3. The hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both: Umm al-Fadl bint al-Harith sent Kurayb to Muawiyah in Syria. He arrived in Madinah from Syria at the end of the month, and Ibn Abbas asked him about the crescent. He replied, “We saw it on Friday night.” Ibn Abbas said, “But we saw it on Saturday night, so we shall continue fasting until we complete thirty days or see it.” Kurayb said, “Will you not suffice with Muawiyah’s sighting and his fasting?” He replied, “No. This is what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, commanded us.” (1)

As for analogy, the daily timings differ among Muslims by textual evidence and scholarly consensus. Thus, when dawn breaks in the East, the people of the West are not required to begin abstaining, for Allah, Most High, says: “Eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread of night.” [al-Baqarah: 187] Likewise, if the sun sets in the East, the people of the West may not break their fast.

Just as Muslims differ with regard to their daily breaking of the fast and abstention, they must likewise differ with regard to their monthly abstention and breaking of the fast. This is a clear analogy.

This view is the preponderant one, and it is indicated by the evidence.

For this reason, the scholars said: If the people of the East sight it, then those in the West who share their longitude must fast, because their horizons coincide. Moreover, if the crescent lags behind the sun in the East, then it is even more so in the West, because the moon moves slowly, as Allah, Most High, says: “By the moon as it follows it!” [al-Shams]