The Book of Fasting

Abu Huraira reported that a man came to the Prophet and said, “I am ruined, Messenger of Allah.” He asked, “What has ruined you?” The man replied, “I had intercourse with my wife during Ramadan.” He asked, “Can you free a slave?” The man said no. He asked, “Can you fast for two consecutive months?” The man said no. He asked, “Can you feed sixty poor people?” The man said no. The man then sat down. A basket of dates was brought to the Prophet, and he said, “Give this in charity.” The man said, “To someone poorer than us? There is no household between the two lava plains of Medina more in need of it than ours.” The Prophet laughed until his teeth showed, then said, “Go and feed it to your family.”

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim transmitted a similar report through the same chain from al-Zuhri, like the narration of Ibn Uyayna. He said it was a basket containing dates—meaning a large basket—but did not mention that the Prophet laughed until his teeth showed.

Abu Huraira reported that a man had intercourse with his wife during Ramadan and asked the Messenger of Allah for a ruling. He asked, “Can you free a slave?” The man said no. He asked, “Can you fast for two months?” The man said no. He said, “Then feed sixty poor people.”

Muhammad ibn Rafi transmitted this through the same chain from al-Zuhri: a man broke his fast in Ramadan, and the Messenger of Allah ordered him to expiate by freeing a slave. The rest is like the narration of Ibn Uyayna.

Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet ordered a man who had broken his fast in Ramadan to free a slave, fast for two months, or feed sixty poor people.

Abd ibn Humayd transmitted a similar report through the same chain from al-Zuhri, like the narration of Ibn Uyayna.

Aisha reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said, “I am ruined.” He asked, “Why?” The man replied, “I had intercourse with my wife during the day in Ramadan.” He said, “Give charity, give charity.” The man said, “I have nothing.” The Prophet told him to sit. Two baskets of food were brought, and the Messenger of Allah told him to give them in charity.

Abbad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr reported that he heard Aisha say: A man came to the Messenger of Allah, and she related the hadith, but this version does not include the words “Give charity, give charity” or the phrase “during the day.”

Aisha, wife of the Prophet, reported: A man came to the Messenger of Allah in the mosque during Ramadan and said, “I am ruined, I am ruined.” The Messenger of Allah asked, “What is the matter?” He replied, “I had intercourse with my wife.” He said, “Give charity.” The man said, “By Allah, Prophet of Allah, I have nothing and cannot afford anything.” He told him, “Sit down.” While he sat there, a man arrived leading a donkey laden with food. The Messenger of Allah asked, “Where is the man who was ruined just now?” The man stood up, and the Messenger of Allah said, “Give this in charity.” He replied, “To someone else? By Allah, we are hungry and have nothing.” He said, “Then eat it.”

Ibn Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah set out during Ramadan in the year of the Conquest, fasted until he reached al-Kadid, and then broke his fast. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah would follow his most recent actions.

Yahya, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shayba, Amr al-Naqid, and Ishaq ibn Ibrahim transmitted a similar report through the same chain from al-Zuhri. Yahya said that Sufyan remarked, “I do not know whose words these are”—meaning that the later statement of the Messenger of Allah was followed.

Al-Zuhri reported through the same chain that breaking the fast while travelling was the later of the two rulings, and that only the later command of the Messenger of Allah is followed. Al-Zuhri said: The Messenger of Allah reached Mecca on the morning after thirteen nights of Ramadan had passed.

Ibn Shihab transmitted a similar hadith through the same chain as al-Layth and said that they followed each successive later command of the Prophet, considering it decisive and abrogating what came before.

Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah travelled during Ramadan while fasting. When he reached Usfan, he asked for a vessel containing a drink and drank during the day so that people could see him, then continued not fasting until he entered Mecca. Ibn Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah fasted and broke his fast; whoever wished fasted, and whoever wished did not.

Ibn Abbas said, “Do not criticize either the one who fasts or the one who does not. The Messenger of Allah fasted while travelling and also did not fast.”

Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah set out for Mecca during Ramadan in the year of the Conquest and fasted until he reached Kura al-Ghamim. The people were fasting too. He called for a cup of water, raised it so the people could see, then drank. Later he was told that some people had continued fasting. He said, “Those are the disobedient ones; those are the disobedient ones.”

Qutayba ibn Said transmitted this through the same chain from Jaafar, with this addition: He was told, “Fasting has become difficult for the people, and they are waiting to see what you will do.” He then called for a cup of water after the afternoon prayer. The rest of the hadith is the same.

Jabir ibn Abdullah reported: During a journey, the Messenger of Allah saw a man surrounded by people who were shading him. He asked, “What is the matter with him?” They said, “He is fasting.” The Messenger of Allah said, “It is not righteousness to fast while travelling.”

Muhammad ibn Amr ibn al-Hasan reported that he heard Jabir ibn Abdullah say that the Messenger of Allah saw a man, relating the rest of the hadith as above.

Ahmad ibn Uthman al-Nawfali transmitted a similar report through the same chain from Shuba, with this addition: “Take the concession Allah has granted you.” Shuba said he had heard that Yahya ibn Abi Kathir added this wording to the hadith and its chain, but when he asked Yahya, Yahya did not recall it.