In this chapter, there is also a report from some of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

It was narrated by Mansur ibn al-Mu'tamir, from Rib'i ibn Hirash, from some of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, similar to this.

The hadith of Abu Hurayrah is a good and authentic hadith.

The scholars act upon this; they disapproved of a man hastening to fast before the entry of the month of Ramadan for the sake of Ramadan, even if a man—

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—And the second part alone was reported by al-Bukhari (1909), Muslim (1081), Ibn Majah (1655), and al-Nasa'i 4/133 and 133–134. It is in al-Musnad (7516) and Sahih Ibn Hibban (3442) and (3592).

His saying: "Do not precede the month by a day or two days." Al-Sindi said in his gloss on al-Musnad: Here, some have interpreted the prohibition as applying to one who intends Ramadan, or to increase the number of his fasts, or to fasting the day of doubt. But it is not hidden that his saying "or two days" does not suit the interpretation of doubt, since doubt does not usually occur over two days. And the exception in his saying "unless that coincides with a fast... etc." does not suit the earlier interpretations, since its necessary implication would be the permissibility of fasting a day or two days for one who habitually fasts with the intention of Ramadan, for example—and this is unsound. The correct view is that the prohibition is to be interpreted as applying to continuity, i.e., do not make a habit of preceding it, because of the implication that this fast is attached to Ramadan—except for one who habitually fasts continuously at the end of the month, for if he continues that, no suspicion arises that his fast is attached to Ramadan. And God Most High knows best. See also al-Fath 4/128–129.

(1) From his saying: "It was narrated by Mansur" to here, we have added it from (D) and (S) and al-Nukat al-Ziraf 11/12 by Ibn Hajar, and it is not in the rest of our manuscript sources, except that in (D) and (S) it occurs as "akhbarana" instead of "rawahu," and his saying "from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him" does not occur in (S).

(2) Reported by al-Nasa'i 4/135–136. It is in Musnad Ahmad (18825), which contains the full chain of transmission and discussion of it.