Book 7: Fasting

‘A'isha said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to kiss her and suck her tongue when he was fasting. Abu Dawud transmitted it.* *Saum, 34. This is said by some to be weak because Muhammad b. Dinar and Sa'd b. Aus are among its transmitters.

Abu Huraira said that a man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) whether one who was fasting might embrace his wife and he gave him permission, but when another came to him and asked him he forbade him. The one to whom he gave permission was an old man and the one whom he forbade was a youth. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, "If one has a sudden attack of vomiting while he is fasting no atonement is required of him, but if he vomits intentionally he must make atonement." Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. Tirmidhi said this is a gharib tradition which he knew only among the traditions of ‘Isa. b. Yunus, and that Muhammad, i.e. Bukhari, said he did not consider it one which was held in estimation.

Ma'dan b. Talha said Abu Darda’ told him that God’s messenger vomited and broke his fast. He said that he met Thauban in the mosque of Damascus, and when he remarked that Abu Darda’ told him that God’s messenger vomited and broke his fast he said, "He spoke the truth; and I was the one who poured out the water for his ablution." Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

‘Amir b. Rabi'a said he had seen the Prophet (ﷺ) more often than he could count using a toothstick while he was fasting. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas told of a man coming to the Prophet (ﷺ) and saying, “I have a complaint in my eyes, so may I apply collyrium while I am fasting?” He replied, “Yes.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying its isnad is not strong and Abu ‘Atika the transmitter is declared to be weak.

One of the Prophet’s companions said he had seen the Prophet (ﷺ) in al-'Arj* pouring water over his head while he was fasting; either because of thirst or because of the heat. *A wadi in the neighbourhood of at-Ta’if. Malik and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Shaddad b. Aus said that when God’s messenger was walking hand in hand with him on the eighteenth of Ramadan he came across a man in al-Baqi who was being cupped and said, “The one who cups and the one who is cupped have broken their fast.” Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. The shaikh and imam Muhyi as-sunna said that some of those who allow cupping have interpreted it as meaning that they exposed themselves to the danger of breaking the fast, the one who was cupped on account of weakness, and the one who did the cupping because he could not guarantee that something would not get into his stomach by sucking the flask.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone breaks his fast one day in Ramadan without a concession* or without being ill, a perpetual fast will not atone for it even if he observes it.” *e.g. while travelling. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Darimi and Bukhari in a chapter heading transmitted it. Tirmidhi said that he heard Muhammad, i.e. Bukhari, say this was the only tradition he knew by Abul Mutawwis the transmitter.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Many a one who fasts gets nothing from his fasting but thirst, and many a one who prays during the night gets nothing from his night prayers but wakefulness.” Darimi transmitted it. The tradition of Laqit b. Sabira has been mentioned in the chapter on how to perform ablution. [in another part of the Mishkat]