7. Fasting

وَعَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: «مَنْ صَامَ الْيَوْمَ الَّذِي يُشَكُّ فِيهِ فَقَدَ عَصَى أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ والدارمي

‘Ammar b. Yasir said, "He who fasts on a day about which he is doubtful has disobeyed Abul Qasim"* *i.e., the Prophet. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: " جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الْهِلَالَ يَعْنِي هِلَالَ رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ: «أَتَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ؟» قَالَ: نَعَمْ قَالَ: «أَتَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ؟» قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: «يَا بِلَالُ أَذِّنْ فِي النَّاسِ أَن يَصُومُوا غَدا» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ والدارمي

Ibn ‘Abbas told a desert Arab coming to the Prophet and saying he had seen the new moon, i.e. the new moon of Ramadan. He asked him whether he testified that there is no god but God and he replied that he did. He then asked if he testified that Muhammad is God’s messenger, and when he replied that he did he said, “Bilal, announce to the people that they must fast tomorrow." Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: تَرَاءَى النَّاسُ الْهِلَالَ فَأَخْبَرْتُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ فَصَامَ وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِصِيَامِهِ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد والدارمي

Ibn ‘Umar said that the people tried to see the new moon and he informed God’s messenger that he had seen it, so he fasted and commanded the people to observe the fast." Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَحَفَّظُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ مَالَا يَتَحَفَّظُ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ. ثُمَّ يَصُومُ لِرُؤْيَةِ رَمَضَانَ فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْهِ عَدَّ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا ثُمَّ صَامَ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

‘A’isha said that God’s messenger used to count the days in Sha'ban in a manner he did not practise any other month, then fasted when he saw the new moon of Ramadan; but if the weather was cloudy he counted thirty days and then fasted. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي الْبَخْتَرِيِّ قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا لِلْعُمْرَةِ فَلَمَّا نَزَلْنَا بِبَطْنِ نَخْلَةَ تَرَاءَيْنَا الْهِلَالَ. فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ: هُوَ ابْنُ ثَلَاثٍ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ: هُوَ ابْنُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ فَلَقِينَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَقُلْنَا: إِنَّا رَأَيْنَا الْهِلَالَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ: هُوَ ابْنُ ثَلَاثٍ وَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ: هُوَ ابْنُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ. فَقَالَ: أَيُّ لَيْلَةٍ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ؟ قُلْنَا: لَيْلَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا. فَقَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَدَّهُ لِلرُّؤْيَةِ فَهُوَ لِلَيْلَةِ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ عَنْهُ. قَالَ: أَهَلَلْنَا رَمَضَانَ وَنَحْنُ بِذَاتِ عِرْقٍ فَأَرْسَلْنَا رَجُلًا إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ يَسْأَلُهُ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِن الله تَعَالَى قد أَمَدَّهُ لِرُؤْيَتِهِ فَإِنْ أُغْمِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

We went out to perform the ‘umra, and when we encamped in the valley of Nakhla we tried to see the new moon. Some of the people said it was three nights old and others that it was two nights old. We then met Ibn ‘Abbas and told him we had seen the new moon, but that some of the people said it was three nights old and others that it was two nights old. He asked what night we had seen it, and when we told him we had seen it on such and such a night he said, “God’s messenger deferred it till the time it is seen, so it is to be reckoned as being on the night you saw it.” In a version he said: We saw the new moon of Ramadan when we were in Dhat ‘Irq* and we sent a man to Ibn ‘Abbas to enquire of him. He replied that God’s messenger had said, “God most high has deferred it till it is seen, but if the weather is cloudy observe the fast after the complete number of days have passed.” *Dhat 'Irq was near Nakhla, so this version is simply a little more precise than the other about were they were. Muslim transmitted it.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «تَسَحَّرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي السَّحُورِ بركَة»

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, “Take a meal a little before dawn, for there is a blessing in taking a meal at that time.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَصْلُ مَا بَيْنَ صِيَامِنَا وَصِيَامِ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أَكْلَةُ السَّحَرِ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

‘Amr b. al-‘As reported God’s messenger as saying, “The difference between our fasting and that of the People of the Book is eating shortly before dawn.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ سَهْلٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَزَالُ النَّاسُ بِخَيْرٍ مَا عَجَّلُوا الْفِطْرَ»

Sahl reported God’s messenger as saying, “The people will continue to prosper as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.”* *This refers to each day during Ramadan, and recommends that the fast should be broken as early as that may lawfully be done. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا أَقْبَلَ اللَّيْل من هَهُنَا وَأدبر النَّهَار من هَهُنَا وَغَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ أَفْطَرَ الصَّائِمُ»

‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “When the night approaches on this side and the day retreats on that side and the sun sets, he who fasts has reached the time to break it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ الْوِصَالِ فِي الصَّوْمِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ رجل: إِنَّك تواصل يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: وَأَيُّكُمْ مِثْلِي إِنِّي أَبَيْتُ يُطْعِمُنِي رَبِّي ويسقيني "

Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger forbade uninterrupted fasting, and when a man said, “You fast uninterruptedly, messenger of God,” he replied, “Which of you is like me? During the night my Lord gives me food and drink.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَن حَفْصَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ لَمْ يَجْمَعِ الصِّيَامَ قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ فَلَا صِيَامَ لَهُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَالدَّارِمَيُّ وَقَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد: وَقفه على حَفْصَة معمر والزبيدي وَابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ وَيُونُسُ الَأَيْلِيُّ كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ

Hafsa reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who does not before dawn express his intention of fasting is not credited with it.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it. Abu Dawud said that Ma'mar, az-Zubaidi, Ibn ‘Uyaina and Yunus al-Aili, all of whom got it on Zuhri’s authority, traced it no farther back than Hafsa.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا سَمِعَ النِّدَاءَ أَحَدُكُمْ وَالْإِنَاءُ فِي يَدِهِ فَلَا يَضَعْهُ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ حَاجَتَهُ مِنْهُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When any of you hears the summons to prayer while he has a vessel in his hand he should not lay it down till he finishes his drink.”* *This is interpreted as referring to the dawn prayer during Ramadan. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: أَحَبُّ عِبَادِي إِلَيَّ أَعْجَلُهُمْ فطرا ". رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

He reported God’s messenger as stating that God Most High has said, “Those of my servants who are quickest in breaking their fast are dearest to me.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ سَلْمَانَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا أَفْطَرَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيُفْطِرْ عَلَى تَمْرٍ فَإِنَّهُ بَرَكَةٌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَلْيُفْطِرْ عَلَى مَاءٍ فَإِنَّهُ طَهُورٌ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ. وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ: «فَإِنَّهُ بَرَكَةٌ» غَيْرُ التِّرْمِذِيِّ

Salman b. ‘Amir reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you breaks his fast he should do so with dates for they provide blessing; but if he cannot get any he should break his fast with water for it is purifying.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, but only Tirmidhi included “for they provide blessing.”

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُفْطِرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَى رطبات فَإِن لم تكن فتميرات فإنلم تكن تُمَيْرَات حسى حَسَوَاتٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ. وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيب

Anas said that the Prophet used to break his fast before praying with some fresh dates, but if there were no fresh dates he had a few dry dates, and if there were no dry dates he took some mouthfuls* of water. *Mirqat explains this as three mouthfuls, but 'three' does not occur in the text. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying that this is a hasan gharib tradition.

وَعَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «من فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا أَوْ جَهَّزَ غَازِيًا فَلَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ وَمُحْيِي السّنة فِي شرح السّنة وَقَالَ صَحِيح

Zaid b. Khalid reported God’s messenger as saying, ‘He who gives one who has been fasting something with which to break his fast, or who equips a fighter will have a reward equivalent to his.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman, and Muhyi as-sunna, who said it is sahih, in Sharh as-sunna.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَفْطَرَ قَالَ: «ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ الله» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Ibn ‘Umar told that the Prophet said when he broke his fast, “Thirst has gone, the arteries are moist, and the reward is sure, if God wills.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ مُعَاذٍ بْنِ زُهْرَةَ قَالَ: إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ إِذَا أَفْطَرَ قَالَ: «اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صَمْتُ وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد مُرْسلا

Mu'adh b. Zuhra told that when the Prophet broke his fast he said, “O God, for Thee I have fasted and with Thy provision I have broken my fast.” Abu Dawud transmitted it in mursal form.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَزَالُ الدِّينُ ظَاهِرًا مَا عَجَّلَ النَّاسُ الْفِطْرَ لِأَنَّ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى يُؤَخِّرُونَ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The religion will continue to prevail as long as people hasten to break the fast, because the Jews and the Christians delay doing so.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي عَطِيَّةَ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَمَسْرُوقٌ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَقُلْنَا: يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَجُلَانِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَحَدُهُمَا يُعَجِّلُ الْإِفْطَارَ وَيُعَجِّلُ الصَّلَاةَ وَالْآخَرُ: يُؤَخِّرُ الْإِفْطَارَ وَيُؤَخِّرُ الصَّلَاةَ. قَالَتْ: أَيُّهُمَا يُعَجِّلُ الْإِفْطَارَ وَيُعَجِّلُ الصَّلَاةَ؟ قُلْنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ. قَالَتْ: هَكَذَا صَنَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالْآخَرُ أَبُو مُوسَى. رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

Masruq and I visited ‘A'isha and said, “Mother of the faithful, there are two of Muhammad’s companions one of whom hastens to break the fast and hastens to pray while the other delays breaking the fast and delays praying. She asked which of them hastened to break the fast and hastened to pray, and when we told her that he was ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud she said, "Thus did God’s messenger do." The other was Abu Musa. Muslim transmitted it.