Book 7: Fasting

‘A'isha said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to engage in private devotions in the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan till God took him, and then his wives followed this practice after his death.* *Mirqat says that the Prophet’s wives observed periods of seclusion for devotion, not in the mosque but in their houses. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s messenger was the most generous of men, and he was as generous as possible in Ramadan. Gabriel used to meet him every night in Ramadan and the Prophet (ﷺ) would go over the Qur’an to him. When Gabriel met him he was more generous than the wind which blows freely. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that the Qur’an was gone over* to the Prophet (ﷺ) once annually, but that this was done twice in the year in which he died. He used to engage in private devotions in the mosque during ten nights every year, but he did this during twenty nights in the year in which he died. *Mirqat remarks that some expositors say the passive is used here because the person who went over the Quran to the Prophet (ﷺ) was well-known, viz. Gabriel. Bukhari transmitted it.

‘A'isha said, “During his private devotional exercises God’s messenger would put his head near me when he was in the mosque, and I would comb it; and he entered the house only to relieve himself.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar said that when ‘Umar consulted the Prophet (ﷺ) about a vow he had made in the pre-Islamic period to spend a night in devotion in the sacred mosque, he said, “Fulfill your vow.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)