ISLAMIC REFERENCES
::
HOLY QURAN
"...So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month
(of Ramadân), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month..." [Holy Quran 2:185]
"...They ask you (O Muhammad SAW) about the new moons. Say: These are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind ..." [Holy Quran 2:189]
:: AHADITH - Prophetic Statements
Ibn Umar (ra) reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying in connection with
Ramadan: “Do not fast till you see the new moon, and do not break fast till
you see it”
(Saheeh Muslim)
Ibn Umar (ra) reported that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) made a mention of
Ramadan and he with the gesture of his hand said: “The month is thus and
thus. (He then withdrew his thumb at the third time). He then said: Fast
when you see it, and break your fast when you see it, and if the weather is
cloudy calculate it (the months of Sha'ban and Shawwal) as thirty days.”
(Saheeh Muslim)
Abu Huraira (ra) reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying: “Whenever you
sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadan) observe fast. And when you
sight it (the new moon of Shawwal) break it, and if the sky is cloudy for
you, then observe fast for thirty days.”
(Saheeh Muslim)
Abu Huraira (ra) reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying: “Observe fast
on sighting it (the new moon) and break it on sighting it. But if (due to
clouds) the actual position of the month is concealed from you, you should
then count thirty (days).”
(Saheeh Muslim)
Kuraib (ra) reported that Umm Fadl (ra), daughter of Harith, sent him (Fadl,
i.e. her son) to Mu'awiya (ra) in Syria. I (Fadl) arrived in Syria, and did
the needful for her. It was there in Syria that the month of Ramadan
commenced. I saw the new moon (of Ramadan) on Friday. I then came back to
Medina at the end of the month. Abdullah b. 'Abbas (ra) asked me (about the
new moon of Ramadan) and said: When did you see it? I said.: We saw it on
the night of Friday. He said: (Did) you see it yourself?-I said: Yes, and
the people also saw it and they observed fast and Mu'awiya also observed
fast, whereupon he said: But we saw it on Saturday night. So we would
continue to observe fast till we complete thirty (fasts) or we see it (the
new moon of Shawwal). I said: Is the sighting of the moon by Mu'awiya not
valid for you? He said: No; this is how the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has
commanded us.
(Saheeh Muslim)
Abu'l-Bakhtari (ra) reported: We saw the new moon of Ramadan as we were at
Dhit-i-'Irq. We sent a man to Ibn Abbas (ra) to ask him (whether the
sighting of a small moon had something of the nature of defect in it). Upon
this Ibn 'Abbas (ra) said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had said:
“Verily Allah deferred its sight, but if (the new moon) is hidden from you,
then, complete its number (thirty).”
(Saheeh Muslim)
Talhah bin Ubaidullah (ra) reported: At the sight of the new moon (of the
lunar month), the Prophet (pbuh) used to supplicate: "Allahumma ahillahu `alaina
bil-amni wal-iman, was-salamati wal-Islam, Rabbi wa Rabbuk-Allah, Hilalu
rushdin wa khairin (O Allah, let this moon appear on us with security and
Iman; with safety and Islam. (O moon!) Your Rubb and mine is Allah. May this
moon be bringing guidance and good).''
(Tirmidhi)
:: FATWAS
Sh. Saleh bin Uthaymeen - Saudi Arabia
Sh. Abdul Aziz bin Baaz - Saudi Arabia
Sh. Mufti Taqi Usman - Pakistan
Sh. Mufti Ibrahim Desai - South Africa
Fatwas Negating Saudi Sightings for UK England - Several Fatwas
Sh. Imam Zaid Shakir - Zaytuna Institute America
Ulama Council of North America - North America
Various resources & Fatwas http://www.jas.org.jo/hilaal/