147) it can also be identified by the crescent moon staying in the nights of the first half of the month and its setting at night and the times of its rising during the nights of the second half of the month and its delay from the beginning of the night. it can be identified from the mansions that if the crescent moon rises on the first night of shaban according to the two conditions and shaban is complete it rises on the first night of ramadan in the pleiades. if shaban is incomplete it rises in the valley. this is a matter that is difficult and restrictive for people and there is much dispute and disagreement about it. so the messenger of allah may allah bless him and grant him peace abrogated it by saying if it is cloudy for you then complete the count as two thirds. i have mentioned something like this1 in the book that i wrote about fasting2. it is not possible3 to see the crescent moon in the morning in the east in front of the sun and in the evening in the west behind the sun in the same day.
١٤٧) وقد يتعرف أيضا بمكث الهلال فى ليالى النصف الأول من الشهر. ومغيبه من الليل. وأوقات طلوعه ليالى النصف الآخر من الشهر وتأخره عن أول الليل. ويتعرف من المنازل بأن الهلال إذا طلع فى أول ليلة من شعبان فى الشرطين، وكان شعبان تاما، طلع فى أول ليلة من شهر رمضان فى الثريا. وإن كان شعبان ناقصا، طلع فى البطين. وهذا أمر يضيق ويصعب على الناس ويكثر فيه التنازع والاختلاف. فنسخه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بقوله إذا غم عليكم فاكملوا العدة ثلثين . وقد ذكرت مثل هذا ١ فى الكتاب الذى ألفته فى الصيام ٢ . ولا يمكن ٣ أن يرى الهلال بالغداة فى المشرق بين يدى الشمس، وبالعشى فى المغرب خلف الشمس فى يوم واحد.