[Machine] O people, we have sighted the new moon on such and such day, and I have started fasting. Whoever wants to join me, let them do so. Malik ibn Hubayrah As-Sabai stood up and said, "O Muawiyah, is this something you heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , or is it your personal opinion?" Muawiyah replied, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, 'Begin fasting when you sight the month's new moon, and end it when you sight the new moon again.'" Abu Ali informed us, who was informed by Abu Bakr, who was informed by Abu Dawood, who was informed by Sulaiman ibn Abdul Rahman Ad-Dimashqi about this hadith. Al-Waleed said, "I heard Abu Amr, meaning Al-Awzaai, say that the beginning of the month is determined by the sighting of the new moon. Abu Dawood informed us, who was informed by Ahmad ibn Abdullah Al-Wahid, who was informed by Abu Mushir, who said that Saeed ibn Abdil Aziz used to say that the beginning of the month is determined by the sighting of the new moon, whether it is one or two days before the expected day of sighting. This is his practice for fasting at the end of every month." It is also said that he meant the middle of the month and the inner part of everything. Allah knows best.  

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا قَدْ رَأَيْنَا الْهِلَالَ يَوْمَ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَأَنَا مُتَقَدِّمٌ بِالصِّيَامِ فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَفْعَلَهُ فَلْيَفْعَلْهُ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ مَالِكُ بْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ السَّبَائِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ أَشَيْءٌ سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَمْ شَيْءٌ مِنْ رَأْيِكَ؟ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ صُومُوا الشَّهْرَ وَسِرَّهُ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَلِيٍّ أَنْبَأَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ثنا أَبُو دَاوُدَ ثنا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدِّمَشْقِيِّ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ الْوَلِيدُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَمْرٍو يَعْنِي الْأَوْزَاعِيَّ يَقُولُ سِرُّهُ أَوَّلُهُ قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ ثنا أَبُو مُسْهِرٍ قَالَ كَانَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ يَقُولُ سِرُّهُ أَوَّلُهُ قَالَ الشَّيْخُ وَرَوَاهُ غَيْرُهُ عَنِ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ سَرُّهُ آخِرُهُ وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ وَأَرَادَ بِهِ الْيَوْمَ أَوِ الْيَوْمَيْنِ اللَّذَيْنِ يَسْتَتِرُ فِيهِمَا الْقَمَرُ قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الشَّكِّ أَوْ أَرَادَ بِهِ صِيَامَ آخِرِ الشَّهْرِ مَعَ يَوْمِ الشَّكِّ إِذَا وَافَقَ ذَلِكَ عَادَتَهُ فِي صَوْمِ آخِرِ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَقِيلَ أَرَادَ بِسِرِّهِ وَسَطَهُ وَسِرُّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ جَوْفُهُ فَعَلَى هَذَا أَرَادَ أَيَّامَ الْبِيضِ وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