The excellence of the month of Ramadan

Allahomma salliala Muhammadin wa'ala li Muhammadin kamaa sallaita ala Ibrahima wa'ala li Ibrahima innaka hamidum majeed.
Allahomma barik ala Muhammadin wa'ala li Muhammadin kama barakta ala Ibrahima wa'ala li Ibrahima innaka hamidum majeed

The virtue of fasting

Abu Hurairah(RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah(SAWS) said: "Allah the Exalted and Glorious said: 'All acts of worship a man does, belong to him, except fasting which is for Me, and I will reward for it.' Fasting is a shield. When anyone of you is fasting, he should not engage in sexual activities not raise the voice; or if anyone reviles him or quarrels with him, he should say: 'I am fasting.' By Him, in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad; the breath of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah on the Day of Resurrection than the fragrance of musk. The one who fasts has two occassions of joy, one when he breaks the fast, he is glad with breaking of fast, and one when he meets his Rubb, he is glad with his fast."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)


The excellence of the month of Ramadan

Abu Hurairah(RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah(SAWS) said: "When the month of Ramadan comes, the gates of Jannah are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the satans are chained."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

One should not fast a day or two days ahead of Ramadan

Abu Hurairah(RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah(SAWS) said: "Do not fast a day or two days ahead of Ramadan except for a person who is in the habit of observing a particular day's fast , he may fast."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Fasting upon sighting the new moon

Abu Hurairah(RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah(SAWS) made a mention of the new moon and said: "Observe fast when you see it, and break fast when you see it (moon of Shawwal), but when it is obscured from you, then complete it as thirty days."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

The month consists of twenty-nine days

Ibn Umar(RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah(SAWS) said: "We are unlettered people who can neither write nor count. The month is thus and thus and thus(folding his thumb at the third time) (meaning twenty-nine days). And the month is thus and thus and thus." It means that the month consists of thirty days.
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Allah makes it clear to be seen

Abul-Bakhtari (RA) reported: We went out to perform 'Umrah and when we encamped in the valley of Nakhlah, we tried to see the new moon. Some said that it was three nights old, and others said it was two nights old. We then met Ibn Abbas and told him that we had seen the new moon, but some of the people said that it was three nights old and others said that it was two nights old. He asked on which night we had seen it, and when we told him that we had seen it on such and such night, he said that the Prophet of Allah(SAWS) said: "Verily, Allah makes it clear at the time it is seen, so it is to be reckoned from the night you saw it."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Moon sighting for every area

Kuraib said: Umm Fadl bint Al-Harith sent him (Fadl, i.e., her son) to Mu'awiyah(RA) in Syria. He arrived in Syria, and fulfilled her need. While I was there, the month of Ramadan commenced. He said: "I saw the new moon of Ramadan on Friday." I then came back to Al-Madinah at the end of the month. 'Abdullah bin Abbas asked me about the new moon of Ramadan: "When did you see it?" I said: "We saw it on Friday night." He said: "Did you see it yourself?" I said: "Yes, and the people also saw it so they observed fast and Mu'awiyah also observed fast." Thereupon he said: "But we saw it on Saturday night. So we shall continue to observe the fast until we complete thirty days fasts or we see the new moon of Shawwal." I said: "Is the sighting of the moon by Mu'awiyah not valid for you?" He said:"No; this is how Messenger of Allah(SAWS) commanded us."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)