amazing picture of that mosque and where you see the green, that's where Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was buried down there that's where Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was buried and I pray for every person watching today to one day visit that place and realize the best place to be in this world now, proceeding to what you have asked me is that every year I go for Hajj I buy a diary You buy a diary? Diary What for? Saudi Diary and by the time I buy Saudi Diary when I go for Hajj this year inshallah it will show me when it will be next year are you getting me? carry on, carry on I explained and you know I thank Allah swt because I visited almost 7 media houses before, 7 don't mention them and one of them was this one and they asked me, Sheikh, what do you say about Ede when do people celebrate Ede, they told them we don't know, we wait for Allah swt to say what about public calling, they told them the chief card was very very right for setting the public calling to be on Wednesday because of history of where sheikhs visited our grandfather the first president of this country and they asked him, can you allow us to have public calling on Ede he said, it's okay, give me the date they couldn't agree, so they told him we'll be waiting for the moon to be sighted Kenyatta told them that you cannot wait for the moon to be sighted because the government doesn't work that way in fact Kenyatta used Wachennu Swaidi you don't understand so Marhum, a sheikh from Farsi, told Kenyatta when it is sighted in Saudi we also do it here what he was trying to do he was trying to guide Kenyatta to know that Ede is celebrated all over the world but his words were misinterpreted by many people the ones who were there and I started saying that every time it is sighted in Saudi we will also assume we have sighted it which is not true and I thank Saudi scholars whom I meet every year I make sure I meet these scholars almost every year and they have always told us please don't follow our moon sighting even this year they have said in many media houses that we were wrong in sighting the moon because it was not possible to sight the moon on Monday so they have said that their people will not pay but they will pay for them Fidia but they say it will only pay for Saudi citizens because we are responsible for our citizens they are under their territory you are all leaders and responsible for the people who are under you so all those people who follow Saudi then they should know what to do so what I'm trying to say is that it was good if we could at least try to search for our moon in Kenya if we don't see it then we do what the Prophet Muhammad SAW told us you start first in Ramadan when you see the crescent and you break the fast when you sight the crescent he didn't stop there I like the Prophet Muhammad SAW so much I'm ready to die for him he said that if there are clouds he knew there are countries in the world where there are many clouds if there are clouds then we will have a complete 30 days and that is what some of us did we are not saying you are wrong Fatima you are right but you must know that 90% of the world breaks the fast on Wednesday 90% it's a record what about those people who may be prayed on Tuesday in the first 49 days for those who fast for 29 days at least they are a little bit okay because Ramadan can be between 9 or 30 days but for all those who fast for 28 days they must complete one day let me answer that so that you will be happy I think they will have to fast one extra day because the months in the Islamic calendar they are either 29 or 30 days long now I want to know who sights the moon in Kenya this is a good question for many years for almost 10 years I have been serving as one of the representatives of the moon sighting committee in Kenya and the committee has almost 7 scholars and among them is Sharif Hussain among them is Usar Muhammad Shebaan and the other people and by that time when Prof. Al-Busair was in Nairobi he was also part of it what happens is that in 47 counties before it was districts but now let's talk of 47 counties as soon as the constitution was promulgated the 47 counties there was appointed in each county and many times it's if there is a Kadi in that place it's a Kadi of not Kadi an Imam so what happens is that if someone sights the crescent in Emble then any person should go now to the Imam of Emble Mosque the Imam of Emble Mosque should call the chief Kadi directly because there are hotlines anyone who sighted in Kisumu because Kisumu is a Kadi should not go to the Imam but to the Kadi but because the Kadi is in central Kisumu to the Mosque nearby so the Imams have the names of the Kadi and numbers so the Kadi will call the chief Kadi and that's how the chief Kadi now announces the moon not that it's the only one who sighted the moon it's a committee which transmits the information to the Kadi then the Kadi now announces that's what happens and it's a very good effective process I think for the benefit of the viewer here we can talk about who can be trusted when they sight the moon they have apologized for this and so it will be very