8/7. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 691 — Accepting Crescent Testimony for Ramadan
What Has Been Related About Fasting Based Upon Testimony
Hadith About Witnessing the Ramadan Crescent
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 691
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 691
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي ثَوْرٍ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الْهِلاَلَ . قَالَ " أَتَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ أَتَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " يَا بِلاَلُ أَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ أَنْ يَصُومُوا غَدًا " . حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ الْجُعْفِيُّ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، نَحْوَهُ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِيهِ اخْتِلاَفٌ . وَرَوَى سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، وَغَيْرُهُ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُرْسَلاً وَأَكْثَرُ أَصْحَابِ سِمَاكٍ رَوَوْا عَنْ سِمَاكٍ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُرْسَلاً . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ أَكْثَرِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ قَالُوا تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَةُ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ فِي الصِّيَامِ . وَبِهِ يَقُولُ ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ وَالشَّافِعِيُّ وَأَحْمَدُ وَأَهْلُ الْكُوفَةِ . قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ لاَ يُصَامُ إِلاَّ بِشَهَادَةِ رَجُلَيْنِ . وَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ فِي الإِفْطَارِ أَنَّهُ لاَ يُقْبَلُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ شَهَادَةُ رَجُلَيْنِ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
A Bedouin Came To The Prophet And Said: 'I Have Seen The Crescent.' So He Said: 'Do You Testify That None Has The Right To Be Worshipped But Allah? Do You Testify That Muhammad Is The Messenger Of Allah?' He Said: 'Yes.' So He Said: 'O Bilal! Announce To The People That They Should Fast Tomorrow.'
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 691In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 10English translation : Vol. 2, Book 3, Hadith 691
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 691
This hadith about witnessing the Ramadan crescent shows a public process around the start of fasting. A Bedouin came to the Prophet and said that he had seen the crescent. The Prophet asked him whether he testified that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. When the man said yes, the Prophet told Bilal to announce to the people that they should fast the next day. The hadith highlights that the start of Ramadan is not a private guess. A sighting is brought forward, checked, and then announced to the people.
What we learn from this hadith
- A crescent sighting was treated as a matter for public announcement.
- The witness was asked to affirm the two testimonies of Islam.
- The people were told to fast after the report was accepted.
