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Translation of a word in a Hadith of Sahih Muslim regarding sighting of the moon

What is the translation of the word ‘مده/أمده’ in the following Hadith?

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إن الله قد أمده لرؤيته، فإن أغمي عليكم فأكملوا العدة

Answer

This narration is recorded in Sahih Muslim (Hadith: 1088) on the authority of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma). The Hadith explains that there is no consideration given to the size of the moon, rather the start/end of the month is based on the sighting of the moon.

مده/أمده means ‘Allah has deferred the [start] of the [new] month to [the physical] sighting of the moon’

(Sahih Muslim with Al Minhaj, Hadith: 2524, Fathul Mulhim, Hadith: 2504/2505)

In this particular case, it was regarding the start of Ramadan. Therefore the explanatory translation will be, “Allah has extended/deferred the end of the month of Sha’ban until you physically sight the moon, which will then signal the start of Ramadan.”

(Refer: Mirqatul Mafatih, Hadith: 1981)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

This answer was collected from HadithAnswers.com. The answers were either answered or checked by Moulana Haroon Abasoomar (rahimahullah) who was a Shaykhul Hadith in South Africa, or by his son, Moulana Muhammad Abasoomer (hafizahullah), who is a Hadith specialist. 

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