Hadith of Ruyat Hilal: A Study

A Study of the Hadith of “Ruyat Hilal” (Moon Sighting)

As time progresses, changes sometimes occur in the issues and rulings of Islamic law. In today’s era of globalization, the demand for the unity of moon sighting (Wahdat-e-Ruyat) is considered by some as a need of the time and a requirement due to current circumstances. This is an ijtihadi issue, and some early scholars have also shed light on the unity of moon sighting and presented it as their position. However, when it comes to the matter of the Ummah, the practice has always been based on sighting the moon locally and observing Ramadan and Eid accordingly.

Due to the severe differences among the people regarding the moon sighting during Ramadan, some scholars are attempting to unite the Ummah on the matter of a unified moon sighting. I do not support such scholars until the Ummah reaches a clear and practical consensus on this matter, whether through global seminars or agreements reached by scholars within each country.

After briefly stating my position, I would like to clarify one of the most famous and important evidences related to the moon sighting, the Hadith of Kareeb, to better understand the Islamic perspective on this issue based on the understanding of the Salaf (early generations). It is important that we interpret the Qur’an and Sunnah through the understanding of the Salaf, because if we remove their understanding from our interpretation, anyone can twist the meanings of texts to suit their own sect. The understanding of the Salaf holds the same level of importance as the chain of narration (sanad) in Hadith. Let us now study the Hadith of Kareeb.

Hadith of Kareeb:

أنَّ أمَّ الفضلِ بنتَ الحارثِ بعثَتْه إلى معاويةَ بالشامِ . قال : فقدمتُ الشامَ . فقضيتُ حاجتَها . واستهلَّ عليَّ رمضانُ وأنا بالشامِ . فرأيتُ الهلالَ ليلةَ الجمعةِ . ثم قدمتُ المدينةَ في آخرِ الشهرِ . فسألني عبدُ اللهِ بنُ عباسٍ رضي اللهُ عنهما . ثم ذكر الهلالَ فقال : متى رأيتُم الهلالَ فقلتُ : رأيناه ليلةَ الجمعةِ . فقال : أنت رأيتَه ؟ فقلتُ : نعم . ورأه الناسُ . وصاموا وصام معاويةُ . فقال : لكنا رأيناه ليلةَ السَّبتِ . فلا تزال نصومُ حتى نكمل ثلاثينَ . أو نراه . فقلتُ : أو لا تكتفي برؤيةِ معاويةَ وصيامِه ؟ فقال : لا . هكذا أمرَنا رسولُ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ (صحيح مسلم:1087)

Translation:

Umm al-Fadl bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) sent Kareeb to Muawiya in Syria. Kareeb said: “I went to Syria and fulfilled her need. Ramadan began while I was in Syria, and I saw the new moon on the night of Friday. I then returned to Medina at the end of the month. Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) asked me about the moon sighting. I said to him, ‘We saw the new moon on the night of Friday.’ He asked, ‘Did you personally see it?’ I said, ‘Yes, I saw it, and the people saw it too. They all observed the fast, and Muawiya also observed the fast.’ He said, ‘But we saw it on the night of Saturday. We will continue fasting until we complete thirty days or see the moon.’ I said, ‘Isn’t it sufficient that Muawiya and the people of Syria saw it and fasted?’ He said, ‘No. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) commanded us this way.'”

Source: (Sahih Muslim: 1087, Sunan Abu Dawood: 2332, Sunan an-Nasa’i: 2111, Sunan at-Tirmidhi: 693, Sahih Ibn Khuzayma: 1916, al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 8007, Musnad Ahmad: 2785, Sunan ad-Daraqutni: 2185)

This Hadith has been narrated in various books of Hadith. To understand the meaning and context of this Hadith, it is important to know from which scholars it has been transmitted and what their understanding was. This will make it easier to interpret the meaning and significance of the Hadith, as the meanings of Hadith have been passed down through generations. Therefore, for us, the understanding of the Salaf is the standard for interpreting Hadith and the Qur’an.

Chapters Established by the Hadith Scholars on the Hadith of Kareeb:

Hadith scholars have collected the ahadith based on books and chapters, and this method helps us understand what the scholars of hadith understood from these narrations. This makes it easier for us to determine the meaning of the hadith.

(1) In Sahih Muslim, the following chapter was dedicated to this hadith:
“بابُ بيانِ أنَّ لِكلِ بلدٍ رُؤيتُهم وأنهم إذا رأوا الهلالَ ببلدٍ لا يثبتُ حكمُه لما بَعُدَ عنهم”
Translation: The chapter explains that each region has its own moon sighting, and if the people of one region see the moon, it is not binding for people in far-off areas.

