FASTING CHAPTER · 6 – WHAT IF THE WEATHER IS OVERCAST AND THE CRESCENT MOON CANNOT BE SEEN?
Abdullah ibn Abi Kays, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
I heard Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, saying: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would make inquiries about the month of Sha’ban as he did not do for other months. Then, when he saw the crescent moon of Ramadan, he would fast; and if the weather was cloudy, they would count Sha’ban as thirty days, and then fast.
Hudayfa (may Allah be pleased with him) related:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Do not fast the month of Ramadan before seeing the new moon of it, nor do not postpone Ramadan until completing the days of Sha’ban. Then, continue fasting until you see the new moon of Shawwal or complete the number of days [of Ramadan].”
It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not fast the month of Ramadan for one or two days. But if any of you has been fasting [a practice he has been observing], then do not fast until you see the new moon of Ramadan, and then fast until you see the new moon of Shawwal. If a cloud obstructs it, complete thirty days, then break your fast. The month (sometimes) is twenty-nine days.”
Abu Dawud said: Hatim bin Abu Sagira, Shu’ba, and Hasan bin Salih narrated it from Shamaq with the same meaning, without saying, “Then break your fast.”