Hadiths related to the Moon sighting & Ramadan
NARRATOR AbuHurayrah
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 2378
Allah’s
Messenger (peace_be_upon_him) said: 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.
NARRATOR AbuHurayrah
SAHIH MUSLIMÂ
HADITH_No 2379Â
Allah’s Messenger (peace_be_upon_him) said: Observe fast on
sighting it (the new moon) and break (fast) on sighting it (the new
moon), but if the sky is cloudy for you, then complete the number
(of thirty).
NARRATOR AbuHurayrah
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 2380
Allah’s Messenger (peace_be_upon_him) said: 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).
NARRATOR AbuHurayrah
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 2381
The Messenger of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) made a mention of the
new moon and (in this connection) said: Observe fast when you
see it (the new moon) and break fast when you see it (the new moon
of Shawwal), but when (the actual position of the month is)
concealed from you (on account of cloudy sky), then count thirty
days.
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Abbas
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 2391
Kurayb said: Umm Fadl, daughter of Harith, sent him (Fadl, i.e.
her son) to Mu’awiyah 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 ibn
Abbas asked me (about the new moon of Ramadan) and said: When did
you see it? I said: We saw it on Friday night. He said: (Did) you
see it yourself? I said: Yes, and the people also saw it so they
observed fast and Mu’awiyah also observed fast. Thereupon he said:
But we saw it on Saturday night. So we shall continue to observe
the fast until we complete thirty (fasts) or we see it (the new
moon of Shawwal). I said: Is the sighting of the moon by Mu’awiyah
not valid for you? He said: No; this is how the Messenger of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) has commanded us. Yahya ibn Yahya was in doubt
(whether the word used in the narration by Kurayb) was Naktafi or
Taktafi.
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Abbas
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 2392
AbulBakhtari reported: We went out to perform Umrah and when we
encamped in the valley of Nakhlah, we tried to see the new moon.
Some of the people said: It was three nights old, and others (said)
that it was two nights old. We then met Ibn Abbas and told him we
had seen the new moon, but that some of the people said it was
three nights old and others that it was two nights old. He asked on
which night we had seen it; and when we told him we had seen it on
such and such night, he said the Prophet of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) had said Verily Allah deferred it till the time
it is seen, so it is to be reckoned from the night you saw it.
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Abbas
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 2526
Hakim ibn al-Araj reported: I went to Ibn Abbas and he was
reclining using his mantle as a pillow near the fountain of Zamzam.
I said to him: Tell me about fasting on Ashura. He said: When you
see the new moon of Muharram then count the (days) and observe fast
on the 9th. I said to him: Is it how the Messenger of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) observed the fast? He said: Yes.
NARRATOR AbuHurayrah
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 2635
We were talking about laylat al-Qadr in the presence of the
Messenger of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and he said: He who amongst
you remembers (the night) when the moon arose and it was like a
piece of plate (at the fag end of the month in a state of waning).
NARRATOR Anas ibn Malik
SAHIH MUSLIM
HADITH_No 6868
We were with Umar between Mecca and Medina so that we might
begin to look for the new moon. I was a man with sharp eyesight, so
I could see it, but none saw it except myself. I began to say to
Umar: Don’t you see it? But he could not see it. Thereupon Umar
said: I shall soon be able to see it (when it shines more
brightly). I lay in bed. He then mentioned to us of the people of
Badr and said: Allah’s Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) showed us one
day before (the actual battle) the place of death of the people
(participating) in (the Battle) of Badr and he was saying: This
will be the place of death of so and so tomorrow, if Allah wills.
Umar said: By Him Who sent him with truth, they did not miss the
places (of their death) which Allah’s Apostle (peace_be_upon_him)
had indicated for them. Then they were all thrown in a well, one
after another. Allah’s Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) then went to
them and said: O, so and so, the son of so and so; O so and so, the
son of so and so, have you found what Allah and His Apostle
(peace_be_upon_him) had promised you? I have, however, found
absolutely true what Allah had promised me. Umar said: Allah’s
Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) said: How can you talk as bodies
without souls in them. Thereupon he said: You cannot hear more
distinctly than (they can) what I say, but with the exception that
they have no power to make any reply.
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Umar
AL-MUWATTA
HADITH_No 18.1.1
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
once mentioned Ramadan and said, “Do not begin the fast until
you see the new moon, and do not break the fast (at the end of
Ramadan) until you see it. If the new moon is obscured from you,
then work out (when it should be).”
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Umar
AL-MUWATTA
HADITH_No 18.1.2
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
said, “A month has twenty-nine days in it. Do not start the fast
or break it until you see the new moon. If the new moon is
obscured from you, then work out (when it should be).”
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Abbas
AL-MUWATTA
HADITH_No 18.1.3
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
once mentioned Ramadan and said, “Do not start the fast or break
it until you see the new moon. If the new moon is obscured from
you, then complete a full thirty days.”
NARRATOR AbuUmayr ibn Anas
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 1153
AbuUmayr reported on the authority of some of his paternal
uncles who were Companions of the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him): Some
men came riding to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and testified
that they had sighted the new moon the previous day. He (the Holy
Prophet), therefore, commanded the people to break the fast and to
go out to their place of prayer in the morning.