(2) Imam Abu Dawood established a chapter in his Sunan as follows:
“باب اذا رؤي الهلال في بلدٍ قبل الآخرين بليلةٍ”
Translation: The chapter on what should be done when the moon is sighted in one city a night before others.

(3) Imam Tirmidhi established the following chapter in his Jami’:
“باب لِكلِ أهل بلد رؤيتهم”
Translation: The chapter explaining that each area’s people will have their own moon sighting. After quoting this hadith, he writes:
“العملُ على هذا الحديث عند أهل العلم أن لِكلِ بلدٍ رؤيتهم”
Translation: The practice among scholars based on this hadith is that each region’s moon sighting is to be considered.

(4) Imam Nasa’i created a chapter titled:
“باب اختلاف أهل الآفاق في الرؤية”
Translation: The chapter explaining the situation when people from different regions have differing reports regarding the moon sighting.

(5) Imam Ibn Khuzayma titled his chapter:
“باب الدليل على أن الواجب على أهل كل بلدة صيام رمضان لرؤيتهم لا رؤية غيرهم”
Translation: The chapter providing evidence that it is obligatory for the people of each region to begin fasting Ramadan based on their own moon sighting, not the sighting of others.

(6) Imam Bayhaqi narrates the Hadith of Kareeb in his al-Sunan al-Kubra under the following chapter:
“باب الهلال يرى في بلد ولا يرى في آخر”
Translation: The chapter regarding the situation when the moon is seen in one city, but not in another.

(7) Imam Darimi has a chapter titled:
“باب الشهادة على رؤية الهلال”
Translation: The chapter on bearing witness to the moon sighting.

As mentioned earlier, we need to understand the Qur’an and Sunnah through the light of the understanding of the Salaf (righteous predecessors). If the understanding of the Salaf is removed from the interpretation of the Qur’an and Hadith, anyone can manipulate the meanings of the texts to suit their own objectives. This hadith, found in the books of Hadith, has been passed down with an understanding of moon sighting that was transmitted from the teachers to their students. The narrators of these hadiths were thousands in number, and apart from them, a large group of the predecessors of the Salaf have transmitted that the difference in sighting between regions must be considered, which has been the practice of the Ummah for the past fourteen centuries. As Imam Tirmidhi wrote, the scholars agree on the practice that each region’s moon sighting is to be considered, and Imam Al-Baghawi also wrote that most scholars are of the opinion that “each region has its own moon sighting.” However, there are a very small number of scholars who mention the unity of moon sighting, and these can be counted.

Explanation and Meaning of the Hadith:

This hadith mentions that Umm al-Fadl sent Kareeb to Syria to complete some task during the last days of Sha’ban. There, he and the people of Syria saw the Ramadan moon on the night of Friday and began fasting. When Kareeb returned to Medina during Ramadan, he discussed the moon sighting with Abdullah ibn Abbas. Kareeb said that they had seen the moon on Friday night, and Ibn Abbas asked if Kareeb had personally seen the moon. Kareeb confirmed that he did, and so did the people of Syria. Ibn Abbas replied that they had seen the moon on Saturday night and had begun fasting that day. Therefore, they would continue fasting until they either saw the moon for Eid or completed 30 days of fasting. In other words, Ibn Abbas did not accept the sighting of the people of Syria. Kareeb expressed surprise, asking if the sighting of Amir Muawiya was not sufficient for them. Ibn Abbas replied, “No, the sighting of Muawiya is not sufficient for us because the Prophet ﷺ ordered us to do this.”

There are three key points in this hadith:

1. How far is the distance between Syria and Medina?
2. Why did Ibn Abbas not accept the sighting of Muawiya?
3. What is the meaning of Ibn Abbas saying, “The Prophet ﷺ commanded us to do this”?

Answer to the first question: According to mapzom.com, the distance along the route is 1267 kilometers, and the direct distance is 1045 kilometers. As noted in Sabil al-Salam, the sighting of the moon in Syria is not considered valid for the people of Hejaz, and Kareeb observed the 31st fast, which for the people of Medina was actually the 30th day of Ramadan. (Sabil al-Salam : p. 156)

No one should object by saying that if the distance between Syria and Medina is 1045 or 1267 kilometers, then why is the sighting valid in places like India, where the distance is either shorter or longer? The difference in the moon sighting is not just about the kilometers but also about the difference in the horizon due to the terrain of the Earth. Therefore, the actual horizon should be considered, not just the kilometers. The general principle is that in areas where the moon is sighted together, the same horizon will be considered, regardless of the distance.

Answer to the second question: According to the famous commentary on Sahih Muslim (Sharh Nawawi), there are two possible interpretations. The first possibility is that Kareeb’s report was a khabar wahid (single report), and when it comes to testimony, a single report is not sufficient. However, this interpretation is not correct, as Imam Nawawi himself said that this view contradicts the apparent meaning of the hadith. The second possibility is that Ibn Abbas rejected Kareeb’s report because the sighting in distant regions is not accepted. This interpretation aligns with the apparent meaning of the hadith.

