What is the ruling on a preacher issuing a fatwa permitting a choice between fasting or breaking the fast on Tuesday, based on the differing announcements of Eid al-Fitr between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and the confusion and division this has caused?

The Mufti believes it is wrong to issue a general fatwa that causes division and animosity. While acknowledging the difference of opinion on the matter, whoever believes that sighting the crescent moon obliges everyone, there is no harm for him to act upon his opinion privately without inviting others to it, as a pre-emptive measure against discord. Some scholars have even mandated breaking the fast secretly for one who sighted the crescent of Shawwal alone, fearing corruption. Islamic law is based on bringing about benefits and reducing harms. There are examples from the Shariah that demonstrate this, such as the prohibition of insulting the deities of the polytheists and the Prophet’s refraining from killing Abdullah ibn Ubayy. There are two opinions on this issue: the first is that each country has its own sighting (which is the preponderant opinion), and the second is that sighting the crescent moon in one country obliges everyone. One who follows this opinion should fast and break his fast secretly.