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Umar
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 2312
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The month consists of
twenty-nine days, but do not fast till you sight it (the moon) and
do not break your fast till you sight it. If the weather is cloudy,
calculate it thirty days. When the twenty-ninth of Sha’ban came,
Ibn Umar would send someone (who tried) to sight the moon for him.
If it was sighted, then well and good; in case it was not sighted,
and there was no cloud and dust before him (on the horizon), he
would not keep fast the next day. If there appeared (on the
horizon) before him cloud or dust, he would fast the following day.
Ibn Umar would end his fasting alone with the people, and did not
follow this calculation.
NARRATOR Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 2318
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to count the days
in Sha’ban in a manner he did not count any other month; then he
fasted when he sighted the new moon of Ramadan; but if the weather
was cloudy he counted thirty days and then fasted.
NARRATOR Hudhayfah
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 2319
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Do not fast (for Ramadan)
before the coming of the month until you sight the moon or
complete the number (of thirty days); then fast until you sight the
moon or complete the number (of thirty days).
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Abbas
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 2320
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Do not fast one day or two
days just before Ramadan except in the case of a man who has
been in the habit or observing a fast (on that day); and do not
fast until you sight it (the moon). Then fast until you sight it.
If a cloud appears on that day (i.e. 29th of Ramadan) then complete
the number thirty (days) and then end the fasting: a month
consists of twenty-nine days.
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Umar
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 2331
Husayn ibn al-Harith al-Jadli from the tribe of Jadilah Qays
said: The governor of Mecca delivered a speech and said: The
Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) took a pledge from us that we
should perform the rites of hajj after sighting the moon. If we do
not sight it and two reliable persons bear witness, we should
perform the rites of hajj on the basis of their witness. I then
asked al-Husayn ibn al-Harith: Who was the governor of Mecca? He
replied: I do not know. He then met me later on and told me: He was
al-Harith ibn Hatib, brother of Muhammad ibn Hatib. The governor
then said: There is among you a man who is more acquainted with
Allah and His Apostle than I. He witnessed this from the Apostle of
Allah (peace_be_upon_him). He then pointed with his hand to a man.
Al- Husayn said: I asked an old man beside me: Who is that man to
whom the governor has alluded? He said: “This is Abdullah ibn Umar,
and he spoke the truth. He was more acquainted with Allah than he.
He (Abdullah ibn Umar) said: For this is what the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) commanded us (to do).
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Abbas
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 2333
A bedouin came to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) and said: I
have sighted the moon. Al-Hasan added in his version: that is, of
Ramadan. He asked: Do you testify that there is no god but Allah?
He replied: Yes. He again asked: Do you testify that Muhammad is
the Apostle of Allah? He replied: Yes. and he testified that he had
sighted the moon. He said: Bilal, announce to the people that they
must fast tomorrow.
NARRATOR Ikrimah
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 2334
Once the people doubted the appearance of the moon of Ramadan,
and intended neither to offer the tarawih prayer nor to keep fast.
A bedouin came from al-Harrah and testified that he had sighted
the moon. He was brought to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him). He
asked: Do you testify that there is no god but Allah, and that I am
the Apostle of Allah? He said: Yes; and he testified that he had
sighted the moon. He commanded Bilal who announced to the people to
offer the tarawih prayer and to keep fast.
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Umar
ABU DAWUD
Hadith_No 2335
The people sighted the moon, so I informed the Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him) that I had sighted it. He fasted and
commanded the people to fast.
NARRATOR AbuRazin al-Uqayli
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 4713
I asked: Apostle of Allah! will each one of us see his Lord? Ibn
Mu’adh’s version has: “being alone with Him, on the Day of
Resurrection? And what sign is there is His creation?” He replied:
AbuRazin! does each one of you not see the moon? Ibn Mu’adh’s
version has: “on the night when it is full, being alone with it?”
Then the agreed version goes: I said: Yes. He said: Allah is more
great. Ibn Mu’adh’s version has: It is only part of Allah’s
creation, but Allah is more glorious and greater.
NARRATOR Qatadah
ABU DAWUD
HADITH_No 5073
When the Prophet of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) saw the new moon,
he said: “a new moon of good and right guidance; a new moon of
good and right guidance; a new moon of good and right guidance. I
believe in Him Who created you” three times. He would then say:
“Praise be to Allah Who has made such and such a month to pass and
has brought such and such a month.”
NARRATOR Abdullah ibn Abbas
MISHKAT AL-MASABIH
HADITH_No 1230r
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Do not anticipate Ramadan.
Start the fast with observing the new moon and terminate it with
observing it. If the sky is overcast let the month run to thirty
days.
NARRATOR Talhah ibn Ubaydullah
MISHKAT AL-MASABIH
HADITH_No 1233r
On seeing a new moon, the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) would
supplicate: Allah, do Thou cause the appearance of this moon to be a
harbinger of peace, faith, security and Islam for us. Thy Lord, O
moon, and mine is Allah. May this be a moon presaging guidance and
good.