Answer to the third question: Ibn Abbas’ statement that “the Prophet ﷺ commanded us to do this” implies that he had remembered this instruction from the Prophet ﷺ, which clearly indicated that the moon sighting of one region cannot be used for the people of another region. As explained in the excellent commentary of ‘Awn al-Ma’bud by Shams al-Haq Azimabadi, this shows that Ibn Abbas was recalling a command from the Prophet ﷺ, which stated that one region’s moon sighting cannot be followed by people in another region.

Responses to Objections Regarding Hadith Kareeb:

First Objection:
If the Hadith of Kareeb is taken as evidence for the difference in moon sightings based on location, then why is the moon sighting in places like India (which is 1500 km away) considered valid?

Answer:
This question has already been addressed in the explanation of the hadith and its meaning. Furthermore, there are many evidences supporting this, such as the issue of the “people of the stars” and the statement of ‘Ikrimah that “each region has its own moon sighting.”

Second Objection:
Ibn Abbas’ rejection of the sighting of the people of Syria was his personal ijtihad (judgment), which could have been wrong.

Answer:
The answer to this objection is that Ibn Abbas himself clarified that he was acting upon the command of the Prophet ﷺ, indicating that it was not his personal ijtihad, but an adherence to the Prophetic command.

Third Objection:
Regarding if a single report (Khabar Wahid) is sufficient for determining the fast (iftar), Ibn Abbas rejected Kareeb’s report because he knew the command of the Prophet ﷺ, as he himself says, “The Prophet ﷺ commanded us to do this.”

Answer:
Firstly, Ibn Abbas (RA) did not reject Kareeb’s report because it was a single report (Khabar Wahid), as I clarified earlier. Secondly, the interpretation of some scholars suggesting that Ibn Abbas’ rejection of Kareeb’s report was due to it being a single report contradicts the apparent meaning of the hadith and the views of most scholars. Additionally, Kareeb did not say that he alone saw the moon, but rather, he mentioned that both he and the people of Syria saw it. If we were to assume that Ibn Abbas rejected Kareeb’s report because it was a single report, then we could easily confirm the report through the people of Syria. However, Ibn Abbas did not feel the need to do so, which indicates that the suggestion of it being a single report does not align with the reality of the situation.

Fourth Objection:
This is the same Ibn Abbas who, when asked about fasting on the Day of Ashura, said, “Fast on the 9th of Muharram.” When asked if the Prophet ﷺ used to fast in the same manner, he replied, “Yes.” How does this relate to the interpretation of the hadith of Kareeb, and does this mean Ibn Abbas could have been mistaken in his judgment?

Answer:
Some people have tried to misinterpret Ibn Abbas’ ruling regarding Ashura, but it is not relevant to the context here. The hadith about Ashura is mentioned in Sahih Muslim (Hadith No. 2664) and is found in other collections such as Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Nasai, Ibn Khuzaymah, and Ahmad’s Musnad. The explanation of this hadith by scholars has provided various insights, and objectors should understand that Sahih Muslim is an authentic source with no weakness in its chain of narration or text. In ‘Awn al-Ma’bud, the commentary suggests that when Ibn Abbas said the Prophet ﷺ used to fast in this manner, it referred to the Prophet ﷺ’s intention to fast on the 9th of Muharram in his final years, implying that he would have fasted the 9th if he were alive. Imam Shawkaani’s interpretation, as mentioned in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, also indicates that if the Prophet ﷺ had been alive, he would have fasted this day.

It’s a straightforward matter that is being misinterpreted. For instance, we know that the Prophet ﷺ did not perform Hajj al-Tamattu (Hajj with a sacrifice), but he indicated that if he had not brought the sacrificial animal with him, he would have performed Hajj al-Tamattu. This led scholars to conclude that Hajj al-Tamattu is preferable. Similarly, it’s important to interpret hadiths with their context and not distort them.

Fifth Objection:
The hadith of Kareeb is specific (khas) to a particular context.

Answer:
It is not specifically limited to one case. If anyone suggests that it is, they need to provide evidence for that particular restriction.

Important Conclusions from the Hadith of Kareeb:

Several key points can be drawn from the Hadith of Kareeb, based on which there is no reason for objection:

• Kareeb observed the fast based on the moon sighting in Syria, and when he arrived in Medina, he observed the fast according to Medina’s moon sighting and celebrated Eid. However, according to Syria’s calculation, he observed 31 fasts.
  
• No companion (Sahabi) can ever say on their own initiative that this is the command of the Prophet ﷺ. All the companions are just, and their actions are trustworthy.
  