important for us to give the criteria of who should be trusted when they say they have seen the crescent let me explain this way I know your question is philosophical when you talk of who I know it might mean which country and then it might mean a person an individual who should sight a moon is a Muslim a non-Muslim cannot sight the moon on our behalf if a non-Muslim sight the moon because they can but you see it's not their business then they just wait for us to tell them but if there's a non-Muslim who can sight it then he should call a Muslim nearby the moon is there because we are the ones who also have the moon they do it for the moon because when you sight the moon then after you have you have sighted the moon you must get at least a witness you cannot say I sighted alone where were you? I was in the forest where were you? maybe you are taking Mira or alcohol you must have another person and say that you are two so when you are two now you are Muslims and you must be fasting Muslims so a drunkard cannot tell us that they have sighted the moon how can you sight the moon when you are drunk what were you doing so who first who tried to sight the crescent so it should be a Muslim Balik if possible and someone who has good eyesight that's why in the mosque every time I talk about the crescent I always single out them they are there and tell them you cannot see it and some of them say what's the problem I tell them because when I am one I have a dog so it should pass someone who is sounder eyesight is sound and who is Balik so why is it that maybe as I process this you can go on and also add on to that so let me ask you something you said that you are supposed to fast when you sight the moon so let's say for example people at the coast maybe they happen to see the moon before us in Nairobi so if they see the moon will you have to start with them or should you wait until we see the moon in Nairobi we will fast with them as long as it is sighted in your region Tanzania Uganda Zanzibar that's one region wherever it is seen in any of those region we must fast yes how is their sighting done do they use things like telescope or you just look at it with your naked eye it's not allowed to use telescope some countries use telescope I don't want to mention the countries they know themselves if they don't see it with their eyes they say they use a telescope now you don't use telescope because if you use telescope that is innovation and the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said that anything which is an innovation in religion is an innovation and it is in now so you can't sight the crescent with telescope and that's why the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said if you don't see it by anything you just have to wait for 30 days just add one day 30 days before I forget I mentioned about the issue of the Dari so you see Saudi because it's a government, it's a kingdom they have to make their Dari and not only Saudi Arabia Iran they make it Syria they make it so for them it is easier to pay Fidia than to alter the calendar you know Kenyatta asked those people that day do you mean that if for example I present Kenyatta have a meeting with people then you come tell me tomorrow I tell them you cannot come he said you can't do that so we must know in advance and that's why it was agreed in that meeting where and even my grandfather who is still alive was there in fact he's the one who was advising me he told them why don't you give me to always make it holiday on 31st of Ramadan 31st? do we have 31st in Islamic calendar? there is no 31st that's why we agreed it's okay let the public always be on the 31st of Ramadan meaning that if Ramadan will be 29 then we Muslims will celebrate on 30th 30th or first of Shawwal then the next day we'll have public holiday with everyone in Kenya because we want even Christians to celebrate with us I invited almost 12 professors to my house Alhamdulillah they were so happy to see how we eat how we sit down you see that's why we need these things you remember even our governor Mike Bovisolko also had a very big gift card for many people because we now want Muslims and Christians to be there you get me now that's why it is always on 31st so what I'm trying to say is that no one in this country should ever abuse the chief Qadi for announcing public holiday on that day the issue of citing let us leave it for anyone but public holiday is known so for Kenyans you must know that and that's why the government of Kenya we thank the government so much we thank the president and everyone in government for gazeting that day and we pray that it continue till the day of judgment but it should always be on 31st of Ramadan meaning that there is no 31st so we are so sure that it will be Ramadan it will be Eid first of Shawwal yes so InshaAllah they stay almost slim we shall follow the chief Qadi whatever he is saying we shall do but not come on with our own assumptions it's important I think it also teaches us a lesson that we should not be on the forefront of following controversy because some people will say that if you follow the chief Qadi they call you if you follow