14. We were told by my father, may Allah grant him mercy, that he said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, from Muhammed bin Hussain ibn Abi’l-Khattab, from Muhammed bin Isma’eel bin Bazee’, from Muhammed bin Ya’qoub bin Shu’aib, from his father, from Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, that he said:

I said to him: Indeed, people are narrating that the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, did not fast the Month of Ramadan for twenty-nine (days) more than he fasted thirty (days). He said: They have lied. The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, did not fast but completely. Obligatory acts cannot be (performed whilst) lacking. Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, created a year as having three hundred and sixty days, and He created the Heavens and the earth in six days, and so, He constrained it from three hundred and sixty. Hence, a year is (consisting of) three hundred and fifty-four days, and the Month of Ramadan is (consisting of) thirty days, due to the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «and that you may complete the period» (2:185). That which is complete is full (period). Shawwal is (consisting of) twenty-nine days, and Dhu’l-Qa’da is (consisting of) thirty days, due to the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «And We made an appointment with Musa for thirty nights» (7:142). Hence, a month is like this. Furthermore, on this basis, a month is complete, and another month is lacking. The Month of Ramadan does never lack, and Sha’ban is never complete,