Continuing The Fasts of Ramadhaan

6. A person had taken a vow that if a certain work of his is fulfilled, he will keep one or two fasts for the pleasure of Allaah. When the month of Ramadhaan commenced, he made the intention of keeping those fasts which he had vowed to keep and not the fast of Ramadhaan. Even then, the fast of Ramadhaan will be considered and not that of the vowed fast. The vowed fast will have to be kept after Ramadhaan.

In short, if any other intention is made in the month of Ramadhaan, the fast of Ramadhaan will be considered. All other fasts will not be valid.

7. If the moon of Ramadhaan is sighted on the 29th of Sha’baan, commence fasting the following morning. However, if it is not sighted or cannot be sighted because of clouds, do not fast the next morning as long as there is a doubt as to whether Ramadhaan has commenced or not. Instead, complete the 30 days of Sha’baan and thereafter commence the fasts of Ramadhaan.

8. Because of clouds, the moon was not sighted on the 29th of Sha’baan. Do not even keep a nafl fast the following day. However, if a person is in the habit of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays or any other specific day, and coincidentally that day falls on the 29th, then in such a case it will be preferable to keep this fast. Thereafter, if he receives the news of the sighting of the moon on the 29th, the fast of Ramadhaan will be fulfilled with that very nafl fast. He does not have to make qada of it.
9. Because of clouds, the moon was not sighted on the 29th of Sha’baan. Do not eat or drink anything the following day until an hour before mid-day. If news of the sighting of the moon is received from somewhere, make the intention of fasting. If no news is received, one can commence eating and drinking.
10. The moon was not sighted on the 29th. Do not think that since tomorrow is not Ramadhaan, let me keep my qada fast of the previous year, or let me keep the fast that I had vowed to keep. On such a day, it is also makrûh to keep the qada, kaffarah, and nazr (vowed) fasts. No fast should be kept on that day. If a person keeps the qada or nazr fast, and later he receives the news of the sighting of the moon; even then the fast of Ramadhaan will be considered. He will have to repeat the qada or nazr fast. If he does not receive any news of the sighting of the moon, the fast will be valid for whatever reason he had kept it (i.e. whether it be a qada or a nazr fast).