It is reported from members of his family who were companions of the Prophet ﷺ that a group of riders came to the Prophet ﷺ testifying that they had sighted the crescent moon the previous day. He instructed them to break their fast, and when morning came, to proceed to their prayer ground.
عن عمومة له من أصحاب النبي ﷺ: أن ركبا جاءوا إلى النبي ﷺ يشهدون أنهم رأوا الهلال بالأمس، فأمرهم أن يفطروا، وإذا أصبحوا يغدوا إلى مصلاهم.
Reported by Abu Dawud (1157), Nasai (1557), and Daraqutni (2003), all through the hadith of Shuba, from Jafar bin Iyas, from Abu Umayr bin Anas, who narrated it. Its chain of transmission is hasan because of Abu Umayr bin Anas bin Malik, who was the eldest son of Anas bin Malik, and whose name was Abdullah. Ibn Saad said, "He was trustworthy, though he narrated few hadiths." Ibn Hibban mentioned him in Thiqat. So the statement of Ibn Abdul-Barr that he was "unknown" cannot be accepted. Abu Bakr bin Mundhir and others graded this hadith sahih. Bayhaqi said, "Its chain of transmission is hasan, and Abu Umayr narrated it from some paternal uncles of his among the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, and the companions of the Prophet ﷺ are all trustworthy, whether they are named or not."As for what Saeed bin Amir narrated, from Shuba, from Qatada, from Anas bin Malik, that some paternal uncles of his testified before the Prophet ﷺ regarding the sighting of the crescent moon, Saeed bin Amir erred in this. Ibn Hibban reported it through his route in his Sahih (3456). Bayhaqi said, "Saeed bin Amir alone narrated it in this way from Shuba, and he made a mistake in it. Shuba actually narrated it from Abu Bishr." And it is as he said. Hushaym bin Bashir corroborated this, as found in Ibn Majah (1653), as did Abu Awana, as found in Bayhaqi, both of them narrating from Abu Bishr with his chain of transmission, in the same manner.