Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)

Muslim al-Qurashi reported: I asked, or someone asked, the Prophet about fasting every day. He said, "Your family has a right over you. Fast Ramadan and the month that follows it, and every Wednesday and Thursday; that will be like fasting for a lifetime." Abu Dawud said: Zayd al-Ukli agreed with this version, while Abu Nuaim differed. He said the narrators name was Muslim ibn Ubayd Allah.

Abu Ayyub, a Companion of the Prophet, reported that the Prophet said, "Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days in Shawwal, it is as though he fasted for a lifetime."

Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, said: The Messenger of Allah would fast so much that we thought he would never break his fast, and then refrain from fasting so much that we thought he would never fast. I never saw him fast a complete month except Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more in any month than in Shaaban.

Abu Hurayrah reported the same meaning as the preceding report, adding: He fasted most of Shaaban, leaving only a little; indeed, he would fast all of it.

A client of Usamah ibn Zayd reported: I went with Usamah to Wadi al-Qura to look for some property of his. He was fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. His client asked, "Why do you fast on Mondays and Thursdays when you are an old man?" He replied, "The Prophet of Allah used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. When asked about it, he said, The deeds of people are presented on Mondays and Thursdays." Abu Dawud said: Hisham al-Dastawai also narrated it from Yahya, from Umar ibn Abi al-Hakam.

One of the wives of the Prophet reported that the Messenger of Allah used to fast the first nine days of Dhu al-Hijjah, the Day of Ashura, and three days each month: the first Monday of the month and Thursday.

Ibn Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days," meaning the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah. They asked, "Messenger of Allah, not even striving in the path of Allah?" He replied, "Not even striving in the path of Allah, except for a man who goes out with his life and property and returns with neither."

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

Ikrimah said: We were in Abu Hurayrahs house when he told us that the Messenger of Allah forbade fasting on the Day of Arafah for someone who is at Arafah.

Umm al-Fadl bint al-Harith reported: On the Day of Arafah, some people with her disputed whether the Messenger of Allah was fasting. Some said he was; others said he was not. She sent him a cup of milk while he was standing at Arafah on his camel, and he drank it.

Aishah reported: Quraysh used to fast on the Day of Ashura in pre-Islamic times, and the Messenger of Allah also fasted it then. When he came to Medina, he fasted it and instructed others to do so. When Ramadan fasting became obligatory, it became the obligation, and the fast of Ashura was left optional. Whoever wishes may fast it, and whoever wishes may leave it.

Ibn Umar reported: Ashura was a day we used to fast in pre-Islamic times. When Ramadan was prescribed, the Messenger of Allah said, "This is one of the days of Allah; whoever wishes may fast it, and whoever wishes may leave it."

Ibn Abbas reported: When the Prophet came to Medina, he found the Jews fasting on Ashura. They were asked about it and said, "This is the day on which Allah gave Moses victory over Pharaoh, and we fast it to honor him." The Messenger of Allah said, "We have a closer claim to Moses than you do," and instructed the people to fast that day.

Abdullah ibn Abbas reported: When the Prophet fasted Ashura and instructed us to fast it, the people said, "Messenger of Allah, this is a day that the Jews and Christians honor." The Messenger of Allah said, "When next year comes, we will fast the ninth day as well." But the next year had not come before the Messenger of Allah died.

Al-Hakam ibn al-Araj said: I came to Ibn Abbas while he was resting on his cloak in the Sacred Mosque and asked him about fasting on Ashura. He said, "When you see the crescent of Muharram, count the days. When the ninth day comes, begin the day fasting." I asked, "Is that how Muhammad used to fast?" He replied, "That is how Muhammad used to fast."

Abd al-Rahman ibn Maslamah reported from his uncle that people of the tribe of Aslam came to the Prophet. He asked, "Have you fasted this day?" They said, "No." He said, "Complete the rest of the day, and make it up." Abu Dawud said: He meant the Day of Ashura.

Abdullah ibn Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah said to him, "The fast most beloved to Allah is the fast of David, and the prayer most beloved to Allah is the prayer of David. He slept for half the night, prayed for a third of it, and slept for a sixth. He fasted every other day."

Qatadah ibn Milhan al-Qaysi reported that the Messenger of Allah used to command them to fast the White Days: the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth. He said, "They are like fasting for a lifetime."

Abdullah ibn Masud reported that the Messenger of Allah used to fast three days each month, beginning with the first of each month.

Hafsah reported that the Messenger of Allah used to fast three days each month: Monday, Thursday, and the following Monday.