Ramadan Articles - Sighting the Crescent of Ramadan - I

Unlike the crescents of other lunar months, the crescent of Ramadan is
given special attention because it is the crescent of the best month
in the sight of Allaah The Almighty. This month is favored with
several virtues; the most important is the revelation of the Quran on
the best night of the month. Thus, scholars of Fiqh )Islamic
jurisprudence( have occupied themselves with elaborating the rulings
relevant to the sighting of the crescent, astronomers with making
relevant calculations and means of observation and Muslim caliphs in
celebrating the night of the sighting. Poets and writers vie with each
other in praising the crescent and reflecting the feelings of joy in
people's hearts.
The crescent of Ramadan in the eyes of scholars of Fiqh:
Scholars of Fiqh unanimously agree that the lunar month could
betwenty-nine or thirty days. In a Hadeeth)narration(, the
Prophetsaid:"Allaah has made the crescents signs to mark fixed periods
of time for mankind. When you see it )the crescent(, observe fast, and
when you see it )again( then break fast. If you can not see it )the
crescent(, thencomplete thirty days )for the month of
Sha'baan(."]Al-Haakim[
Sighting the crescent is what counts, not calculations. Ibn
'Umarnarrated that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"We are an unlettered
nation, we neither write nor know calculations. The month is like this
and this)sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of 30 days(."]Al-Bukhaari[
Al-Haafith Ibn Hajarcommented,
"The Arabs were described as unlettered because writing was rareamong
them. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}It is He who has sent
among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves.{]Quran 62: 2[ This
is not refuted by the fact that some of them had knowledge of writing
and calculations, as such people were few and rare. Calculations in
this context are pertaining to stars and planets. The Arabs knew
little about this. So, the rulings relevant to the beginning of
fasting and other acts of worship were made contingent on sighting the
crescent in order not to place them under the hardships of making
calculations. This ruling iseffective even if there will come
generations fully aware of calculations. Even the explicit meaning of
words reveals exemptingcalculations in this regard at all. This is
supported by the part of the Hadeeth that reads:"If you can not see it
)thecrescent(, then complete thirty days )for the month of
Sha'baan(."TheProphetdid not say: then ask those who are knowledgeable
of calculations. The rationale is that completing thirty days unites
people and keeps them far from divergence and dispute."]Fat-h
Al-Baari[
According to the majorityof scholars, the beginning of Ramadan is
determined by one of two ways, completing 30 days of Sha'baan or
sighting the crescent, even by just one trustworthy person. It was
narrated that Ibn 'Umarsaid, "People sighted the crescent, and when I
told the Prophetthat I had sighted it, he fasted and ordered people to
fast." ]Abu Daawood[
Another group of scholars is of the opinion that sighting is not
confirmed unless two trustworthy men give testimony, as is the case
with the crescent of Shawwaal. As evidence, they quoted the Hadeeth of
'Abdul-Rahmaan ibn Zaydthat he gave a sermon on the 29th day of
Sha'baan and said,"I sat with the Companions of the Prophetand they
related to me that he said: 'Fast when you see it, and cease fasting
when you see it and perform the rites of Hajj based upon that and if
it is hidden by clouds then complete thirty days )of Sha'baan(. If two
Muslim witnesses testify then fast and cease fasting."]Ahmad[
There is also the Hadeeth of the ruler of Makkah, Al-Haarith ibn
Haatibas it was narrated that hesaid,"The Messenger of Allaahordered
us to perform the rites of Hajj upon sighting )the crescent(; and if
we couldnot see and two trustworthy witness testified, we should
perform the rites accordingly."]Abu Daawood[
The majority of scholars, however, argued that the utmost that the
mention of the two can signify is the rejection of the testimony of
only oneperson. However, the aforementioned Hadeethof 'Abdullaah ibn
'Umarindicates that the Prophetindeed accepted the verbal testimony of
Ibn 'Umar; and this is of a stronger indication.