THE CHAPTER ON FASTING · 10 – THE UNDESIRABILITY OF FASTING ON SHAKK DAY
It is narrated from Sila b. Zufar that he said:
We were with Ammar [may Allah be pleased with him] on a day whose fast was doubtful, when a cooked sheep was brought. Some of the people withdrew from the table. Ammar said: Whoever fasts this day has disobeyed Abu al-Kasim [peace and blessings be upon him]. [254]
EXPLANATION
The doubtful day is the thirtieth day of Sha’ban. It is called the doubtful day because it is uncertain whether it is from Ramadan or from Sha’ban until the crescent moon of Ramadan appears.
It has been prohibited to intend for Ramadan on the doubtful day. However, it is permissible to intend to fast a single day of Sha'ban as supererogatory. This is the saying of Malik ibn Anas according to the school of thought of the Hanafi scholars, and Ahmed bin Hanbal also permitted leniency in this regard. A group [of scholars] ruled that it could not be fasted, whether obligatory or supererogatory, so as to create a distinction between Sha’ban and Ramadan. Ikrimah [may Allah be pleased with him] also said this. The two daughters of Abu Bakr [may Allah be pleased with him], Aisha and Asma, used to fast the doubtful day. Aisha [may Allah be pleased with her] said: “Fasting a single day from Ramadan is more beloved to me.” (Mealim al-Sunan vol. 3, p. 221)