Kitab-al-Sawm- The Book of Fasting the Month of Ramadan

Exerpt from Kitab-al-Sawm

 

Chapter 1

 

Obligations and the Sunan of fasting the month of Ramadan

Fasting within the month of Ramadan is obligatory based upon the words of Allah where he says;

فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُم الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ

“Whoever sights it (the new lunar moon) the month (of Ramadan) from amongst you, he must fast.”[1]

وَفِي صَحِيحِ الْبُخَارِي عَن أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم:

((صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ ، وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ، فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا عِدَّةَ شَعْبَانَ ثَلاَثِينَ ))

It has been related in the Saheeh of al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurayra, who said that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Start fasting on sighting the new moon and stop fasting on sighting it. If the sky is cloudy, then complete thirty days Sha`ban.”

 

Fasting on the day of doubt;

 

What exactly is the day of doubt? The day of doubt is the projected date for the sighting of the new moon for the month of ramadhan (the evening of the 29th day of the Sha`baan), however it was not possible to gain a visual sighting. After not possessing the ability to have sight the moon for Ramadhan, the individual decides to fast out of precautionary reasons. This action is rejected by the Majority of the Fuqaha (scholars) of the 4 schools of law[2], and their reasoning for the rejection is based off of this hadith of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam,

[1] Surah 2 ayat 185 Al Quran [2] The 4 Schools of Law are Hanafiyyah, Malikiyyah, Ash Shafi`eeyah,and the Hanbaliyyah