Each narration below is shown in its original Arabic alongside an English translation, with its chapter, number, and reference.
" الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ لَيْلَةً لاَ تَصُومُوا حَتَّى تَرَوْهُ وَلاَ تُفْطِرُوا حَتَّى تَرَوْهُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُغَمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْدِرُوا لَهُ "
The month may consist of twenty-nine nights. So do not fast till you have sighted it (the new moon) and do not break it till you have sighted it, except when the sky is cloudy for you, and if it is so, then calculate it.
" الشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا "
The month is thus and thus and thus (i. e. pointing with his fingers thrice), and he held back his thumb at the third time (in order to show that it can also consist of twenty-nine days).
" الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ "
The month may consist of twenty-nine days.
" الشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا عَشْرًا وَعَشْرًا وَتِسْعًا "
The month (of Ramadan) is thus and thus, and thus. i.e. ten, ten and nine.
" الشَّهْرُ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَكَذَا "
The month is thus, and thus, and thus, and he flapped his hands with all their fingers twice. but at the third turn, folded his right thumb or left thumb (in order to give an idea of twenty-nine).
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ حُرَيْثٍ - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، - رضى الله عنهما - يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ " . وَطَبَّقَ شُعْبَةُ يَدَيْهِ ثَلاَثَ مِرَارٍ وَكَسَرَ الإِبْهَامَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ . قَالَ عُقْبَةُ وَأَحْسِبُهُ قَالَ " الشَّهْرُ ثَلاَثُونَ " وَطَبَّقَ كَفَّيْهِ ثَلاَثَ مِرَارٍ .
The month (of Ramadan) may consist of twenty nine days, and Shu'ba (one of the narrators) (gave a practical demonstration how the Holy prophet (ﷺ) explained to them) by unfolding his hands thrice and folding his thumb at the third turn. 'Uqba (one of the narrators in this chain of transmitters) said: I think that he said that the month consists of thirty days and unfolded his palm three times.
" إِنَّا أُمَّةٌ أُمِّيَّةٌ لاَ نَكْتُبُ وَلاَ نَحْسُبُ الشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا - وَعَقَدَ الإِبْهَامَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ - وَالشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا "
We are an unlettered people who can neither write nor count. The month is thus, and thus. folding his thumb when he said it the third time.
وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ لِلشَّهْرِ الثَّانِي ثَلاَثِينَ .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Aswad b. Qais with the same chain of transmitters, but herein no mention has been made of the other month (consisting of) thirty days.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ، اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ، - رضى الله عنهما - رَجُلاً يَقُولُ اللَّيْلَةَ لَيْلَةُ النِّصْفِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا يُدْرِيكَ أَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ النِّصْفُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " الشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا " . وَأَشَارَ بِأَصَابِعِهِ الْعَشْرِ مَرَّتَيْنِ " وَهَكَذَا " . فِي الثَّالِثَةِ وَأَشَارَ بِأَصَابِعِهِ كُلِّهَا وَحَبَسَ أَوْ خَنَسَ إِبْهَامَهُ " .
This night is the midnight (of the month). Upon this he said to him: How do you know that it is the midnight (of the month), for I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: The month is thus and thus (and he pointed with his ten fingers twice) and thus (i. e. at the third time he pointed with all his fingers but withdrew or folded his thumb)?
" إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْهِلاَلَ فَصُومُوا وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَأَفْطِرُوا فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَصُومُوا ثَلاَثِينَ يَوْمًا "
Whenever you sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadan) observe fast. and when you sight it (the new moon of Shawwal) break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then observe fast for thirty days.