Chapter on Fasting Upon Sighting the Moon and Breaking the Fast Upon Sighting the Moon

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 2|Book 2|Chapter 15

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

Volume 2, Book 2, Chapter 15

Chapter on Fasting Upon Sighting the Moon and Breaking the Fast Upon Sighting the Moon
14 Aḥadīth
Ḥadīth 1

1908 - رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ اَلْهِلاَلَ فَصُومُوا وَ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَأَفْطِرُوا وَ لَيْسَ بِالرَّأْيِ وَ اَلتَّظَنِّي وَ لَيْسَ اَلرُّؤْيَةُ أَنْ يَقُومَ عَشَرَةُ نَفَرٍ يَنْظُرُونَ فَيَقُولَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمْ هُوَ ذَا هُوَ ذَا وَ يَنْظُرَ تِسْعَةٌ فَلاَ يَرَوْنَهُ وَ لَكِنْ إِذَا رَآهُ وَاحِدٌ رَآهُ أَلْفٌ».

Hadith.1908 - Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from Abu Ja'far (as), who said: "When you see the crescent, fast, and when you see it again, break your fast. This is not based on conjecture or speculation. Seeing the crescent does not mean that ten people look for it, and one of them says, 'There it is, there it is,' while the other nine do not see it. Rather, when one person sees it, it is as though a thousand have seen it."

Ḥadīth 2

1909 - وَ رَوَى اَلْفَضْلُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ قَالَ: «لَيْسَ عَلَى أَهْلِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ إِلاَّ اَلرُّؤْيَةُ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَى اَلْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلاَّ اَلرُّؤْيَةُ.

Hadith.1909 - Al-Fadl ibn Uthman narrated from Abu Abdullah (as), who said: "There is no obligation upon the people of the Qiblah except seeing [the crescent], and there is no obligation upon the Muslims except seeing [the crescent]."

Ḥadīth 3

1910 - وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ اَلْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْعَبَّاسِ اَلْفَضْلِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اَلْمَلِكِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «اَلصَّوْمُ لِلرُّؤْيَةِ وَ اَلْفِطْرُ لِلرُّؤْيَةِ وَ لَيْسَ اَلرُّؤْيَةُ أَنْ يَرَاهُ وَاحِدٌ وَ لاَ اِثْنَانِ وَ لاَ خَمْسُونَ ».

Hadith.1910 - In the narration of al-Qasim ibn Uruwah from Abu al-Abbas al-Fadl ibn Abd al-Malik, from Abu Abdullah (as), he said: "Fasting is based on sighting [the crescent], and breaking the fast is based on sighting [the crescent]. Sighting is not determined by one person, nor two, nor fifty."

Ḥadīth 4

1911 - وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ : «إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ اَلْهِلاَلَ فَأَفْطِرُوا أَوْ شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِ عَدْلٌ مِنَ اَلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَرَوُا اَلْهِلاَلَ إِلاَّ مِنْ وَسَطِ اَلنَّهَارِ أَوْ آخِرِهِ فَ‍ «أَتِمُّوا اَلصِّيٰامَ إِلَى اَللَّيْلِ» فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَعُدُّوا ثَلاَثِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ أَفْطِرُوا».

Hadith.1911 - In the narration of Muhammad ibn Qays from Abu Ja'far (as), who said that Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), said: "When you see the crescent, break your fast, or if a trustworthy Muslim testifies to seeing it, then break your fast. If you do not see the crescent except in the middle or the end of the day, then 'complete your fast until night.' If the crescent is obscured from you, count thirty nights and then break your fast."

Ḥadīth 5

1912 - وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَقُولُ: «لاَ أُجِيزُ فِي رُؤْيَةِ اَلْهِلاَلِ إِلاَّ شَهَادَةَ رَجُلَيْنِ عَدْلَيْنِ.

Hadith.1912 - In the narration of al-Halabi from Abu Abdullah (as), it is reported that Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), used to say: "I do not accept the sighting of the crescent except with the testimony of two just men."

Ḥadīth 6

1913 - وَ سَأَلَهُ سَمَاعَةُ : عَنِ اَلْيَوْمِ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ يُخْتَلَفُ فِيهِ قَالَ «إِذَا اِجْتَمَعَ أَهْلُ اَلْمِصْرِ عَلَى صِيَامِهِ لِلرُّؤْيَةِ فَاقْضِهِ إِذَا كَانَ أَهْلُ اَلْمِصْرِ خَمْسَمِائَةِ إِنْسَانٍ.

Hadith.1913 - Sama'ah asked Imam (as) about a day in the Month of Ramadan over which there is a dispute. Imam (as) said: "If the people of the city agree to fast based on sighting [the crescent], then observe it. This applies if the population of the city is five hundred people."

