The Book of Fasting

كتاب الصيام

Chapter 35: Prohibition of Fasting for a lifetime for the one who will be harmed by that or who will neglect other duties, or does not break his fast on the two 'Ids or during the days of At-Tashriq; It is better to fast alternate days

'Abdullah b. 'Amr (Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me! 'Abdullah b. 'Amr, it has been conveyed to me that you observe fast during the day and stand in prayer during the whole night. Don't do that, for your body has a share of its own in you, your eye has a share of its own in you, your wife has a share of her own in you. Observe fast and break it too. Fast for three days in every month and that is a prepetual fasting. I said! Messenger of Allah, I have got strength enough (to do more than this), whereupon he said

Then observe the fast of David (peace be upon him). Observe fast one day and break it (on the other) day. And he ('Abdullah b. 'Amr) used to say: Would that I had availed myself of this concession.

Chapter 36: It is recommended to fast three days of every month, and to fast on the days of 'Arafah and 'Ashura', and to fast on Mondays and Thursdays

Mu'adha al-'Adawiyya reported that she asked 'A'isha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed fasts for three days during every month. She said

Yes I said to her: Which were (the particular) days of the month on which he observed fast? She said: He was not particular about the days of the month on which to observe fast.

This hadith has been narrated by Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

Abu Qatada Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Massenger (ﷺ) was asked about fasting on Monday, whereupon he said

It is (the day) when I was born and revelation was sent down to me.

Chapter 39: It is recommended to fast Six Days in Shawwal following Ramadan

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

He who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal. it would be as if he fasted perpetually.

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari reported (through another chain of transmitters)

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying like this.

Chapter 40: The virtue of Lailat Al-Qadr and the Exhortation to seek it; When it is and the most likely times to seek it

Salim b. 'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that his father said

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: So far as Lailat-ul-Qadr is concerned. some persons among you have seen it (in a dream) in the first week and some persons among you have been shown that it is in the last week; so seek it in the last ten (nights).

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Seek it (Lailat-ul-Qadr) in the last (ten nights). If one among you shows slackness and weakness (in the earlier part of Ramadan), it should not be allowed to prevail upon him in the last week.

Chapter 14: The strict prohibition of intercourse during the day in Ramadan for one who is fasting; And the obligation of offering major expiation and the definition thereof; And that it is obligatory for both the one who can afford it and the one who cannot afford it, and it remains an obligation for the one who cannot afford it until he has the means

Humaid b. 'Abd al-Rahman reported that Abu Huraira had narrated to him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded the person (who) broke the fast in Ramadan to free a slave or observe fasts for two (consecutive) months or feed sixty poor persons.

Chapter 15: It is permissible to fast or not to fast during Ramadan for one who is travelling for no sinful purpose, if his journey is two stages or further. But it is better for the one who is able to fast without suffering any harm to do so, and the one for whom it is difficult may break the fast

Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) journeyed during the month of Ramadan in a state of fasting till he reached 'Usfan. He then ordered a cup containing drinking water and he drank that openly so that the people might see it, and broke the fast (and did not resume it) till he reached Mecca. Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) said

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) fasted and broke the fast, so he who wished fasted and he who wished to break it broke it.

This hadith has been narrated by Ja'far with the same chain of transmitters and he added

It was said to him (to the Holy Prophet): There are people to whom fasting has become unbearable and they are waiting how you do. He (the Holy Prophet) then called for a cup of water when it was afternoon. The rest of the hadith is the same.

'Amr b. al-Hasan is reported to have said that he heard Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with both of them) as saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a man. The rest of the hadith is the same as mentioned above.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported

We went out on an expedition with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during Ramadan and neither the observer of the fast was found fault with for his fasting, nor the breaker of the fast for breaking it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported

We went out on an expedition with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during Ramadan. Some of us observed the fast and some of us broke it. Neither the observer of the fast had any grudge against one who broke it, nor the breaker of the fast had any grudge against one who had fasted They knew that he who had strength enough (to bear its rigour) fasted and that was good, and they also found that he who felt weakness (and could not bear the burden) broke it, and that was also good.

Humaid reported that Anas (Allah be pleased with him) was asked about fasting during Ramadan while travelling. He said

We travelled with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during the month of Ramadan, but neither the observer of the fast found fault with the breaker of the fast, nor the breaker of the fast found fault with the observer of the fast.

Chapter 16: The reward of the one who does not fast when travelling if he does any tasks that are required

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was journeying (along with his Companions). Some of them had observed the fast whereas the others had broken it. Those who did not fast girded up their loins and worked, but the observers of the fast were too weak to work. Upon this he (the Messenger of Allah) said

Today the breakers of the fast have gone with the reward.

Chapter 17: The choice between fasting and not fasting when travelling

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Hamza b. 'Amr al-Aslami asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about fasting on a journey, and he (the Holy Prophet) said

Fast if you like and break it if you like.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Hamza b. Amr al-Aslami asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) thus

Messenger of Allah, I am a person devoted much to fasting. Should I fast during the journey? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Fast if you like and break it if you like.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters that Hamza said

I am a person much used to fasting. Should I fast during the journey? (The rest of the hadith is the same.)

Abu Darda' reported

We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on some of his journeys on an intensely hot day so much so that a person would place his hand on his head (in order to protect himself) against excessive heat, and none amongst us was fasting but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Abdullah b. Rawaha