Sahih Muslim , Hadith 1084 ⓘ

Jabir (Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet separated himself from his wives for a month. (His wives said: ) He came to us on the twenty-ninth day, whereupon we said: It is the twenty-ninth (day) today. Thereupon he said: So far as the month is concerned, (and he, with a view to explaining it) flapped his hands thrice, but held back one finger at the last turn.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، - رضى الله عنه - أَنَّهُ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اعْتَزَلَ نِسَاءَهُ شَهْرًا فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا فِي تِسْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ فَقُلْنَا إِنَّمَا الْيَوْمُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّمَا الشَّهْرُ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏ وَصَفَّقَ بِيَدَيْهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ وَحَبَسَ إِصْبَعًا وَاحِدَةً فِي الآخِرَةِ ‏.‏

Abu Zubair is reported to have heard Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with both of them) as saying: The Apostle of Allah separated himself from his wives for a month. (His wives said: ) He came to us on the morning of the twenty-ninth. Upon this some, of the people said: It is the morning of twenty- ninth (according to our calculation). Upon this the Messenger of Allah said: The month. may also consist of twenty-nine days. The Apostle of Allah then flapped his bands thrice, twice with all the fingers of both his hand (to indicate twenty-nine) and by the third time with nine (fingers).

حَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَحَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، - رضى الله عنهما - يَقُولُ اعْتَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نِسَاءَهُ شَهْرًا فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا صَبَاحَ تِسْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا أَصْبَحْنَا لِتِسْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ الشَّهْرَ يَكُونُ تِسْعًا وَعِشْرِينَ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ طَبَّقَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِيَدَيْهِ ثَلاَثًا مَرَّتَيْنِ بِأَصَابِعِ يَدَيْهِ كُلِّهَا وَالثَّالِثَةَ بِتِسْعٍ مِنْهَا ‏.‏