Ḥadīth 7

1914 - وَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ : «لاَ تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَةُ اَلنِّسَاءِ فِي رُؤْيَةِ اَلْهِلاَلِ إِلاَّ شَهَادَةُ رَجُلَيْنِ عَدْلَيْنِ.

Hadith.1914 - Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), said: "The testimony of women is not accepted for the sighting of the crescent; only the testimony of two just men is accepted."

Ḥadīth 8

1915 - وَ سَأَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ أَخَاهُ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ : عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَرَى اَلْهِلاَلَ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَحْدَهُ لاَ يُبْصِرُهُ غَيْرُهُ أَ لَهُ أَنْ يَصُومَ قَالَ «إِذَا لَمْ يَشُكَّ فَلْيُفْطِرْ وَ إِلاَّ فَلْيَصُمْهُ مَعَ اَلنَّاسِ.

Hadith.1915 - Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as) about a man who sees the crescent for the Month of Ramadan alone, and no one else sees it. Should he fast? Imam (as) said: "If he has no doubt, let him break his fast. Otherwise, let him fast with the people."

Ḥadīth 9

1916 - وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُرَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «إِذَا تَطَوَّقَ اَلْهِلاَلُ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ وَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَ ظِلَّ رَأْسِكَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ لِثَلاَثِ لَيَالٍ»

Hadith.1916 - Muhammad ibn Murazim narrated from his father, from Abu Abdullah (as), who said: "If the crescent appears surrounded by a halo, it is for two nights. If you can see the shadow of your head in it, it is for three nights."

Ḥadīth 10

1917 - وَ رَوَى حَمَّادُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ اَلْحُرِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «إِذَا غَابَ اَلْهِلاَلُ قَبْلَ اَلشَّفَقِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَةٍ وَ إِذَا غَابَ بَعْدَ اَلشَّفَقِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ.

Hadith.1917 - Hammad ibn Isa narrated from Isma'il ibn al-Hurr, from Abu Abdullah (as), who said: "If the crescent sets before twilight, it is for one night. If it sets after twilight, it is for two nights."

Ḥadīth 11

1918 - وَ قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ : «إِذَا صَحَّ هِلاَلُ رَجَبٍ فَعُدَّ تِسْعَةً وَ خَمْسِينَ يَوْماً وَ صُمْ يَوْمَ اَلسِّتِّينَ.

Hadith.1918 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "If the crescent of Rajab is confirmed, count fifty-nine days and fast on the sixtieth day."

Ḥadīth 12

1919 - وَ قَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِذَا صُمْتَ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ فِي اَلْعَامِ اَلْمَاضِي فِي يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ فَعُدَّ فِي اَلْعَامِ اَلْمُسْتَقْبَلِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ اَلْيَوْمِ خَمْسَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَ صُمْ يَوْمَ اَلْخَامِسِ ».

Hadith.1919 - Imam (as) said: "If you fasted the Month of Ramadan on a specific day in the previous year, then in the following year count five days from that day and fast on the fifth day."

Ḥadīth 13

1920 - وَ رَوَى أَبَانُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ رَجُلٌ أَسَرَتْهُ اَلرُّومُ وَ لَمْ يَصْحُ لَهُ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ وَ لَمْ يَدْرِ أَيُّ شَهْرٍ هُوَ قَالَ «يَصُومُ شَهْراً يَتَوَخَّى وَ يَحْسُبُ فَإِنْ كَانَ اَلشَّهْرُ اَلَّذِي صَامَهُ قَبْلَ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ لَمْ يُجْزِئْهُ وَ إِنْ كَانَ بَعْدَ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ أَجْزَأَهُ ».

Hadith.1920 - Aban ibn Uthman narrated from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Abdullah, from Abu Abdullah (as): I asked him about a man who was captured by the Romans and did not know when the Month of Ramadan occurred. Imam (as) said: "He should fast for a month, making an effort to estimate and calculate. If the month he fasted was before the Month of Ramadan, it does not suffice. However, if it was after the Month of Ramadan, it suffices."

Ḥadīth 14

1921 - وَ سَأَلَهُ اَلْعِيصُ بْنُ اَلْقَاسِمِ : عَنِ اَلْهِلاَلِ إِذَا رَآهُ اَلْقَوْمُ جَمِيعاً فَاتَّفَقُوا عَلَى أَنَّهُ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ أَ يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ «نَعَمْ».

Hadith.1921 - Al-'Is ibn al-Qasim asked Imam (as) about a situation where a group of people all see the crescent and agree that it is for two nights. Imam (as) said: "Yes, it is permissible."