The basis for fasting and breaking the fast during Ramadan is the sighting of the crescent moon, which has two conditions: The first condition: It is the clear sky condition: when there is no obstruction in the sky, such as clouds, it is required that the sighting of the crescent moon be confirmed by a large group whose report is reliable, and it is rationally judged that they cannot conspire to lie. This can be supported by what Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Your fast is the day you fast, and your breaking of the fast is the day you break your fast..." (Sunan Abu Dawood 2: 297, Sunan Al-Bayhaqi Al-Kabir 3: 317, Sunan Al-Daraqutni 2: 164, Musannaf Abdul Razzaq 4: 156, Musnad Ishaq Ibn Rahuyah 1: 429). In another narration: "The fast is the day you fast, and the breaking of the fast is the day you break your fast, and the Eid al-Adha is the day you sacrifice" (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3: 80), which he graded as good, and Sunan Al-Daraqutni 2: 164. The scholar Ahmad Zafar Al-Thanawi stated in I'laa as-Sunan 9: 126: "And his report is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, attributed fasting, breaking the fast, and the sacrifice to a group... so it is necessary for the original ruling to involve a large group, or all Muslims present in a town, for example, in these rulings, unless there is an obstruction such as cloudy skies, in which case it has another ruling established by Sharia." It is required that the group be from within the city; however, if they are from outside, the testimony of a single trustworthy person is sufficient for their sighting, as they can be more certain of the sighting in the deserts than in the cities due to the dust. Likewise, if they are in the city in a high place, Imam As-Sarakhsi stated in Al-Mabsut 3: 64: "The testimony of a single person is only rejected if the sky is clear and he is from the city; however, if the sky is cloudy or he comes from outside the city, or is from a raised place, then his testimony is accepted according to us. The second condition: If there is an obstruction in the sky: First: The basis for sighting the crescent moon for fasting Ramadan: The sighting of the crescent moon for fasting Ramadan is accepted if there is an obstruction in the sky, such as clouds, with the testimony of a single person of good character or a just person—who is not a clear sinner—even if he is a slave, a woman, or a limited person in punishment who has repented. It is not required for anyone to claim it or for the witness to say: "I testify to my sighting"; because it is a religious matter, similar to narrating hadiths, and it is not among the rights of people that require a claim and testimony, as mentioned in `Umdat ar-Ri'ayah 1: 309, and Al-Hidayah 1: 121, and Tanbih al-Ghafil and Al-Wasnan on the rulings of the Ramadan crescent by Ibn Abidin 1: 216. The acceptance of a single person's testimony in the sighting of the Ramadan crescent is supported by: 1. From Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said: "The people sighted the crescent, and I saw it, so I informed the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and he fasted and commanded the people to fast" (Sahih Ibn Hibban 8: 231, Al-Mustadrak 1: 585, Sunan Al-Darimi 2: 9, Sunan Al-Bayhaqi Al-Kabir 4: 212, Sunan Al-Daraqutni 2: 156, Sunan Abu Dawood 2: 302, Al-Mu'jam Al-Awsat 4: 164). 2. From Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said: "A Bedouin came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said: I saw the crescent. He said: Do you testify that there is no god but Allah? Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah? He said: Yes. He said: O Bilal, announce to the people to fast tomorrow" (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3: 74, Al-Mustadrak 1: 586, Al-Muntaqa 1: 103, Sunan Al-Darimi 2: 9). The author of Al-Mirqat said: Al-Hakim graded it as authentic, and Al-Bayhaqi mentioned that it came through connected and disconnected chains, and the connected chains are authentic. See: I'laa as-Sunan 9: 126. 3. The stipulation of an obstruction in the sky is not mentioned in the hadith, but the evidence for it is that if there is no obstruction in the sky, the testimony is not accepted until it is seen by a large group whose report is reliable; because the uniqueness of the sighting in this case suggests a mistake, so it must be delayed until there is a group, unlike when there is an obstruction in the sky; because the clouds may part over the moon's location, allowing some to see it, as mentioned in I'laa as-Sunan 9: 125. Second: The basis for sighting the crescent moon for breaking the fast of Ramadan: The sighting of the crescent moon for breaking the fast of Ramadan is accepted if there is an obstruction in the sky, such as clouds, with the testimony of two men or one man and two women, provided they say: "I testify," without the need for a claim; due to the rights of people being involved, unlike Ramadan, which is a right of Sharia, as mentioned in Majma` al-Anhar 1: 236. From Rabee' from some of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, who said: "The people disagreed about the last day of Ramadan, so two Bedouins came and testified before the Prophet, peace be upon him, by Allah that they saw the crescent last evening, so the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded the people to break their fast" (Sunan Abu Dawood 2: 301, Al-Muntaqa 1: 106, Sunan Al-Bayhaqi Al-Kabir 4: 248, Sunan Al-Daraqutni 2: 168). It follows from this: 1. If they fasted thirty days based on the statement of two just witnesses, it is permissible for them to break their fast according to the fatwa, as mentioned in Tanbih al-Ghafil p. 81; for Abdul Rahman Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I have sat with the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and asked them, and they informed me that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it, and sacrifice for it. If it is obscured from you, then complete thirty days. If two Muslim witnesses testify, then fast and break your fast" (Sunan An-Nasa'i 2: 69, Al-Mujtaba 4: 132, Musnad Ahmad 4: 321). In another narration: "If two just witnesses testify, then fast and break your fast and sacrifice" (Sunan Al-Daraqutni 2: 167). 2. If their fasting was based on the testimony of one just witness for the Ramadan crescent and there was an obstruction in the sky, and they fasted thirty days, it is not permissible for them to break their fast; because breaking the fast is not established by the statement of one person, as mentioned in Sharh Al-Waqayah p. 236, and `Umdat ar-Ri'ayah 1: 310.