How the start of Ramadan and Eid are decided
The rules for sighting the moon of Ramadan and Eid, whose testimony counts, and how the fast begins and ends.
Ramadan starts when someone sees the new moon (called the hilal) at sunset on the 19th of Sha'ban, the month before Ramadan. If nobody sees it, Sha'ban simply finishes its full 30 days, and Ramadan starts the next day.
It is looked for again on the 29th of Rajab, the month before that, just so everyone can keep good count of the days.
Whose word counts when someone sees the moon
- If someone sees the moon of Ramadan, they must tell the people where they live that same night.
- If the sky is cloudy or dusty, one trustworthy Muslim adult saying "I saw it" is enough for people to start fasting, even without a judge announcing it.
- If the sky is clear, one person's word is not enough. A larger group needs to agree that they saw it.
- To stop fasting for Eid al-Fitr, it takes two honest, free men, or one man and two women, and they must actually say "I testify." The same is true for the moon of Eid al-Adha and other months.
Muslims are obligated to make an effort to sight the new moon (hilāl) at sunset on the 19th of Sha'bān, as this text gives the date: see the note below. If it is sighted, the fast begins the next day; if not, Sha'bān is completed to thirty days and the fast begins the day after that. It is also recommended to look for the moon on the 29th of Rajab, so the length of Sha'bān can be tracked accurately.
Whoever sights the moon of Ramadan is obligated to inform the people of their locality that same night.
| Situation | Testimony required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ramadan moon, sky cloudy or dusty | One Muslim, sane, mature and of upright character (male or female) | Fasting becomes obligatory on whoever hears it, without a judge's formal decree. |
| Ramadan moon, sky clear | A larger group, sufficient to produce strong certainty | A single witness is not accepted when the sky is unobstructed. |
| Eid al-Fitr moon (to stop fasting) | Two free, upright men, or one man and two women | The words "I testify" must be used. |
| Eid al-Adha moon and other months | Same as for Eid al-Fitr | None |
Further rules of sighting and testimony
- Someone who did not personally see the moon may still testify to it on the report of someone who did.
- For the Ramadan moon, it is enough to say "I saw it with my own eyes"; the formal words "I testify" are not required.
- For Eid al-Fitr (and Eid al-Adha and other months), the words "I testify" are required from the witnesses.
- If a person alone saw the moon of Ramadan or Eid, but their testimony was not accepted by the community or the authorities, they must still act on their own sighting and fast (or stop fasting) accordingly, even if this makes their count of Ramadan run to a 31st day. If they fail to fast, or break that fast, they only owe a make-up day (qada) for it; no kaffarah (penalty) is due.
- A ruler or judge who personally sights the moon may either announce it themselves or delegate someone to do so; but for Eid, the testimony of two witnesses is still required even from a ruler or judge; the ruler's or judge's own word alone does not suffice for Eid.
- The moon cannot be confirmed by astronomical calculation or a calendar, even by a pious astronomer acting on personal calculation; only actual sighting or valid testimony to a sighting establishes it.
- News of a sighting sent by telegraph or ordinary letter is not accepted, except when it is conveyed in a judge's own letter, which is treated as reliable.
- A sighting in one city is valid for people anywhere else, however distant, provided the news reaches them by a reliable channel (sighting or testimony, not mere rumour).
- If two upright witnesses established the start of the fast, it is permissible to end the fast for Eid on the strength of two more witnesses regardless of whether the sky is clear on the day the Eid moon is sought. If the fast began on only one witness's testimony, the fast may only be broken (without a fresh Eid sighting) when the sky is not clear that day; if it is clear, it may not be broken without a proper sighting.
- Where there is no ruler or judge to receive testimony, Muslims apply these rules themselves: beginning the fast on the testimony of one upright witness, and ending it or celebrating Eid on the testimony of two upright witnesses.
Muslims are obligated to make an effort (badhl al-juhd) to sight the hilāl of Ramadan at sunset on the 19th of Sha'bān, as the source dates it (see the note on this below). If sighted, the fast begins the following day; if not, Sha'bān is completed to thirty days and the fast begins the day after. Seeking the hilāl on the 29th of Rajab is mustaḥabb, to fix the count of Sha'bān precisely.
One who sights the moon of Ramadan is obligated to inform the people of the locality that same night.
| Situation | Testimony required | Qualification / formula |
|---|---|---|
| Ramadan hilāl, sky overcast or obscured by dust | One witness: Muslim, sane, mature ('āqil bāligh), and 'adl | "I saw it" suffices; "I testify" is not required; a judge's decree is not required either. |
| Ramadan hilāl, sky clear | A jamā'ah sufficient to yield tawātur-like certainty (a strong presumption) | A single witness is rejected when nothing obstructs general visibility. |
| Eid al-Fitr hilāl (to end the fast) | Two free, 'adl men, or one man and two women | The formula "I testify" (ashhadu) is required. |
| Eid al-Adha hilāl and the hilāl of other months | Same as Eid al-Fitr | None |
'Adl means not openly known as a fāsiq (sinner); established piety beyond that is not required; the testimony of a known fāsiq is rejected outright.
One who alone sighted the hilāl of Ramaḍān or Eid, but whose testimony was not accepted by the community or the authorities, remains personally bound to act on that sighting, fasting (or ending the fast) accordingly, even where this extends their personal count of Ramaḍān to a 31st day. Should such a person fail to fast, or break that fast, only qaḍāʾ is owed for it; no kaffārah attaches.
The hilāl is never established by astronomical calculation (ḥisāb) or a printed calendar, even where the calculator is a pious astronomer acting on his own reckoning; only an actual sighting, or valid testimony to one, establishes it.
Pointing at the newly sighted moon with the finger is makrūh, even when done in order to show it to someone else.
Related
- The eight kinds of fast The eight categories of fasting in the Hanafi school, from the obligatory fasts of Ramadan down to the fasts it is disliked or forbidden to keep.
- The witnesses to nikah A nikah needs two qualifying witnesses who hear the whole offer and acceptance together, or it is not valid.
- Who must fast, and the conditions for it Who fasting in Ramadan is obligatory on, the conditions for that obligation, and the two conditions a fast needs to be valid at all.
- Salat al-Tarawih The confirmed sunnah of Ramadan night prayer: its twenty rak'ahs, its timing, completing the Qur'an, and the rules of praying it in congregation.