Question
Reference number: 681803 | Fasting | May 21, 2018
At the end of Ramadan, I will travel to Iran. On the day of travel, I will be fasting. The following day, it will be the last day of Ramadan in Palestine while it will be the first day of Shawwal in Tehran. Shall I fast according to Palestine times, or shall I celebrate Eid al-Fitr with people of Tehran?
Answer
Praise Be to Allah and Peace Be Upon His Messenger.
Muslims should obey the rules, regarding starting fasting or ending it, of the country in which they are residents. The Palestinian Legal Verdict Council announced this:
Ramadan starts when the new moon is seen after the sunset of the twenty ninth day of Sha’ban. If it’s seen, this means that Muslims should start fasting the following day. If the new moon is not seen, then Muslims should not fast the following day considering it the thirtieth day of Sha’ban. They should, however, fast the other day, after the thirtieth of Sha’ban. The prophet (PBUH) says: “Observe Saum on sighting the crescent and terminate it on sighting it (the new moon), but if the sky is cloudy before you, then complete the number (thirty days) of the month.” Related by al-Bukhari.
Thus, due to disagreement in whether Muslims of different countries see the new moon or not, I advise them to obey what is announced by the verdict council in their country.
Related to your issue, you should obey the rules of the country to which you travel; if they fast, you should fast, if they do not, you should break the fast. Then you should count the days that you fast. If they are 29 days, that will be enough; if they are 28 days, you should break the fast and then make up the last day later.