<b>Guidance from the Hadiths:</b><br> 1) There is a stern prohibition to observe fast shortly before Ramadan, like when a person decides to fast one or two days before Ramadan as a precaution. The right thing to do is to abide by the Prophet’s guidance in this regard and begin the fast upon seeing the new moon.<br> 2) The legitimate fasting begins when we can verify the advent of Ramadan by sighting the new moon. We may not fast before it.<br> 3) The Shariah takes people’s conditions into consideration and removes difficulties from them. So, it prohibits us from observing fasting shortly before Ramadan, so that we can enter this month vigorous and active.