Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)

Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa reported: We traveled with the Messenger of Allah while he was fasting. When the sun had set, he said, "Bilal, get down and prepare a drink for us." Bilal said, "Messenger of Allah, wait until evening." He said, "Get down and prepare a drink for us." Bilal said, "Messenger of Allah, daylight still remains." He said, "Get down and prepare a drink for us." Bilal got down and prepared it, and the Messenger of Allah drank. Then he said, "When you see night approaching from this direction, the fasting person has reached the time to break the fast," pointing eastward with his finger.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said, "The religion will remain manifest as long as people hasten to break the fast, because the Jews and Christians delay doing so."

Abu Atiyyah said: Masruq and I visited Aishah and said, "Mother of the Believers, there are two men among the Companions of Muhammad: one hastens to break the fast and hastens to pray, while the other delays breaking the fast and delays the prayer." She asked, "Which one hastens to break the fast and pray?" We said, "Abdullah." She replied, "That is how the Messenger of Allah used to act."

Salman ibn Amir reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "When one of you is fasting, let him break his fast with dates. If he cannot find dates, then with water, for water is purifying."

Anas ibn Malik reported: Before praying, the Messenger of Allah would break his fast with fresh dates. If there were no fresh dates, he would eat a few dried dates; if there were none, he would take a few sips of water.

Marwan ibn Salim al-Muqaffaa said: I saw Ibn Umar grasp his beard and trim what extended beyond a handful. Ibn Umar said that when the Messenger of Allah broke his fast, he would say, "Thirst has gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is assured, if Allah wills."

It reached Muadh ibn Zuhrah that when the Prophet broke his fast, he would say, "O Allah, for You I have fasted, and with Your provision I have broken my fast."

Asma bint Abi Bakr said: During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, on a cloudy day in Ramadan, we broke our fast, then the sun came out. Abu Usamah said: I asked Hisham, "Were they instructed to make up the fast?" He replied, "That was unavoidable."

Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah forbade continuous fasting without breaking the fast between days. They said, "But you fast continuously, Messenger of Allah." He replied, "I am not like you. I am provided with food and drink."

Abu Said al-Khudri reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Do not fast continuously without breaking the fast. If one of you insists on doing so, let him continue only until dawn." They said, "But you fast continuously." He replied, "I am not like you; I have One who feeds me and One who gives me drink."

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need for him to give up his food and drink." Ahmad said: I learned the chain from Ibn Abi Dhib, while a man sitting beside him, whom I think was his nephew, explained the report to me.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said, "Fasting is a shield. When one of you is fasting, let him not speak obscenely or behave foolishly. If someone fights or insults him, let him say, I am fasting; I am fasting."

Amir ibn Rabiah reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah use a tooth-stick while fasting. Musaddad added: I saw him do so more times than I could count.

A Companion of the Prophet reported: During the journey in the year of the Conquest of Mecca, I saw the Messenger of Allah tell the people not to fast. He said, "Gather strength for your enemy." The Messenger of Allah himself fasted. Abu Bakr said: The man who related this to me said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah at al-Arj pouring water over his head while fasting, either from thirst or from the heat."

Laqit ibn Saburah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Be thorough when drawing water into your nose, unless you are fasting."

Thawban reported that the Prophet said, "The cupper and the one who is cupped have broken their fast." In Shabans version, Abu Qilabah said that Abu Asma al-Rahabi told him that Thawban, the client of the Messenger of Allah, had told him that he heard the Prophet say this.

This report from Shaddad ibn Aws, through another chain, has the same meaning as the preceding report. It adds that Shaddad was walking with the Prophet when the incident took place, and then relates the rest in the same sense.

Shaddad ibn Aws reported: The Messenger of Allah came upon a man at al-Baqi who was being cupped on the eighteenth day of Ramadan, while the Prophet was holding my hand. He said, "The cupper and the one who is cupped have broken their fast." Abu Dawud said: Khalid al-Hadhdha also narrated a similar report from Abu Qilabah through the chain used by Ayyub.

A trustworthy elder from the tribe told Makhul that Thawban, the client of the Messenger of Allah, had told him that the Prophet said, "The cupper and the one who is cupped have broken their fast."

Thawban reported that the Prophet said, "The cupper and the one who is cupped have broken their fast." Abu Dawud said: Ibn Thawban narrated the same report from his father, from Makhul, through the same chain.