Book 7: Fasting

‘A'isha said, "God’s messenger used to fast to such an extent that we thought he would never break his fast, and he would go without fasting to such an extent that we thought he would never fast. I never saw God’s messenger fast a complete month except in Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more in any month than in Sha'ban." In a version she said he used to fast the whole of Sha'ban, i.e. he would fast all but a little of Sha'ban. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. Shaqiq said that when he asked ‘A'isha whether the Prophet (ﷺ) used to fast a whole month she replied, "I never knew him to fast a whole month except Ramadan, nor to refrain from fasting some part of every month till he died." Muslim transmitted it.

‘Imran b. Husain said that the Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, or that he asked a man in ‘Imran’s hearing, “Father of so and so, did you not fast the last day of Sha'ban?" When, he replied that he had not, he said, “If you did not observe a fast, you must fast for two days."* *To reconcile this tradition with that of Abu Huraira at the foot of p.420 it is suggested that the man had made a vow to observe this fast, or that it was his custom. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The most excellent fast after Ramadan is in God’s month al-Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after what is prescribed is prayer during the night." Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said, "I never saw the Prophet (ﷺ) singling out any day’s fast and considering it more excellent than another, except this day, the day of ‘Ashura’,* and this month, meaning the month of Ramadan." *The 10th of Muharram. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said that when God’s messenger fasted on the day of ‘Ashura’ and commanded that it should be observed as a fast, he was told it was a day held in honour by Jews and Christians, and said, “If I am spared till next year I shall fast on the ninth.” Muslim transmitted it.

Umm al-Fadl daughter of al-Harith said that on the day of 'Arafa some people near her argued about whether God’s messenger was fasting, some saying that he was and others saying that he was not. She therefore sent him a cup of milk while he was observing the halt at ‘Arafa on his camel, and he drank it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A'isha said she never saw God’s messenger fasting during the first ten days of Dhul Hijja. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Qatada said that when a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him how he fasted, he was angry at what he said, and when 'Umar observed his anger he said, “We are satisfied with God as Lord, with Islam as religion and with Muhammad as Prophet. We seek refuge in God from the anger of God and His messenger.” ‘Umar kept on repeating these words till his anger calmed down, then asked, “Messenger of God, what is the position of one who observes a perpetual fast?” He replied, “May he not fast or break his fast!” or he said, “He has neither fasted nor broken his fast.” He asked, “What is the position of one who fasts two days out of every three?” and received the reply, “Is anyone able to do that?” He asked what was the position of one who fasted every second day and was told that was the fast David observed. He asked what was the position of one who fasted one day out of every three, and God’s messenger replied, “I wish I were given power to observe that.” Thereafter he said, “The observance of three days’ fast every month and of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fast. I seek from God that fasting on the day of ‘Arafa may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming year, and I seek from God that fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’ may atone for the sins of the preceding year.” Muslim transmitted it.

He said that when God’s messenger was asked about fasting on Monday he said, “On it I was born and on it the revelation was first sent down to me.”* *The meaning seems to be that as this day is so distinguished, one could not choose a better one. Muslim transmitted it.

Mu'adha al-‘Adawiya said she asked ‘A'isha whether God’s messenger used to fast three days every month, and she replied that he did. She asked which days in the month he fasted, and she replied that he did not care which days of the month he fasted. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari told that God’s messenger said, “If anyone fasts during Ramadan, then follows it with six days in Shawwal, it will be like a perpetual fast.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said God’s messenger forbade fasting on the day of breaking the fast of Ramadan and on the day of sacrifice. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “No fast is to be observed on two days, al-Fitr and al-Adha.* *In this tradition I have used the Arabic words, but have translated them in the preceding tradition. In the preceding tradition an-nahr is used where al-Adha is used here. Al-Adha means literally the victims. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Nubaisha al-Hudhali reported God’s messenger as saying, “The days of at-tashriq* are days of eating, drinking, and remembrance of God.” *The three days after the sacrifice on the tenth of Dhul Hijja. The name is said to have been given because the flesh of the victims is cut into strips and put in the sun to dry; but other explanations are also given. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying. “None of you must fast on a Friday unless he fasts the day before or the day after.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not choose Thursday night as a particular night for prayer, and do not choose Friday as a particular day for fasting, unless it occurs during a fast one of you is observing.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone fasts for a day while engaged in jihad, God will remove him* seventy years’ distance from hell.” *Literally, ‘his face’. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As told of God’s messenger saying to him, “Have I not been informed, ‘Abdallah, that you fast during the day and get up at night for prayer?” [Mirqat explains this as meaning all night.] When he replied that that was so, he said, “Do not do it. Fast and break your fast, get up for prayer and sleep, for you have a duty to your body, your eye, your wife, and your visitors. May he who observe a perpetual fast never fast!* Fasting three days every month is equivalent to a perpetual fast. Fast three days every month and recite the Qur'an every month.” When he replied that he was able to do more than that, he said, “Observe the most excellent fast, that of David, fasting every second day, and recite the Qur’an once every seven nights, but do no more than that.” * Cf. the similar phrase in the tradition of Abu Qatada (p.434). Some hold that the meaning here is, ‘He who observes a perpetual fast has not fasted.’ (Bukhari and Muslim.)