Chapter on Merit of Fasting the Day of Doubt and Taking Precaution for Fasting the Month of Ramadan

Muhammad ibn Yaqub, from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Uthman ibn Isa, from Samaah, who said: I (narrator) said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “A man fasted a day while he did not know whether it was from the month of Ramadan or from other than it. Then a group came and testified that it was from the month of Ramadan. Some of the people among us said that it is not counted.” Imam عليه السلام said to me (narrator): “Rather, yes.” I (narrator) asked: “They said, ‘You fasted while you did not know whether this was from the month of Ramadan or from other than it.’” Imam عليه السلام said: “Rather, yes, so count it, for it is only something for which Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, granted you success. The day of doubt is only fasted from Shaban, and you do not fast it from the month of Ramadan, because it has been forbidden for a person to single himself out for fasting on the day of doubt. Rather, he intends from the night that he is fasting from Shaban. Then if it is from the month of Ramadan, it suffices for him by the grace of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Mighty and Majestic, and by what He سبحانه وتعالى has expanded for His سبحانه وتعالى servants. Were it not for that, the people would perish.”