The ruling on fasting one or two days before Ramadan

Question:
May Allah reward you. This questioner, Abu Bakr from the city of Jeddah, says: What is the meaning of the hadith that was reported to the effect that one should not advance [the fast] except if a man fasts a day that is specific to him? This contains the prohibition of fasting before seeing the crescent moon, on the basis that it is part of Ramadan.

Answer:
It contains the prohibition of fasting on the day of doubt, which is the thirtieth day of Sha'ban if the crescent moon is not seen, because this is advancing the month and adding to the month. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And in another narration: "If it is cloudy for you, then complete the count of Sha'ban as thirty days." So it is not permissible for a man to fast one or two days before Ramadan. He says this is a matter of precaution, because Allah the Exalted commanded us to fast upon seeing the crescent moon, and He did not command us to fast before seeing it, because this is an addition to the worship that Allah the Exalted has made obligatory. Allah the Exalted says: , which are fixed times for acts of worship and the periods by which people conduct their affairs; so they are fixed times for people, including that they are fixed times for fasting. This is clarified by the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): , so he tied fasting to the sighting. As for one who fasts voluntarily in Sha'ban, there is no harm in his fasting voluntarily, not on the basis that it is part of Ramadan, but on the basis that it is voluntary fasting.