Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
What is dhāhir al-riwāyah (stronger position) in terms of moon sighting whether there is consideration of different maṭāli’ (horizions) or not?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathabah Institute.
Imam Ibn ‘Ābidīn (may Allāh’s mercy be upon him) has stated that the strongest position agreed by majority scholars of the Ḥanafī school is that there is no consideration of multiple horizons (individual local regional sightings). He also declares that this is what the muftā bihī position is. – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 2, Page 393, Dār Al-Fikr)[1]
Only Allāh knows best.
[1] وَاخْتِلَافُ الْمَطَالِعِ وَرُؤْيَتُهُ نَهَارًا قَبْلَ الزَّوَالِ وَبَعْدَهُ غَيْرُ مُعْتَبَرٍ عَلَى ظَاهِرِ الْمَذْهَبِ وَعَلَيْهِ أَكْثَرُ الْمَشَايِخِ وَعَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى بَحْرٌ عَنْ الْخُلَاصَةِ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج٢ / ص ٣٩٣ دار الفكر
