1224/1 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not observe fasting for a day or two days before Ramadan, except if a person habitually observes fast on a particular day, so he may fast on that day.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1225/2 - Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not observe fast before Ramadan. Fast when you see it (the new moon) and stop the fast when you see it. If you cannot see it because of cloudiness, complete thirty days.”
[Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
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1226/3 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When a half of Sha‘bān is remaining, do not observe fast.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
1) There is a stern prohibition to observe fast shortly before Ramadan, like when a person decides to fast one or two days before Ramadan as a precaution. The right thing to do is to abide by the Prophet’s guidance in this regard and begin the fast upon seeing the new moon.
2) The legitimate fasting begins when we can verify the advent of Ramadan by sighting the new moon. We may not fast before it.
3) The Shariah takes people’s conditions into consideration and removes difficulties from them. So, it prohibits us from observing fasting shortly before Ramadan, so that we can enter this month vigorous and active.
1227/4 - Abu al-Yaqzhān ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: “Whoever fasts on the day of doubt has disobeyed Abu al-Qāsim (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
1) It prohibits the fasting of the day of doubt, which precedes the confirmed start of Ramadan, based on prohibition reported from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
2) Violation of the Sunnah and the prohibitions laid down by the Prophet leads to misguidance and disunity, even if the person thinks he is doing good. “How often a person intends good, yet he does not attain it!”
Fasting before Ramadan is of three types:
First: from mid-Sha‘bān to the 28th of it. This fasting is disliked, unless a person has a certain habit of fasting.
Second: one or two days before Ramadan. This fasting is prohibited, unless a person has a certain habit of fasting.
Third: Fasting on the day of doubt. One may not fast on it even on a voluntary basis. This is because worship should not be done except on the basis of certainty. Moreover, fasting on this day might confuse people and make them think this is Ramadan.