hasan (good), sahih (authentic), gharib (uncommon). Our evidence is the statement of Allah, the Almighty: {Therefore whoever of you bears witness to the month, let him fast it}. And the statement of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to the Bedouin when he asked him: "Has Allah ordered you to fast this month of the year?" He replied: "Yes" (12). And his statement to another when he asked him: "What has Allah obligated upon me regarding fasting?" He said: "The month of Ramadan" (13). The Muslims are in consensus on the obligation of fasting the month of Ramadan, and it has been established that this day is part of the month of Ramadan by the testimony of trustworthy witnesses, so fasting it became mandatory for all Muslims. Furthermore, the month of Ramadan is the period between the two crescents, and it has been established that this day is part of it for all other rulings, such as the maturity of debts, the occurrence of divorce and manumission, the obligation of vows, and other such rulings; therefore, fasting it is mandatory by text and consensus. Also, because a just witness has testified to the sighting of the crescent, fasting becomes mandatory just as it would if the lands were close to one another. As for the hadith of Kuraib, it merely indicates that they should not break their fast based on the word of Kuraib alone, a position we also hold. The point of contention is actually the obligation to make up for the first day, and that is not addressed in the hadith. If it is said: You have stated that if people fast for thirty days based on the testimony of one person without seeing the crescent themselves, they should break their fast according to one of the two opinions. We say: The response to this is twofold. Firstly, we only said they should break their fast if they began their fast based on his testimony; thus, their breaking of the fast is built upon their fasting due to his testimony, whereas here they did not fast based on his word, so there is nothing upon which to base the breaking of the fast. Secondly, the hadith itself indicates the correctness of the other opinion.