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.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to observe i'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan. One year he did not observe i'tikaf. When the next year came, he observed i'tikaf for twenty nights (i.e. days).

And Yunus also narrated in a similar way from al-Zuhri, and no one supported Malik in his narration from 'Urwah from 'Umrah ; and Ma'mar, Ziyad b. Sad and others have also narrated it from al-Zuhri from 'Urwah on the authority of 'Aishah.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe I'tikaf in the mosque and put his head near me through the opening of the apartment, and I would wash his head. Musaddad said: "And I would comb it while I was menstruating."

The sunnah for one who is observing i'tikaf (in a mosque) is not to visit a patient, or to attend a funeral, or touch or embrace one's wife, or go out for anything but necessary purposes. There is no i'tikaf without fasting, and there is no i'tikaf except in a congregational mosque.

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took a vow in the pre-Islamic days to spend a night or a day in devotion near the Ka'bah (in the sacred mosque). He asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about it. He said: Observe i'tikaf (i.e. spend a night or a day near the Ka'bah) and fast.

The tradition mentioned above (No. 2468) has also been transmitted by Abdullah ibn Budayl through a different chain of narrators in a similar way.

This version adds: While he (Umar) was observing i'tikaf (in the sacred mosque), the people uttered (loudly): "Allah is most great." He said: What is this, Abdullah? He said: These are the captives of the Hawazin whom the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has set free. He said: This slave-girl too? He sent her along with them.

A’ishah(may Allaah be pleased with her) said “One of the wives of the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) observed I’tikaf along with him (in the mosque). She would see yellowness and redness. Sometimes we would place a washbasin while she prayed.”

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.

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

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.

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.

'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.

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.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to observe I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan. Nafi' said: 'Abd Allah (b. 'Umar) showed me the place in the mosque where Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe I'tikaf.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed I'tikaf, he would put his head near me, and I would comb it. and he entered the house only to fulfill human needs (i.e. to urinate or to relieve himself).

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.

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.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who does not determine to fast before dawn does not fast.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Hafs b. Ghiyath from Hisham.