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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Fasting a Divine Banquet Rules of Fasting WAYS TO IDENTIFY THEFJRSTANDLASTDAYS OF RAMADHAN Since Ramadhan is a lunar month, it is necessary to ascertain the new moon in order to facilitate fasting. The Sharia has accordingly prescribed one of the following ways to identify the first and last days of Ramadhan: 1- One sees the new moon himself. 2- A group of trustworthy people report seeing the new moon.

📌3- Two just men report seeing the new moon, and their descriptions do not disagree. 4- Thirty days have passed since the beginning of Sha ban. 5- The leading mujtahid* states that it is the first of Ramadhan. The same procedure also applies to the last day of Ramadhan and Eid-uI-Fitr. Note: an astronomical report on the new moon is not a binding verification of the first day of Ramadhan.

DAY OF DOUBT 1- If one is not certain whether it is the last day of Sha'ban (the preceding month) or the first day of Ramadhan, that person is not obliged to fast that day. However, if one chooses to do an optional or defaulted fast that day, and later on discovers it was the first of Ramadhan, it will be regarded as a normal Ramadhan fast.

2- If one intends to break fast on the day of doubt, but has had none of the fast-breakers, then before noon the day was proved to be of * A mujtahid is a person who is an expert in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh): he is also called faqih. Ramadhan, one must intend to fast that day as a fast of Ramadhan. In this way the day's fasting will be deemed correct.

3- But if one has had a fast-breaker, and before noon the day was proved to be of Ramadhan, it is obligatory to al~tain the rest of the day, and make default for it later. Similarly if it was known in the afternoon, that the day was proved to be of Ramadhan, one must abstain the rest of the day, and make default later, even if one has had none of the fast-breakers. necessary for fasting.

Those who are sick are exempted, and nor should one fast when sure of adverse effects on health, or fears possibility of adverse effects. CLARIFICATION: a. If one fears -the fear of any prudent person- that fasting will make him/her sick, worsen malady or bring harm then he/she should not fast, but make up for the defaulted fasts later, on regaining health. b. Mere feeling of weakness~.or for that matter psychological fear is not an excuse to forego fasting or to break fast.

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