:"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Fast when you see it and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then count it as thirty (days).'"
The Book of Fasting - Sunan an-Nasa'i 2118
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Fast when you see it and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then count it as thirty (days).'"
Commentary on the Hadith
This noble hadith establishes the fundamental principle for determining the beginning and end of Ramadan through visual sighting of the crescent moon. The phrase "fast when you see it" refers to sighting the new moon of Ramadan, while "stop fasting when you see it" refers to sighting the Shawwal moon.
The instruction emphasizes physical sighting as the primary method, reflecting the simplicity and practicality of Islamic law. When clouds prevent sighting, the command to "count it as thirty" provides a clear alternative, ensuring the month's completion without uncertainty.
Scholars have derived from this that Ramadan cannot be less than 29 days or more than 30 days. The ruling applies to each locality according to its sighting, though some scholars permit following reliable sightings from neighboring regions.
Legal Rulings Derived
• The beginning and end of Ramadan are established by moon sighting
• If the moon is obscured, complete thirty days of Sha'ban before beginning Ramadan
• Similarly, complete thirty days of fasting if the Shawwal moon is not sighted
• The testimony of one trustworthy Muslim witness is sufficient for moon sighting according to most scholars