Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)

Ibn Abbas explained the verse, "O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you." During the Prophets time, once people had performed the night prayer, food, drink, and sexual relations became forbidden to them, and they would fast until the following night. A man wronged himself by having intercourse with his wife after performing the night prayer, without having broken his fast. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, wished to make the practice easier for those who came later, granting them a concession and benefit. He said, "Allah knew that you were betraying yourselves." This was among the things by which Allah benefited people, granting them a concession and ease.

Al-Bara ibn Azib reported: When a man fasting fell asleep, he could not eat again until the following night. Sirmah ibn Qays al-Ansari came to his wife while fasting and asked, "Do you have anything to eat?" She said, "No, but perhaps I can go and find something for you." She went out, and sleep overcame him. When she returned, she said, "What a disappointment for you." Before noon, he fainted. He had been working all day in his field. The matter was mentioned to the Prophet, and then this verse was revealed: "Permitted to you on the nights of fasting is intimacy with your wives..." He recited through the words, "until the dawn."

Salamah ibn al-Akwa reported: When the verse, "Those who are able to fast may redeem it by feeding a poor person," was revealed, whoever among us wished to stop fasting and offer the expiation could do so, until the following verse was revealed and abrogated it.

Ibn Abbas explained the verse, "Those who are able to fast may redeem it by feeding a poor person." Anyone who wished could redeem the fast by feeding a poor person, and that completed his obligation. Allah then said, "Whoever voluntarily does good, it is better for him," and, "Whoever among you is present in the month must fast it; whoever is ill or on a journey must make up the same number of days later."

Ibn Abbas said that the ruling allowing redemption by feeding remained in force for pregnant and nursing women.

Ibn Abbas explained the verse, "Those who are able to fast may redeem it by feeding a poor person." He said: This was a concession for an elderly man or woman, even if able to fast: they could refrain from fasting and feed one poor person for each day. It was also a concession for pregnant and nursing women when they feared harm to themselves. Abu Dawud added: meaning, they feared for their children.

Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "We are an unlettered community: we do not write or calculate. The month is like this, like this, and like this." Sulayman folded one finger on the third gesture, meaning twenty-nine or thirty days.

Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "A month has twenty-nine days. Do not begin fasting until you see the new moon, and do not end your fast until you see it. If it is obscured, complete thirty days." When Shaaban had twenty-nine days, Ibn Umar would have someone look for the moon. If it was sighted, that settled it. If it was not sighted and no cloud or haze obscured the view, he would not fast the next day. If cloud or haze obscured the view, he would fast the next day. Ibn Umar would end his fast along with the people and did not follow this calculation.

Ayyub reported that Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz wrote to the people of Basra: We have received a report from the Messenger of Allah, similar to the report of Ibn Umar from the Prophet. It adds: The best way to estimate the month is that, when we see the crescent of Shaaban on such-and-such a date, we expect fasting to begin on such-and-such a date, Allah willing, unless you see the crescent earlier.

Abdullah ibn Masud reported: When we fasted with the Prophet, we fasted twenty-nine days more often than we fasted thirty.

Abu Bakrah reported that the Prophet said, "The two festival months, Ramadan and Dhu al-Hijjah, are never both deficient."

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said, "The end of your fast is the day you end fasting, and your sacrifice feast is the day you offer sacrifice. All of Arafah is a place of standing, all of Mina is a place of sacrifice, all the mountain passes of Mecca are places of sacrifice, and all of Muzdalifah is a place of standing."

Aishah reported: The Messenger of Allah kept careful count of Shaaban in a way he did not for other months. Then he would fast upon sighting the Ramadan crescent; if it was obscured, he would complete thirty days and then fast.

Hudhayfah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Do not begin the month until you see the crescent or complete the count; then fast until you see the crescent or complete the count." Abu Dawud said: Sufyan and others narrated it from Mansur, from Ribiy, from an unnamed Companion of the Prophet, without naming Hudhayfah.

Ibn Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Do not begin fasting one or two days before the month, unless it is a day on which one of you regularly fasts. Do not fast until you see the crescent; then continue fasting until you see it again. If a cloud obscures it, complete thirty days, then end the fast. A month is twenty-nine days." Abu Dawud said: Hatim ibn Abi Saghirah, Shubah, and al-Hasan ibn Salih narrated it from Simak with the same meaning, but they did not include "then end the fast." Abu Dawud added: His name was Hatim ibn Muslim ibn Abi Saghirah; Abu Saghirah was his stepfather.

Imran ibn Husayn reported that the Messenger of Allah asked a man, "Did you fast any of the last days of Shaaban?" He said, "No." He told him, "Then, when you have finished Ramadan, fast a day." One of the two narrators said, "two days."

Al-Mughirah ibn Farwah reported: Muawiyah stood before the people at Dayr Misal, by the gate of Hims, and said, "People, we saw the crescent on such-and-such a day, and I intend to begin fasting early. Whoever wishes may do so." Malik ibn Hubayrah al-Sabai stood up and asked, "Muawiyah, did you hear this from the Messenger of Allah, or is it your own opinion?" He said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah say, Fast the month at its beginning and its end."

Sulayman ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Dimashqi commented on this report: Al-Walid said, "I heard Abu Amr al-Awzai say that sirrahu means its beginning."

Ahmad ibn Abd al-Wahid reported from Abu Mushir that Said ibn Abd al-Aziz said: Sirar means the beginning of the month. Abu Dawud said: Some said sirar means its middle, while others said its end.