he heard Ibn 'Umar narrate that the Prophet said; "We are an unlettered Ummah; we do not use computation. The month is like this, and this, and this," and he held down his thumb the last time. "And the month is like this, and this, and this," completing thirty.
Narrated by It was narrated from Saeed bin 'Amr bin Saeed bin Abi Al-As, that:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasizes the unlettered nature of the Ummah, indicating that they do not rely on calculations for determining the months. He gestures to illustrate the lunar months, highlighting the importance of the moon's phases in Islamic timekeeping. This serves as a reminder of the simplicity and natural basis of Islamic practices.
Modern Application
In today's context, this hadith reminds Muslims to observe the lunar calendar, especially during Ramadan. Many communities rely on moon sightings to determine the start of the month, fostering a connection to tradition and communal practices.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Hadith Transmission and Authenticity in Hadith because it illustrates the oral tradition of passing down teachings from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and emphasizes the importance of authenticating such narrations.
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him].
It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a derived light and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allah has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know
This hadith is #2146 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Fasting. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It was narrated from Saeed bin 'Amr bin Saeed bin Abi Al-As, that:.
