✦ By: ʿUbaydullah Tahir ḥafiẓahullāh
❀ Ḥadīth 1:
«عن عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنها قال: تراءى الناس الهلال، فاخبرت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، أني رأيته، فصامه وأمر الناس بصيامه»
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما reported:
The people attempted to sight the moon. I informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that I had seen it. So he fasted and commanded the people to fast as well.
[Sunan Abū Dāwūd 2342, Ṣaḥīḥ]
❀ Ḥadīth 2:
«عن ابن عباس، قال: جاء اعرابي إلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: إني رايت الهلال، يعني هلال رمضان، فقال: اتشهد ان لا إله إلا الله؟ قال: نعم، قال: اتشهد ان محمدا رسول الله؟ قال: نعم، قال:” يا بلال، اذن فى الناس فليصوموا غدا”.»
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrated:
A Bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “I have seen the moon,” referring to the moon of Ramadan. The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Do you testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah?”
He replied, “Yes.”
Then the Prophet ﷺ asked, “Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?”
He replied, “Yes.”
The Prophet ﷺ then said: “O Bilāl, announce to the people that they should fast tomorrow.”
[Sunan Abū Dāwūd 2340, Sunan al-Tirmidhī 691, Sunan al-Nasāʾī 2113, Sunan Ibn Mājah 1652, Ḥasan]
① A single trustworthy Muslim's testimony is sufficient to establish the beginning of Ramadan.
② The Prophet ﷺ accepted the testimony of both a Companion and a Bedouin, after verifying their faith and credibility.
③ There is no requirement of multiple witnesses for the start of Ramadan; however, more witnesses are required for Eid al-Fiṭr, according to other narrations and scholarly consensus.
④ This demonstrates the mercy and facilitation in Islamic law when it comes to acts of worship — relying on trustworthy individuals to begin a blessed month.
❖ A Single Testimony is Sufficient for Establishing Ramadan
❀ Ḥadīth 1:
«عن عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنها قال: تراءى الناس الهلال، فاخبرت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، أني رأيته، فصامه وأمر الناس بصيامه»
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما reported:
The people attempted to sight the moon. I informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that I had seen it. So he fasted and commanded the people to fast as well.
[Sunan Abū Dāwūd 2342, Ṣaḥīḥ]
❀ Ḥadīth 2:
«عن ابن عباس، قال: جاء اعرابي إلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: إني رايت الهلال، يعني هلال رمضان، فقال: اتشهد ان لا إله إلا الله؟ قال: نعم، قال: اتشهد ان محمدا رسول الله؟ قال: نعم، قال:” يا بلال، اذن فى الناس فليصوموا غدا”.»
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما narrated:
A Bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “I have seen the moon,” referring to the moon of Ramadan. The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Do you testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah?”
He replied, “Yes.”
Then the Prophet ﷺ asked, “Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?”
He replied, “Yes.”
The Prophet ﷺ then said: “O Bilāl, announce to the people that they should fast tomorrow.”
[Sunan Abū Dāwūd 2340, Sunan al-Tirmidhī 691, Sunan al-Nasāʾī 2113, Sunan Ibn Mājah 1652, Ḥasan]
✔ Key Rulings and Lessons:
① A single trustworthy Muslim's testimony is sufficient to establish the beginning of Ramadan.
② The Prophet ﷺ accepted the testimony of both a Companion and a Bedouin, after verifying their faith and credibility.
③ There is no requirement of multiple witnesses for the start of Ramadan; however, more witnesses are required for Eid al-Fiṭr, according to other narrations and scholarly consensus.
④ This demonstrates the mercy and facilitation in Islamic law when it comes to acts of worship — relying on trustworthy individuals to begin a blessed month.
