The Great INSA Confusion!!!

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Salaam Everyone!

after reading several websites to find out if Ramadan starts on friday or sat in the USA, i have found total confusion.  as u have might have read on other threads it says that ISNA has declared ramadan to have started. Heres the thing, it was reported by one man & one woman, but according to what i know there needs to be one more woman to confirm to make it an equal 2 votes. so the sighting seems to be invalid. Not to mention that websites like [moonsighting](www.moonsighting.com) say that the witnessing was not credible & it would be impossible to see. 

does anyone know if ISNAs decision was based on other sightings?? did anyone see the moon for themselves??? 

 if anyone to help clarify this situation, pls do. & jazakAllah khair to everyone
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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by hhs4462: *

Heres the thing, it was reported by one man & one woman, but according to what i know there needs to be one more woman to confirm to make it an equal 2 votes. so the sighting seems to be invalid.
[/QUOTE]

There seem to be more than enough witnesses here...

FIQH US-SUNNAH (abridged)

Fiqh 3.111: The Arrival of Ramadan

This event is confirmed by sighting the new moon, even if it is seen by only one just person, or by the passage of thirty days in the immediately preceding month of Sha'ban.

Ibn 'Umar said: "The people were looking for the new moon and when I reported to the Messenger of Allah that I had seen it, he fasted and ordered the people to fast." This is related by Abu Dawud, al-Hakim, and Ibn Hibban, who declared it to be sahih.

Commenting on these reports, at-Tirmizhi states: "Most knowledgeable people act in accordance with these reports. They say that it is correct to accept the evidence of one person to determine the beginning of the fast. This is the opinion of Ibn alMubarak, ash-Shaf'i, and Ahmad. An-Nawawi says that it is the soundest opinion. Concerning the new moon of Shawwal [which signifies the end of the fast], it is confimmed by completing thirty days of Ramadan, and most jurists state that the new moon must have been reported by at least two just witnesses. However, Abu Thaur does not distinguish between the new moon of Shawwal and the new moon of Ramadan. In both cases, he accepts the evidence of only one just witness."

Ash-Shaukani observes: "If there is nothing authentic recorded that states that one may only accept two witnesses for the end of the month, then it is apparent, by analogy, that one witness is sufficient, as it is sufficient for the beginning of the month. Furthemmore, worship based on the acceptance of one report points to the fact that such singular reports are accepted in every matter unless there is some evidence that specifies the peculiarity of specific cases, such as the number of witnesses conceming matters of wealth, and so on. Apparently this is the opinion of Abu Thaur."