In Nepal, there exist two groups of Muslims. One group calls itself Sunni group (Barelwi group), the follower of an Islamic scholar Ahmad Raza Khan Barelwi and another group calls itself Nepali Muslim group, that doesn't follow Ahmad Raza Khan Barelwi. This division has created a fatal flaw in the existence of Islam in Nepal. Although, in Islam, the leading personality to be followed is the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Both groups claim to follow the Prophet, but they are still divided into two inseparable groups.
Conflicting matters
There are many disagreements between them. They intend to disagree on almost every small matter that holds not much importance. In major things, like Salah (Prayer), Fasting, Zakat and Hajj, they seem united but they are divided into small things.
The conflict affecting us the most
Among the conflicted matters there is one important matter they disagree in Nepal. That is searching for the crescent to start the Hijri months. All worships are based on the Hijri Calendar and the Hijri months start and end with the sighting of a new moon. If the moon is sighted in Nepal easily then there is no conflict in starting the new month. But, if the crescent was not sighted in Nepal due to hazy and cloudy weather then there comes disagreement. One group accepts the sighting report from outside Nepal but the other group doesn't accept the report from the outside. This makes the two separate first days of a month. If this conflict coincides with normal months then it doesn't matter at all. But, if it coincides with major days like Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Muharram then it matters a lot. So, because of this conflict, there will be two eid days in the small country of Nepal.
But why is there such a controversy in the first place?
Well, as is typical with such controversies, there are two primary reasons why such differences exist. Firstly, of the few hadeeths various scholars have understood them in different manners, leading to a difference of understanding that manifests itself in contradictory opinions. Secondly, issues arose in later generations that the earliest Muslims were not exposed to, hence no explicit, unequivocal ruling exists regarding them.
The classical scholars of Islam were only concerned with a few issues, and their modern counterparts have added even more issues, apparently just to spice up the whole debate! To elaborate: classical jurists were primarily (but not exclusively) concerned with two issues. Firstly, what is the minimum requirement for the number of witnesses needed for verifying the beginning and end of Ramadan? One for the beginning, and two for the end? Or vice versa? Or one for both? Or two for both? Or a large, unspecified quantity? Or, was it different for a clear day versus a cloudy one? Plenty of opinions on this issue. With regards to this issue, a number of authentic hadeeths appeared to give different rulings, hence scholars had to use their respective usool in formulating answers to this question.
The second issue that was of major concern to them was: should the Muslims of one province take into account sightings from a different province? Once again, a wide selection of opinions to choose from: each province should follow its sighting only; or only the sightings of the provinces neighbouring it; or the sightings of all provinces within one matla (i.e., on the same longitudinal plane); or the sightings of all provinces as long as the news arrived in time. However, unlike the first issue, there exists no clear, unequivocal hadeeth dealing with the subject (albeit some narrations from the Companions exist). Hence scholars had to use an analogy (qiyas) and other general principles to formulate their respective opinions.
The above-mentioned differences have their effect in the provinces that are far away, but in our case, we are facing this problem in a small country like Nepal. Which has an area of 147,516 km2 (56,956 sq mi). Even in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, we have this problem.
We were not supposed to have the sighting difference in Nepal but because these two groups have decided to differ in every possible matter, so, we are facing this problem in our community in Nepal. This difference is not acceptable in Islam. Leading personalities in these groups will have to answer in front of Allah about their rejection of making the start of Hijri month the same day for both groups.
“Hold fast, all of you, to the rope of Allah, and be not divided."
Qur'an, 3:103
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