Correct opinion according to him. It is reported from Ahmad that he said: "Two (witnesses) are more pleasing to me." Abu Bakr said: If one sees it alone, then comes to the city, the people should fast based on his statement, according to what was reported in the hadith. If one person is among a group of people and mentions that he saw it while others did not, the statement of only two would be accepted, because they would perceive what he perceived. Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Nothing is accepted except the testimony of two. This is the opinion of Malik, Al-Layth, Al-Awza'i, and Ishaq; due to what Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn al-Khattab reported: That he addressed the people on the day in which there is doubt. He said: "I sat with the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and asked them, and they told me that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: 'Fast when you see it, break your fast when you see it, and observe the rites. If it is obscured from you, then complete thirty (days), and if two just witnesses testify, then fast and break the fast.'" Reported by Al-Nasa'i. This is because this is a testimony regarding the sighting of the crescent, so it resembles the testimony regarding the crescent of Shawwal. Abu Hanifa said regarding the case of cloudiness the same as we say, but regarding clear skies: It is not accepted except through widespread reporting (istifada); because it is not possible for a group to look at the crescent's rising point with sound vision and no obstacles present, and yet only one person sees it while the rest do not. Our evidence is what Ibn Abbas reported, saying: An Arab came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said: "I saw the crescent." He said, "Do you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger?" He said: "Yes." He said, "O Bilal, announce to the people that they should fast tomorrow." Reported by Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'i, and Al-Tirmidhi. Ibn Umar also reported, saying: The people looked for the crescent...