• The sighting of the moon is a very important matter. If the moon sighting of one place were valid for all Muslims worldwide, Ibn Abbas (RA), such a noble companion, would immediately have accepted the moon sighting for his own place as well. No companion would dare oppose the command of the Prophet ﷺ with their own ijtihad, nor would any righteous Muslim ever think of doing so.
  
• There is a difference in the observance of Laylat al-Qadr due to the difference in moon sighting between the people of Syria and the people of Medina. The most significant night of Ramadan is Laylat al-Qadr, and if we reject Kareeb’s report, we deprive ourselves and the people of Medina of the virtue of Laylat al-Qadr.
  
• The difference in moon sighting exists universally, as there is a clear difference in the horizon (matal’i). It seems more sound to acknowledge this difference based on evidence. For instance, Kareeb, upon returning to Medina, completed his fast according to the local sighting, thus resulting in 31 fasts. This indicates that each area should follow its own moon sighting. If Syria completes 30 days of Ramadan, then Medina, following its own sighting, will also observe 30 days.
  
• The argument for unity of moon sighting (Wahdat al-Ru’yah) based on the Hadith of Kareeb would have meant that the people of Medina missed one fast, which would have required a makeup fast (qada). If this qada were to be performed, then the number of fasts would have been 31, but the month doesn’t have 31 days. The issue here is the qada, and Ibn Abbas did not order the qada, which proves that the moon sighting of distant places is not valid.
  
• The difference in moon sighting caused a disparity in the observance of both the fast and Eid between the people of Syria and Medina. This goes against the claim of unity of moon sighting which states that Eid should be celebrated on the same day by everyone. Here, there is a clear opposition to that view.
  
• Not accepting Kareeb’s report is clear evidence that each region observed its own moon sighting. Otherwise, news would have been communicated from one place to another, and the Caliphs and rulers would have set up committees or sent messengers to inform all areas when the moon was sighted. However, this practice was neither followed during the time of the Prophet ﷺ nor during the time of the Caliphs, which directly contradicts the idea of unity of moon sighting.
  
• We often consider moon sighting specific to Ramadan, but it applies to the entire year. For instance, fasting on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of each lunar month (the Ayyam al-Beed) is based on moon sighting. The ease for the Ummah lies in accepting the moon sighting of their own region. There are not only differences in the timing of hours in nearby and distant regions, but there is also a difference in day and night due to the natural system, which is something beyond our control. I do not see unity in the idea that one group of Muslims celebrates Eid while another group, due to the night being present at that time, is still asleep.
  
• Just as Allah makes the sun rise and set at the same time, He also makes the moon rise and set at the same time. The timings of the sunrise, the start of Fajr, the Zawal, and the five daily prayers are different across regions. In fact, Muslims do not face the same direction for the Qibla. Similarly, we do not consider the differences in prayer times to be a matter of disagreement within the Ummah. Likewise, observing Ramadan and celebrating Eid based on the moon sighting of each region should not be considered a disagreement within the Ummah.
  

Consensus on Each Region’s Moon Sighting:

Allama Ibn Abd al-Barr states that there is a consensus among the scholars that the moon sighting of a city that is far from another will not be considered valid. For example, the moon sighting in Khorasan will not be considered valid for Andalusia, as each city has specific rulings that apply only to that city. As mentioned in the Hadith, cities that are close to each other will accept the moon sighting of each other. Whether the report comes from the government, two trustworthy witnesses, or a large group of people, the moon sighting of nearby cities will be valid, but distant cities will not be included. Ibn ‘Arfah agreed with this view. (Al-Tamhid by Ibn Abd al-Barr)

Position on the Unity of Moon Sighting and the Final Point:

Allama Ibn Baz said something very wise: if unity of moon sighting is achievable, then it is the best and most preferred approach. Otherwise, the moon sighting of each region is preferred by all scholars. Allama Nasir al-Din al-Albani wrote that until all Islamic countries agree on the unity of moon sighting, the people of each country should fast according to the sighting in their own country and not differ from each other by following different countries. They should follow their own country’s moon sighting, even if there is a one- or two-day difference. If this is not done, it could lead to widespread disagreement within the same country, as has already happened in some Arab countries.

Considering both of these positions, I also say that if the unity of moon sighting becomes a point of agreement for the Muslim Ummah, and if the concept of unity is clear and practical for all Muslims worldwide, then I will not disagree with it. The only concern is that the Ummah should not divide further on moon sighting, causing a loss of strength and giving non-Muslims an opportunity to mock the situation. Until there is a clear and practical point of unity on moon sighting that is agreed upon by the Muslim Ummah, Muslims should follow the moon sighting of their own region and fast accordingly, celebrating Eid based on their local sighting.