the report accepts the statement of the reporter even when the reported-upon is present, as in 'so-and-so from so-and-so', while this [testimony] does not accept that, so they differ.

Section: The testimony of a man and two women is not accepted regarding it, nor the testimony of women alone even if they are many, and the same applies to all other months. This is because these are matters that men observe, and it is not wealth, nor is wealth sought through it, so it resembles retaliation (qisas). The analogy (qiyas) would dictate the same for Ramadan, but we abandoned that out of precaution for the act of worship.

Section: If they fast based on the testimony of two people for thirty days and do not see the crescent of Shawwal, they break their fast by unanimous agreement (wajhan wahidan). If they fasted based on the testimony of one person and did not see the crescent, there are two views. The first is that they do not break their fast, due to his (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) statement: "And if two testify, then fast and break your fast." Also, because it is breaking the fast, it is not permissible for it to rely on the testimony of one person, as if he had testified regarding the crescent of Shawwal. The second is that they do break the fast, which is the stated position of al-Shafi'i and is also narrated from Abu Hanifa; because once the fast is established, breaking it becomes obligatory due to the completion of the count, not because of the testimony. Something may be established as a corollary (taba'an) that is not established as a primary principle (aslan), evidenced by the fact that lineage is not established by the testimony of women, but birth is; so if birth is established, lineage is established as a corollary to the birth. The same applies here. If they fasted due to cloudiness, they do not break their fast by unanimous agreement; because the fasting was only done by way of precaution, so exiting it through a similar [uncertain] method is not permissible. And Allah knows best.

516 - Issue: He said: (And he does not break his fast if he sees it alone.)

This is narrated from Malik and al-Layth. Al-Shafi'i said: It is permissible for him to eat when no one sees him; because he is certain it is from Shawwal, so eating is permitted for him, just as if evidence (bayyinah) had been established for it. Our evidence is what Abu Raja' narrated from Abu Qilaba that two men came to Medina having seen the crescent, while