a fast."

If on account of dull weather, or of dust storms the new moon is not
visible, it is sufficient to act on the testimony of a trustworthy person
who declares that Ramazan has commenced. Imam Shafa'i requires two, but the
following Tradition is quoted against him: "An Arab came to the Prophet and
said: 'I have seen the new moon.' His Excellency said: 'Dost thou believe
that there is no God but God? Dost thou confess that Muhammad is His
Apostle?' 'Yes,' replied the man. The Prophet calling Billal, the Mu,azzin,
said: 'Tell the people to commence the fast.'" This proves that the
evidence of one good Muslim is sufficient testimony in the matter.

The fast is destroyed in the following cases:--if when cleansing the teeth
a little water should pass into the throat, if food is eaten under
compulsion, if an enema is used, if medicine is put into the ears, nose or
a wound in the head, if a meal has been taken on the supposition that it
was night when it was really day, if the niyyat (intention) in the Ramazan
fast was not properly made, if after a meal taken during the night a
portion of food larger than a grain of corn remains between the teeth or in
a cavity of a tooth, lastly, if food is vomited. In each of these cases a
qaza fast must be kept in lieu of the one thus broken.

In the case where the fast is deliberately broken, the person must atone
for his sin by setting a slave at liberty; if from any cause that cannot be
done, he must fast every day for two months; if that cannot be done, he
must give sixty persons two full meals each, or give one man such meals
daily for sixty days.

The fast is not broken by merely tasting anything, by {216} applying
antimony to the eyes, and oil to the beard, by cleansing the teeth, or by
kissing a person; but it is considered better not to do these things during
the day-time. The Imam As-Shafa'i declared that it was very wrong indeed to
do either of these actions after noon. He used to repeat the following
Tradition handed down by Tabrani. "The Prophet said: 'when you fast,
cleanse the teeth in the early morning, because when the lips of him who
fasts become dry and parched, they will be for him a light in the day of
judgment.'"

If a person through the infirmity of old age is not able to keep the fast,
he must perform sadqa, that is, he must feed a poor person. This opinion is
based on a sentence in the Quran, which has caused a good deal of dispute:
"As for those who are a