may be twenty-nine days, refuting those who suppose that a month, without qualification, consists of thirty days. Some earlier scholars held this mistaken view, and some jurists followed them regarding a month reckoned by a fixed number of days, invariably making it thirty days. Others opposed them, saying:

“The month is twenty-nine days, and the final day is an addition.”

This meaning was explicitly stated by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he said:

“The month is like this, like this, and like this; and the month is like this and like this.”

That is, sometimes thirty days and sometimes twenty-nine. Whoever categorically declares it to be thirty or twenty-nine days is therefore mistaken.

The second meaning is that he intended the constant, invariable number of days in a month to be twenty-nine. The additional day is merely a possibility: it occurs in some months but not in others. The point is that these twenty-nine days must always be counted and taken into account, in every circumstance. Thus, fasting may under no circumstances begin until twenty-nine days of Sha‘bān have elapsed, and twenty-nine days must be fasted in Ramadan; under no circumstances may fewer days be fasted.

This is the meaning by which Ayyūb’s narration from Nāfi‘ is to be explained:

“The month is only twenty-nine days. So do not begin fasting until you see it, and do not end fasting until you see it.”

That is, the constant, invariable, obligatory count of the month is twenty-nine days. Nor is it possible to interpret