The Book of Fasting
كتاب الصيام
Chapter 1: The Virtues of the month of Ramadan
When there comes the month of Ramadan, the gates of mercy are opened, and the gates of Hell are locked and the devils are chained,
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: When it is the month of Ramadan, the gates of mercy are opened, and the gates of Hell are locked and the devils are chained.
" When (the month of) Ramadan begins."
Chapter 2: The obligation to fast Ramadan when the crescent is sighted, and to break the fast when the crescent is sighted, and that if it is cloudy at the beginning or end of the month, then the month should be completed as thirty days.
Do not fast till you see the new moon, and do not break fast till you see it; but if the weather is cloudy calculate about it.
The month is thus and thus. (He then withdrew his thumb at the third time). He then said: Fast when you see it, and break your fast when you see it, and if the weather is cloudy calculate it (the months of Sha'ban and Shawwal) as thirty days.
If (the sky) is cloudy for you, then calculate thirty days (for the month of Ramadan).
The month may consist of twenty-nine days, and it may be thus, thus and thus, and (he further) said: Calculate it, but he did not say thirty.
The month of Ramadan may consist of twenty-nine days. So do not fast till you have sighted it (the new moon) and do not break fast, till you have sighted it (the new moon of Shawwal), and if the sky is cloudy for you, then calculate.
The month (of Ramadan) may consist of twenty nine days; so when you see the new moon observe fast and when you see (the new moon again at the commencement of the month of Shawwal) then break It, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then calculate it (and complete thirty days).
When you see the new moon, observe fast, and when you see it (again) then break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then calculate it.
The month may consist of twenty-nine nights. So do not fast till you have sighted it (the new moon) and do not break it till you have sighted it, except when the sky is cloudy for you, and if it is so, then calculate it.
The month is thus and thus and thus (i. e. pointing with his fingers thrice), and he held back his thumb at the third time (in order to show that it can also consist of twenty-nine days).
The month may consist of twenty-nine days.
The month (of Ramadan) is thus and thus, and thus. i.e. ten, ten and nine.
The month is thus, and thus, and thus, and he flapped his hands with all their fingers twice. but at the third turn, folded his right thumb or left thumb (in order to give an idea of twenty-nine).
The month (of Ramadan) may consist of twenty nine days, and Shu'ba (one of the narrators) (gave a practical demonstration how the Holy prophet (ﷺ) explained to them) by unfolding his hands thrice and folding his thumb at the third turn. 'Uqba (one of the narrators in this chain of transmitters) said: I think that he said that the month consists of thirty days and unfolded his palm three times.
We are an unlettered people who can neither write nor count. The month is thus, and thus. folding his thumb when he said it the third time.
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Aswad b. Qais with the same chain of transmitters, but herein no mention has been made of the other month (consisting of) thirty days.
This night is the midnight (of the month). Upon this he said to him: How do you know that it is the midnight (of the month), for I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: The month is thus and thus (and he pointed with his ten fingers twice) and thus (i. e. at the third time he pointed with all his fingers but withdrew or folded his thumb)?