✦ By: ʿUbaydullāh Ṭāhir (حفظه الله)
Narrated by Ḥusayn ibn al-Ḥārith al-Judali (from the tribe of Qays):
“The governor of Makkah delivered a sermon and said:
‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed us to offer the sacrifice (or celebrate Eid) based on the sighting of the moon. If we are unable to see it, and two just men bear witness, we act upon their testimony.’
I (Abū Mālik) asked Ḥusayn: ‘Who was the governor of Makkah at that time?’
He said: ‘I do not know.’
Later, he met me again and said: ‘He was al-Ḥārith ibn Ḥāṭib, the brother of Muḥammad ibn Ḥāṭib.’
Then the governor said: ‘Indeed, among you is a man who knows the command of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ better than I do, and he testified to this from the Prophet ﷺ.’
He then pointed towards a man.
Ḥusayn said: ‘I asked an elderly man sitting beside me: Who is the person to whom the governor pointed?’
He replied: ‘That is ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما).’
Indeed, the governor had spoken the truth — Ibn ʿUmar was more knowledgeable about Allah and His Messenger ﷺ than him.
Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) then said:
‘This is indeed what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to do.’”
→ [Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 2338 | Ḥadīth Ḥasan]
❶ For confirming the sighting of the Shawwāl moon (i.e., the moon of Eid al-Fiṭr), the testimony of two trustworthy and just men is required if the moon is not visible to the general public.
❷ This narration clearly shows that ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) directly testified that the Prophet ﷺ commanded reliance on the testimony of two upright witnesses in such a case.
◈ The sighting of the Shawwāl moon — which determines the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid — must be confirmed by either:
➤ Direct sighting, or
➤ The testimony of two reliable, just witnesses when the moon is not seen by the general population.
◈ This is based on the clear instruction of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as affirmed by ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) in the above hadith.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
❖ Authentic Hadith Reference
Narrated by Ḥusayn ibn al-Ḥārith al-Judali (from the tribe of Qays):“The governor of Makkah delivered a sermon and said:
‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed us to offer the sacrifice (or celebrate Eid) based on the sighting of the moon. If we are unable to see it, and two just men bear witness, we act upon their testimony.’
I (Abū Mālik) asked Ḥusayn: ‘Who was the governor of Makkah at that time?’
He said: ‘I do not know.’
Later, he met me again and said: ‘He was al-Ḥārith ibn Ḥāṭib, the brother of Muḥammad ibn Ḥāṭib.’
Then the governor said: ‘Indeed, among you is a man who knows the command of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ better than I do, and he testified to this from the Prophet ﷺ.’
He then pointed towards a man.
Ḥusayn said: ‘I asked an elderly man sitting beside me: Who is the person to whom the governor pointed?’
He replied: ‘That is ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما).’
Indeed, the governor had spoken the truth — Ibn ʿUmar was more knowledgeable about Allah and His Messenger ﷺ than him.
Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) then said:
‘This is indeed what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to do.’”
→ [Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 2338 | Ḥadīth Ḥasan]
❖ Ruling Derived from This Ḥadīth
❶ For confirming the sighting of the Shawwāl moon (i.e., the moon of Eid al-Fiṭr), the testimony of two trustworthy and just men is required if the moon is not visible to the general public.
❷ This narration clearly shows that ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) directly testified that the Prophet ﷺ commanded reliance on the testimony of two upright witnesses in such a case.
Summary
◈ The sighting of the Shawwāl moon — which determines the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid — must be confirmed by either:
➤ Direct sighting, or
➤ The testimony of two reliable, just witnesses when the moon is not seen by the general population.
◈ This is based on the clear instruction of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as affirmed by ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) in the above hadith.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
