Chapter: The month may be twenty-nine days

Zuhri reported that (once) the Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) took an oath that he would not go to his wives for one Month. Zuhri said that 'Urwa narrated to him from 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) that she said: When twenty-nine nights were over, which I had counted, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to me (he came to me first of all). I said: Messenger of Allah, you had taken an oath that you would not come to us for a month, whereas you have come after twenty nine days which I have counted. Whereupon he said: The month may also consist of twenty-nine days.

Jabir (Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) separated himself from his wives for a month. (His wives said:) He came to us on the twenty-ninth day, whereupon we said: It is the twenty-ninth (day) today. Thereupon he said: So far as the month is concerned, (and he, with a view to explaining it) flapped his hands thrice, but held back one finger at the last turn.

Abu Zubair is reported to have heard Jabir bin 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with both of them) as saying: The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) separated himself from his wives for a month. (His wives said:) He came to us on the morning of the twenty-ninth. Upon this some, of the people said: It is the morning of twenty- ninth (according to our calculation). Upon this the Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said: The month may also consist of twenty-nine days. The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) then flapped his bands thrice, twice with all the fingers of both his hand (to indicate twenty-nine) and by the third time with nine (fingers).

Umm Salamah (RA) reported that the Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) took an oath that he would not go to some of his wives for the whole of the month. When twenty-nine days had passed he (the Holy Prophet) went to them in the morning or in the evening. Upon this it was said to him: Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) , you took an oath that you would not come to us for a month, whereupon he said: The month may also consist of twenty-nine days.

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Juraij with the same chain of transmitters.

Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (RA) said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) struck his hand against the other and (then with the gesture of his two hands) said: The month is thus, thus (two times). He then withdrew (one of) his fingers at the third turn.

Muhammad bin Sa'd reported on the authority of his father (Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (RA) that the Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) had said: The month is thus and thus, and thus, i. e. ten, ten and nine.

This hadith has been narrated by Abu Khalid with the same chain of transmitters.