Ruling on Confirming the Crescent of Ramadan by the Testimony of One or Two Just Witnesses
Is the crescent of Ramadan confirmed by the sighting of a single just witness, or are two required?
The crescent of Ramadan is established by the report of a single upright witness, male or female, if there is an obstruction in the sky such as cloud or dust; but if the sky is clear, nothing is accepted except the report of a large body of people whose report yields certain knowledge. The basis for accepting a single witness is the hadith of Ibn ʿUmar: “The people were looking for the crescent, and I informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that I had seen it, so he fasted and ordered the people to fast.”
The crescent of Ramadan is not established by the testimony of a single just witness; rather, the testimony of two just men or widespread report is required. A just witness must be male, free, and of probity, and the sighting of an impious or unknown person does not suffice.
The entry of Ramadan is established by the sighting of a single upright witness, whereas for months other than Ramadan only two are accepted, based on the hadith of Ibn ʿAbbās that a Bedouin testified before the Prophet ﷺ that he had seen the crescent, whereupon he ordered the people to fast.
The crescent of Ramadan is established by the sighting of a single upright witness, even a slave or a woman, because the Prophet ﷺ accepted the report of one individual regarding the sighting, as in the hadith of Ibn ʿUmar and the hadith of the Bedouin narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās.