succession, then the nights that fall between the days of i'tikaf are also binding upon him, just as if he had said: "successive."

Section: If one vows to fast consecutive months, and he begins them from the start of a month, fasting them by the sighting of the new moons suffices him without disagreement. If he begins them from the middle of a month, he completes that month by count, and the remaining months by the sighting of the new moons. This is the view of Malik, Al-Shafi'i, and one of the two narrations from Abu Hanifah. The other narration is: He completes all of them by count. That has been narrated [from Ahmad] (9), and the justification for the two narrations has already been presented.

1862 - Issue: He said: "Whoever vows to fast a specific month, and breaks the fast for a day without (1) an excuse, must restart the month and offer the expiation for an oath."

In summary, if one vows to fast a specific month and breaks the fast during it, there are two possible states. First: he breaks the fast without an excuse. Regarding this, there are two narrations. One is that he invalidates his fast and is obligated to restart it; because it is a fast that must be consecutive by virtue of the vow, and breaking it without an excuse voids it, just as if he had stipulated succession. It differs from Ramadan, for its succession is by the Sharia, not by vow. Here, however, he has imposed it upon himself in a specific manner and then failed to fulfill it, so it is like one who stipulated it be successive. The second narration is: he is not obligated to restart, unless he had stipulated succession. This is the view of Al-Shafi'i, because the obligation of succession here is a necessity of the specification (of the month), not a condition; thus, breaking the fast during it does not invalidate it, just like the month of Ramadan. Furthermore, restarting would place the fast in a time he did not specify, and fulfilling his vow would be outside of its intended time; failing to fast one day does not necessitate failing the other days. Based on this, he offers expiation for breaking his fast, and makes up (2) that day in its place after finishing his fast. This is the most analogically sound view, if Allah wills. According to the first narration, he is obligated to restart immediately following the day he broke the fast, and it is not permitted to delay it, because the remainder of the month is vowed, so it is not (3) permissible to leave the fast during it, and he is also liable for an expiation for violating the fast of that day which he broke. Second state: he breaks the fast due to an excuse; in this case, he continues based on what has already passed of his fast, and he makes up