How is the beginning of the month of Ramadaan established?

﷽

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QUESTIONS ON FASTING IN RAMADAAN

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QUESTION 5️⃣

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How is the beginning of the month of Ramadaan established?

According to all of the people of knowledge, the new moon for the month of Ramadaan is established by sighting it. This is based on the statement of the Prophet (ﷺ):

“Begin fasting (Ramadaan) when you sight it (the new moon). Break the fast (for Ramadaan) when you sight (the new moon for the tenth month, Shawwāl). But if (due to clouds) the actual position of the month is concealed from you, you should then count thirty days.”

(An-Nasāī, 2124 reported by ibn 'Abbās, رضي الله عنه. Authenticated by As-Shaykh al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ wa Ḍa'īf An-Nasāī, 5/268 with this specific wording. It is also reported in Saḥīḥ Al- Bukhārī, 1909 and Saḥīḥ Muslim, 1081 with slight variations in their wordings.)

That which is obligatory is that the Muslims fast upon the sighting of the new moon for Ramadaan which will be sighted on the last evening of the previous month, 30th Sha'bān

( Note: The night precedes the daytime in a full day of 24 hours. Therefore, there will not be a 30th day for Sha'bān). In that case, Sha'bān would be less (than the maximum days of a month) and fasting will commence.

Likewise, if the new moon is sighted on the night of the 30th Ramadaan, the people would have fasted 29 days and will therefore end their fast.

As for when the new moon has not been sighted (in both situations), then the 30-day month of Sha'bān will be completed (fasting then begins the following Fajr) and the 30-day month of Ramadaan will be completed (fasting will then cease the following sunset).

As for when the moon has been sighted, then (the timing will go according to the sighting) and all praise is for Allaah.

All of these rulings are following authentic narrations from the Prophet (ﷺ). From these narrations is his (ﷺ) statement:

“Begin fasting (Ramadaan) on sighting it (the new moon) and break (fast) on sighting it (the new moon), but if the sky is cloudy for you, then complete the number (of thirty).”

(Saḥīḥ Muslim, 1081 and Saḥīḥ Al Bukhārī, 1909; this specific wording is in Saḥīḥ Muslim on the authority of Abi Hurayrah)

And in another wording:

“...But if (due to clouds) the actual position of the month is concealed from you, then complete thirty days of Sha'bān.”

(Saḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī, 1909)

In this text, there is a clear mentioning of the month of Sha'bān.

In another (general) wording:

“...But if (due to clouds) the actual position of the month is concealed from you, then complete thirty.”

(Saḥīḥ Muslim, 1081)

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