Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “None of you must fast one day or two days just before Ramadan, except in the case of a man who has been in the habit of observing a particular fast, for he may fast on that day.”*
*If a man is in the habit of fasting on a particular day of the week and one or other of the two days before Ramadan falls on that day, he may observe his usual practice.
Abu Bakra reported God’s messenger as saying, “The months of festival, Ramadan and Dhul-hijja, are not defective.”*
*The most probable meaning is that, even if these months have only twenty-nine days, they are not on that account to be considered deficient in comparison with a month which has thirty days.
Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “We are an unlettered people who can neither write nor count. The month is thus and thus and thus,” drawing in his thumb when he said it the third time.* Then he said, “The month is thus and thus and thus,” meaning a complete thirty days. He meant alternately twenty-nine and thirty.
*Spreading out the ten fingers the first two times and nine the third time.
