the Prophet used to encourage praying Qiyam Al-Lail in Ramadan, but not forcibly. And he said: "When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are close, and the devils are chained up." Ibn Al-Mubarak narrated it in Mursal from:
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it the gates of heavens are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived."'
Chapter 5: Mentioning Different Reports From Mamar Concerning That - كتاب الصيام
It was narrated that 'Arfajah said;
'We visited 'Utbah bin Farqad (when he was ill) and we talked about the month of Ramadan. He said; 'What are you talking about?' We said:
'The month of Ramadan. He said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah say: In it the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of the Fire are closed, and the devils are chained up, and a caller calls out every night: O doer of good, proceed; O doer of evil, desist!"'
" I was in a house with 'Utbah bin Farqad, and I wanted to narrate a Hadith, but there was a man from among the Companions of the Prophet there, and I felt it was more appropriate fro him to narrate the Hadith than I. The man narrated that the Prophet said. Concerning of the Prophet there, and I felt it was more appropriate for him to narrate the Hadith than I. the man narrated that the Prophet said, concerning Ramadan: 'In it the gates of Heavens are opened and the gates of the Fire are shut, and every devil is fettered. A caller calls out every night: O seeker of good, proceed; O seeker of evil, desist!"'
'I fasted Ramadan' or 'I prayed Qiyam throughout the whole month."' I do not know whether he dislike self-praise or he said: "Inevitably there will be heedlessness and sleep." (Da 'if)
"I came to Ash-Sham. He said: "I came to Ash-Sham and complete her errand. Then the new crescent of Ramadan was sighted while I was in Ash-Sham. I saw the new crescent on the night of Friday, then I came to Al-Madinah at the end of the month. 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas asked me about the sighting of the moon and said: ' When did you see it?' I said: 'We saw it on the night of Friday.' He said; 'You saw it on the ninth of Friday?' I said: 'Yes, and the people saw it and started fasting, and so did Muawiyah. He said: 'But we saw it on the night of Saturday, so we will continue fasting until we have completed thirty days or we see it.' I said: 'Will you not be content with the sighting of Muawiyah and his companions? He said; 'No; this is what the Messenger of Allah enjoined upon us."'
Chapter 8: Accepting The Testimony Of One Man Concerning The Crescent Moon Of Ramadan. - كتاب الصيام
It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said;
"A Bedouin came to the Prphet and said:
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ أَبِي رِزْمَةَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ رَأَيْتُ الْهِلاَلَ . فَقَالَ " أَتَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . فَنَادَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَنْ صُومُوا " .
'I have sighted the crescent.' He said: 'Do you bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger?' He said: 'Yes.' So the Prophet gave the call saying: 'Fast."'
"A Bedouin come to the Prophet and said; 'I have sighted the crescent tonight.' He said: 'Do you bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Messenger?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'O Bilal, announce to the people that they should fast tomorrow. "'
'Abdur-Rahman bin Zaid bin Al-Khattab addressed the people on the day concerning which there was doubt (as to whether the month had begun) and said: "I sat with the Companions of the Messenger of Allah and asked them, and they a narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: 'Fast when you see it and stop fasting when you see it, and perform the rites on that basis. If it is obscured, then complete thirty days, and if two witnesses testify then fast and stop fasting."
Chapter 9: Completing thirty days Of Sha'ban if it is obscured (cloudy) and mentioning the differences reported by the narrators from Abu Hurairah - كتاب الصيام
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:
أَخْبَرَنَا مُؤَمَّلُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمُ الشَّهْرُ فَعُدُّوا ثَلاَثِينَ " .
"the Messenger of Allah said: 'Fast when you see it and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then count it as thirty (days). "'
Chapter 9: Completing thirty days Of Sha'ban if it is obscured (cloudy) and mentioning the differences reported by the narrators from Abu Hurairah - كتاب الصيام
:
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Fast when you see it and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then count it as thirty (days).'"
"When you see the crescent then fast, and when you crescent then fast, and when you see it, stop fasting. If it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then fast thirty days."
" I heard the messenger of Allah say: 'When you see the crescent then fast, and when you see it, then stop fasting, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then work it out (fro the beginning of the month, to complete thirty days)"'
"The Messenger of Allah mentioned the crescent and said: 'When you see it, fast and when you see it, stop fasting, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then count thirty days."'
"The Messenger of Allah said; 'Fast when you see it and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then complete thirty (days)."'
" I am surprised at those who anticipate the moth, when the Messenger of Allah said: 'When you see the new crescent then fast, and when you see it, then stop fasting, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then complete thirty days.
"Do not anticipate the month until you see the crescent before it, or you complete the number of days. Then fast until you see the new moon, or you complete the number of days."
Chapter 13: Mentioning The Differences Reported From Mansur In The Hadith Of Ribi - كتاب الصيام
It was narrated from Ribi that one of the Companions of the Prophet said:
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ، عَنْ بَعْضِ، أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" لاَ تَقَدَّمُوا الشَّهْرَ حَتَّى تُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ أَوْ تَرَوُا الْهِلاَلَ ثُمَّ صُومُوا وَلاَ تُفْطِرُوا حَتَّى تَرَوُا الْهِلاَلَ أَوْ تُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ ثَلاَثِينَ " . أَرْسَلَهُ الْحَجَّاجُ بْنُ أَرْطَاةَ .
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'D not anticipate the month until you complete the number, or you see the crescent. Then fast, and do not stop fasting until you see the crescent, or your complete thirty days."' (Sahih) Al-Hajjaj bin Artah reported it in a Mursal from.
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'When you see the crescent then fast, and when you see it, then stop fasting. If it is too cloudy then complete Shaban as thirty days, unless you see the crescent before that, then fast Ramadan as thirty days, unless you see the new crescent before that."'