The Prohibition of Fasting on the Day of Doubt
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Fatwa No. ( 2763 )
Q: O Shaykh, please give us a ruling on fasting in Ramadan; for in our African lands, people still differ regarding the matter of its fasting. Some fast upon seeing the crescent moon and break their fast upon seeing it, following the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1080g, agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. And some fast before seeing it, and their fasting coincides with the day the crescent of Ramadan appears, although this contradicts the apparent meaning of the hadith, and the matter has become difficult for us, so please give us a ruling.
A1: Whoever fasts on the thirtieth of Sha'ban without the confirmation of the legitimate sighting, and his fasting on that day coincides with the first day of the entry into Ramadan, it does not suffice for him; because he did not base his fasting on a legitimate foundation, and because it is the Day of Doubt, and the authentic Sunnah has indicated the prohibition of fasting on it, and he must make it up. Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding this: And from Ahmad there is a third narration that it is not obligatory and it does not suffice for Ramadan if he fasts it, and this is the opinion of the majority of the scholars, among them Abu Hanifah , Malik , and al-Shafi'i , and those who followed them; for what was narrated by Abu Hurayrah , who said: The
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 1970, narrated by al-Bukhari. And from Ibn 'Umar , that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 2118Sahih (Darussalam), narrated by Muslim. And it is authentic that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited fasting on the Day of Doubt, agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim. And this is a Day of Doubt; and because the original state is the continuation of Sha'ban, so one does not move away from it due to doubt. (End of quote) from al-Mughni. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: O Shaykh, please give us a ruling on fasting in Ramadan; for in our African lands, people still differ regarding the matter of its fasting. Some fast upon seeing the crescent moon and break their fast upon seeing it, following the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
When you see the new moon, observe fast, and when you see it (again) then break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then calculate it.
إذا رأيتموه فصوموا وإذا رأيتموه فأفطروا فإن غم عليكم فاقدروا لهA1: Whoever fasts on the thirtieth of Sha'ban without the confirmation of the legitimate sighting, and his fasting on that day coincides with the first day of the entry into Ramadan, it does not suffice for him; because he did not base his fasting on a legitimate foundation, and because it is the Day of Doubt, and the authentic Sunnah has indicated the prohibition of fasting on it, and he must make it up. Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding this: And from Ahmad there is a third narration that it is not obligatory and it does not suffice for Ramadan if he fasts it, and this is the opinion of the majority of the scholars, among them Abu Hanifah , Malik , and al-Shafi'i , and those who followed them; for what was narrated by Abu Hurayrah , who said: The
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it, and if the weather is cloudy treat Sha‘ban as having thirty days.
صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته فإن غم عليكم فأكملوا عدة شعبان ثلاثينFast when you see it and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is obscured from you (too cloudy), then count it as thirty (days).
صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته فإن غم عليكم فاقدروا له ثلاثين
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.