the chief Qadi or they say if you follow the chief Qadi and it feels like there is also a sense of belonging when you feel like you are opposing something that other people are opposing yet you do not know why they are opposing it and it might vilify some people and you think that you are part of a team that is right but it is actually wrong so I think it also teaches us a lesson of seeking knowledge before getting into our own decisions you know Abdul Razak and this has been my advice and I continue with this advice I advise all Kenyans and especially the youth Christians are controlled, I work with Christians and I am telling you I highly appreciate Christians I work in Christian universities I have been teaching in Catholic University for many years and Paul University for many years I taught in Advantage University for many years, I know them these people have orders you cannot just especially I am talking about Catholic for example let me just speak on Catholic you cannot be a Catholic priest if you are not undergone thorough training thorough training and scrutiny in Islam you can go to a country Sudan, Saudi Kuwait, become a driver you be a chauffeur or driver you know Arabic when you come back to Kenya, what law it happens you start telling people you are a chef and because you speak Arabic you confuse Fatma you confuse Abdul Razak I call upon Kenyans to start asking sheikhs kindly tell us your educational background it is important to know where someone has studied it is not an insult you should know for example for example myself, I studied for 8 years in Mamrui studying religion I became an Imam, then I took a first degree at University of Nairobi I took a PhD at University of Nairobi and all of them are in education in religion and everything then in PhD it was religion and leadership and I am now taking law I am not trying to say that it is wrong to follow some sheikhs but it is important you know your sheikh where is his education level so that when your sheikh is competing with another sheikh somewhere then you can also have guidance that but why should someone with a PhD be arguing with someone who don't have even a diploma who among the two might be right of course you will be sure 90% or 80% that the one with a PhD might lead me to a better place than the one who don't have any certificate but let me tell you something sheikh the sheikh they don't appoint themselves there is a committee of people that sit down and appoint them so for me I wouldn't blame the sheikh for misleading people is these people that appoint the sheikh to this position let me tell you another reason sheikh I was a sheikh when I was in Kenya get it from me and not led by committees who know religion take it right go and do your research many mosques want a committee member who has money so that when you ask for water bill the person will pay you ask for salary for the imam they will pay you ask for electricity most committees are not learned people because I have been under committee 3 times and that's why it began an association by the name Alwada Muslim teachers association I was the founder to just try to assist our sheikh so that they don't fall prey to those committees and we have succeeded by some extent so that is why we need people like in the committee people like you to help assign good sheikh you know as muslim we don't just sleep and wake up and sit we depend on islamic radio stations we depend on our muslim leaders because different people ask they ask me first when are you praying let's wait for the sheikh to announce or maybe just listen to islamic radio stations because we depend on these people but these people say tomorrow we are going to pray that is when we are going to pray so for me I will never blame the people I will blame the committee the sheikh before we go to my brother Abdulazak the committee member is important to have a scholar no before I sit in the committee of Imtiaz Ali Mosque the sheikh there has a degree his deputy has both of them have master's degree the imams of Imtiaz Ali and this one we go to Saudi Mosque I am a committee member there the sheikh has a PhD I am a committee member of Karen Mosque you see I think you try to get what I am saying when you have learned people in a committee they always make sure that the person leading the mosque is learned and also make sure that the life of those people is in good order that's why all of them, I don't want to say but they are in very good order the castle drive, the house they live in where the children go to school that's what we want to tell Kenyans to make sure that almost are led by learned people and knowledge is very important because before you do something you must know what you are doing and what you are achieving with it we will come back to discuss more of this and I have a very important question for the two of you and I will give the answer much later don't go away, we are going on a very brief break here on An-Nashid but when we come back we will be talking about Siddha to Shawwal or in English the 6 days of the month of Shawwal which follows the month of Ramadan we will be right back, don't touch the dial