Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)

Narrated Abu Ayyub: The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone fasts during Ramadan, then follows it with six days in Shawwal, it will be like a perpetual fast.

Narrated 'Aishah, wife of Prophet (ﷺ): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast to such an extent that we thought that 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 the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fast a complete month except in Ramadan, and I never saw his fast more in any month than in Sha'ban.

The tradition mentioned above has alos been transmitted by Abu Hurairah through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. This version adds: He would fast all but a little of Sha'ban, rather he used to fast the whole of Sha'ban.

Narrated Usamah ibn Zayd: The client of Usamah ibn Zayd said that he went along with Usamah to Wadi al-Qura in pursuit of his camels. He would fast on Monday and Thursday. His client said to him: Why do you fast on Monday and Thursday, while you are an old man? He said: The Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast on Monday and Thursday. When he was asked about it, he said: The works of the servants (of Allah) are presented (to Allah) on Monday and Thursday.

Narrated One of the wives of the Prophet: Hunaydah ibn Khalid narrated from his wife on the authority of one of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah, Ashura' and three days of every month, that is, the first Monday (of the month) and Thursday.

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: There is no virtue more to the liking of Allah in any day than in these days, that is, the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah. They (the Companions) asked: Messenger of Allah, not even the struggle in the path of Allah (Jihad) ? He said: (Yes), not even the struggle in the path of Allah, except a man who goes out (in the path of Allah) with his life and property, and does not return with any of them.

'Aishah said: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fasting during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah.

Narrated AbuHurayrah: Ikrimah said: We were with AbuHurayrah in his house when he narrated to us: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited fasting on the day of Arafah at Arafah.

Umm al-Fadl, daughter of al-Harith, said: On the day of 'Arafah some people near her argued whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was fasting, some saying that he was, and others saying that he was not. I, therefore, sent him a cup of milk while he was observing the halt at 'Arafah on his camel, and he drank it.

'Aishah said: The Quraish used to fast on the day of 'Ashurah in pre Islamic days. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would fast on it in pre-Islamic period. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Medina, he fasted on it and commanded to fast on it. When the fast of Ramadan was prescribed, that became obligatory, and (fasting on) 'Ashurah was abandoned. He who wishes may fast on it and he who wishes may leave it.

Ibn 'Umar said: 'Ashurah was a day on which we used to fast in pre-Islamic days. When (fasting of) Ramadan was prescribed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: This is one of the days of Allah ; he who wishes may fast on it.

Ibn 'Abbas said: When the Prophet (ﷺ) came to Medina, he found the Jews observing fast on the day of 'Ashurah; so they were asked about it (by the Prophet). They said: This is a day on which Allah gave Moses domination over Pharaoh. We fast on it out of reverence to him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: We have a closer connection with Moses than you have. He then gave orders that it should be observed.

Ibn 'Abbas said: When the Prophet (ﷺ) on the day of 'Ashurah and commanded us to fast on it, they (i.e. Companions) said: Messenger of Allah, this is a day which is considered great by Jews and Christians ? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When the next year comes, we shall fast on the 9th of Muharram. But the next year the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) breathed his last.

Al-Hakam b. al-A'raj said: I came to Ibn 'Abbas who was leaning against his sheet of cloth in the Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haram). I asked him about fasting on the day of 'Ashurah. He said: When you sight the moon of al-Muharram, count (the days). When the 9th of Muharram comes, fast from the morning. I said: Would Muhammad (ﷺ) observe this fast ? He replied: Thus Muhammad (ﷺ) used to fast.

Narrated AbdurRahman ibn Maslamah: AbdurRahman reported on the authority of his uncle that the people of the tribe Aslam came to the Prophet (ﷺ). He said (to them): Did you fast on this day? They replied: No. He said: Complete the rest of your day, and make atonement for it.

'Abd Allah b. 'And (b. al-'As) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: The fast most liked by Allah is the one observed by Dawud (David), and the prayer dearer to Allah is the one offered by Dawud (David): he would sleep half the night, and stand (in prayer) one-third of it, and sleep one-sixth of it. He would go without fasting one day, and fast the other day.

Narrated Qatadah Ibn Malhan al-Qaysi: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command us to fast the days of the white (nights): thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month. He said: This is like keeping perpetual fast.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast three days every month.

Narrated Hafsah, Ummul Mu'minin: The apostle of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast three days every month: Monday, Thursday and Monday in the next week.

Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin: Hunaydah al-Khuza'i reported on the authority of her mother who said: I entered upon Umm Salamah and asked her about fasting. She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command me to fast three days every month beginning with Monday or Thursday.

Mu'adhah (al-'Adawiyyah) said: I asked 'Aishah: Would the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fast three days every month ? She replied: Yes. I asked: Which days in the month he used to fast ? She replied: He did not care which days of the month he fasted.

Narrated Hafsah, Ummul Mu'minin: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who does not determine to fast before dawn does not fast.

'Aishah said: When the Prophet (ﷺ) entered upon me, he would ask: Do you have food ? When we said: No, he would say: I am fasting. Waki' added in his version: Another day when he entered upon us, we said: Messenger of Allah, some pudding (hair) has been presented to us and we have retained it for you. He said: Bring it to me. Talhah said: He fasted in the morning, but broke his fast (that day).

Narrated Umm Hani: On the days of the conquest of Mecca, when Mecca was captured, Fatimah came and sat on the left side of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and Umm Hani was on his right side. A slave-girl brought a vessel which contained some drink; she gave it to him and he drank of it. He then gave it to Umm Hani who drank of it. She said: Messenger of Allah, I have broken my fast; I was fasting. He said to her: Were you making atonement for something? She replied: No. He said: Then it does not harm you if it was voluntary (fast).

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Some food was presented to me and Hafsah. We were fasting, but broke our fast. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered upon us. We said to him: A gift was presented to us; we coveted it and we broke our fast. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: There is no harm to you; keep a fast another day in lieu of it.

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: It is not allowable for a woman to keep (voluntary) fast when her husband is present without his permission, and she may not allow anyone to enter his house without his permission.

Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri: A woman came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while we were with him. She said: Messenger of Allah, my husband, Safwan ibn al-Mu'attal, beats me when I pray, and makes me break my fast when I keep a fast, and he does not offer the dawn prayer until the sun rises. He asked Safwan, who was present, about what she had said. He replied: Messenger of Allah, as for her statement "he beats me when I pray", she recites two surahs (during prayer) and I have prohibited her (to do so). He (the Prophet) said: If one surah is recited (during prayer), that is sufficient for the people. (Safwan continued:) As regards her saying "he makes me break my fast," she dotes on fasting; I am a young man, I cannot restrain myself. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said on that day: A woman should not fast except with the permission of her husband. (Safwan said:) As for her statement that I do not pray until the sun rises, we are a people belonging to a class, and that (our profession of supplying water) is already known about us. We do not awake until the sun rises. He said: When you awake, offer your prayer.

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: When one of you receives an invitation (for a meal), he should accept it. If he isn to fasting, he should eat, and if he is fasten, he should pray. Hisham said: The word salat means to pray (for him to Allah).Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Hafs b. Ghiyath from Hisham.

Abu Hurairah reported Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: When one of you is invited (to a meal), and he is fasting, he should say that he is fasting.

'Aishah said: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to observe retirement (i'tikaf) to the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan till Allah took him, and then his wives observed retirement to the mosque after his death.