Sunan Abi Dawud
Sunan Abi Dawud 2321
حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنِي أَيُّوبُ، قَالَ كَتَبَ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ بَلَغَنَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم زَادَ وَإِنَّ أَحْسَنَ مَا يُقَدَّرُ لَهُ إِذَا رَأَيْنَا هِلاَلَ شَعْبَانَ لِكَذَا وَكَذَا فَالصَّوْمُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لِكَذَا وَكَذَا إِلاَّ أَنْ تَرَوُا الْهِلاَلَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ .
Ayyub reported that Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz wrote to the people of Basra: We have received a report from the Messenger of Allah, similar to the report of Ibn Umar from the Prophet. It adds: The best way to estimate the month is that, when we see the crescent of Shaaban on such-and-such a date, we expect fasting to begin on such-and-such a date, Allah willing, unless you see the crescent earlier.