– the first of them is actually sighting the crescent. The Almighty says, “Whoever among you witnesses the month must fast it,” and the Prophet ﷺ instructed, “Fast when you see it.” Therefore, anyone who personally sights the new moon is obligated to fast.
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Testimony of the sighting or being informed of it: the community must fast when an upright, legally accountable Muslim reports that he has seen the crescent. Ibn ʿUmar related, “The people attempted to sight the moon, and I informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that I had seen it; he then fasted and ordered the people to fast.” This was transmitted by Abu Dawud and others, and was declared authentic by Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim.
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Completing thirty days of Shaʿban: this applies when the crescent is not seen on the night of the thirtieth of Shaʿban because clouds, dust, or similar obstructions prevent sighting. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The month is twenty-nine days; do not begin the fast until you sight the crescent, and do not break the fast until you sight it. If it is obscured from you, then reckon for it.” “Reckon for it” means: complete Shaʿban as thirty days, as confirmed in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, “If it is obscured from you, then count thirty.”
Fasting Ramadan is therefore incumbent upon every Muslim who is legally accountable and physically able. It is not obligatory for a non-Muslim,