Those who disliked preceding Ramadan with a fast

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not fast before Ramadan. Fast on seeing the moon of Ramadan, and celebrate Eid on seeing the moon of Shawwal. If clouds obstruct the sighting of the moon, then complete thirty days.

A Companion narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not fast before Ramadan comes, until you see the moon or complete thirty days of Sha'ban. And do not celebrate Eid until you see the moon or complete thirty fasts.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Fast on seeing the moon and celebrate Eid on seeing the moon. If clouds cover the sky, then complete thirty fasts.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Do not join anything to Ramadan; do not fast one or two days before Ramadan.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fast on seeing the moon and celebrate Eid on seeing the moon. If the moon is not visible, then complete the measure.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Fast on seeing the moon and celebrate Eid on seeing the moon. If the moon is not visible, then complete thirty fasts.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Fasting one or two days before Ramadan has been forbidden.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: From the middle of Sha'ban until Ramadan, refrain from fasting.

Abu al-Bakhtari said: We set out for Umrah. When we reached the place called Batn Nakhlah, we said that we had seen the moon. Some people said it was the moon of the third night, and some said it was the moon of the second night. Then we met Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and said: We have seen the moon; some people say it is the moon of the third night and some say it is the moon of the second night. He said: When did you see this moon? We said: On such-and-such a night. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Allah Almighty has extended the moon for sighting; the moon's night is the night on which you see it.

Abu al-Bakhtari said: We sighted the moon of Ramadan at the place called Dhat Irq, and we sent a man to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) to ask him about it. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Allah Almighty has extended the moon for sighting; if the moon is not visible to you, then complete thirty days.

Al-Sha'bi said: When the month of Ramadan came, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) would deliver a sermon in which he said: Beware! Do not go ahead of the month. When you see the moon, fast; when you see the moon, celebrate Eid; and when the moon is not visible to you, complete thirty days. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say this after Asr and after Fajr.

Something similar is also reported from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).

Al-Hasan and Muhammad (Ibn Sirin) said: Fasting before Ramadan has been forbidden.

Abu Ja'far and Ata considered it disliked (makruh) to fast before Ramadan.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: If a man has a habit of fasting and Ramadan arrives during it, he should stop fasting some days before Ramadan.

Abu Qilabah said: The early generations used to look for the moon. When they saw the moon, they fasted; and if they did not see it, they waited for the word of their imam.