Source: Fatāwā Āmanpūrī – Shaykh Ghulām Muṣṭafā Ẓahīr Āmanpūrī
How many witnesses are required for sighting the crescent moon of ʿĪd?
① From ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
تَرَاءَى النَّاسُ الْهِلَالَ، فَأَخْبَرْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أَنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ، فَصَامَهُ، وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِصِيَامِهِ
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 2342; Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī: 2156 – ṣaḥīḥ chain)
Translation:
“The people looked for the crescent. I informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that I had seen it. So he fasted and commanded the people to fast.”
❀ Ḥāfiẓ al-Khaṭṭābī رحمه الله said:
“The acceptance of only one person’s testimony in the matter of fasting proves that acting upon solitary reports (khabar al-āḥād) is obligatory. Whether the report comes from a single person or a group, it makes no difference.”
(Maʿālim al-Sunan 2/102)
② From Abū ʿUmayr ibn Anas رضي الله عنه, from his uncles who were Companions:
They said:
“We could not see the crescent of Shawwāl, so we fasted the next morning. Later in the day, a caravan arrived and testified before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that they had seen the moon yesterday. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the people to break their fast that day and to go out for ʿĪd the next day.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 5/86; Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1157; Sunan al-Nasāʾī: 1558; Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1653 – ṣaḥīḥ chain)
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
❖ Question
How many witnesses are required for sighting the crescent moon of ʿĪd?
✿ Answer
- For the crescent of ʿĪd, the testimony of even one trustworthy and just Muslim is sufficient.
- The ruling for ʿĪd and fasting (Ramaḍān) is the same.
Evidence from Ḥadīth
① From ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
تَرَاءَى النَّاسُ الْهِلَالَ، فَأَخْبَرْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أَنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ، فَصَامَهُ، وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِصِيَامِهِ
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 2342; Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī: 2156 – ṣaḥīḥ chain)
Translation:
“The people looked for the crescent. I informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that I had seen it. So he fasted and commanded the people to fast.”
- Imām Ibn Ḥibbān (3447) authenticated this ḥadīth.
- Imām al-Ḥākim (1/324) declared it ṣaḥīḥ on the condition of Muslim, and al-Dhahabī agreed.
❀ Ḥāfiẓ al-Khaṭṭābī رحمه الله said:
“The acceptance of only one person’s testimony in the matter of fasting proves that acting upon solitary reports (khabar al-āḥād) is obligatory. Whether the report comes from a single person or a group, it makes no difference.”
(Maʿālim al-Sunan 2/102)
② From Abū ʿUmayr ibn Anas رضي الله عنه, from his uncles who were Companions:
They said:
“We could not see the crescent of Shawwāl, so we fasted the next morning. Later in the day, a caravan arrived and testified before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that they had seen the moon yesterday. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the people to break their fast that day and to go out for ʿĪd the next day.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 5/86; Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1157; Sunan al-Nasāʾī: 1558; Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1653 – ṣaḥīḥ chain)
- Imām Ibn al-Jārūd (266) also declared this narration authentic.
Conclusion
- One trustworthy witness is sufficient for establishing the sighting of the crescent for both Ramaḍān and ʿĪd.
- This ruling is based on clear and authentic aḥādīth from the practice of the Prophet ﷺ.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
