Hadith record

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah, who has said the following: “I once asked Abu `Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who fasts a day and does not know if it is of the month of Ramadan or if it is of other days. Then certain people come and testify that it is of the month of Ramadan. Certain people say that it is not reliable. He (the Imam) said, £ Yes, that is true.’ I then said that they say, ‘You fasted and did not know if it was of the month of Ramadan or of other days.’ He (the Imam) said, ’Yes, that is true. You can depend on it; it is something in which Allah granted you a fortunate chance. A doubtful day is fasted as that of al-Sha’ban and not as that of the month of Ramadan; he prohibited one’s fasting alone on a doubtful day. During the night one forms his intention to fast as a day of al-Sha’ban and if it happens to be of the month of Ramadan, it is sufficient for it by the favor from Allah, most High, because of the ease He has granted to His servants; otherwise, they would have been destroyed.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.