7. Fasting

وَعَنِ الْعِرْبَاضِ بْنِ سَارِيَةَ قَالَ: دَعَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى السَّحُورِ فِي رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ: «هَلُمَّ إِلَى الْغَدَاءِ الْمُبَارَكِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد والسنائي

Al-‘Irbad b. Sariya told that God’s messenger invited him to a meal shortly before dawn in Ramadan saying, “Come to the blessed morning meal.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نِعْمَ سَحُورُ الْمُؤْمِنَ التَّمْرُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “How good is the believer’s meal of dates shortly before dawn!” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابه» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If one does not abandon falsehood and action in accordance with it, God had no need that he should abandon his food and his drink.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُقَبِّلُ وَيُبَاشِرُ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ وَكَانَ أَمْلَكَكُمْ لأربه

‘A'isha said, “God’s messenger used to kiss and embrace while he was fasting, but he was the one of you who had most control over his desire.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُدْرِكُهُ الْفَجْرُ فِي رَمَضَانَ وَهُوَ جُنُبٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ حُلْمٍ فَيَغْتَسِلُ وَيَصُومُ

She said that God’s messenger would be overtaken by the dawn in Ramadan when he was in a state of sexual defilement, not owing to a dream, and would wash and fast. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ احْتَجَمَ وَهُوَ مُحْرِمٌ وَاحْتَجَمَ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet had himself cupped when he was wearing the ihram and also when he was fasting. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «من نسي وَهُوَ صَائِم فأل أَوْ شَرِبَ فَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ فَإِنَّمَا أَطْعَمَهُ اللَّهُ وسقاه»

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone forgets when he is fasting and eats or drinks he should complete his fast, for it is only God who has fed him and given him drink.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن أبي هُرَيْرَة قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذْ جَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُول الله هَلَكت. قَالَ: «مَالك؟» قَالَ: وَقَعْتُ عَلَى امْرَأَتِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «هَلْ تَجِدُ رَقَبَةً تُعْتِقُهَا؟» . قَالَ: لَا قَالَ: «فَهَلْ تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تَصُومَ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ؟» قَالَ: لَا. قَالَ: «هَلْ تَجِدُ إِطْعَامَ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا؟» قَالَ: لَا. قَالَ: «اجْلِسْ» وَمَكَثَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم فَبينا نَحْنُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِعَرَقٍ فِيهِ تَمْرٌ وَالْعَرَقُ الْمِكْتَلُ الضَّخْمُ قَالَ: «أَيْنَ السَّائِلُ؟» قَالَ: أَنَا. قَالَ: «خُذْ هَذَا فَتَصَدَّقْ بِهِ» . فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: أَعَلَى أَفْقَرَ مِنِّي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا بَيْنَ لَابَتَيْهَا يُرِيدُ الْحَرَّتَيْنِ أَهْلُ بَيْتِ أَفْقَرُ م أَهْلِ بَيْتِي. فَضَحِكَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى بَدَتْ أَنْيَابُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَطْعِمْهُ أهلك»

He said that while they were sitting with the Prophet a man came to him and said, “Messenger of God, I am undone.” He asked him what had happened to him and he replied that he had had intercourse with his wife while he was fasting. God’s messenger then asked him whether he could get a slave to free, but he replied that he could not. He asked if he could fast two consecutive months, but he replied that he could not. He asked if he could provide food for sixty poor people, and when he replied that he could not, he told him to sit down. The Prophet then waited for a time, and meanwhile an ‘araq containing dates was brought to him, an ‘araq being a huge basket.* He asked where the man who had questioned him was, and when he replied, " I am," he said, "Take this and give it as sadaqa." The man replied, “Am I to give it to one who is poorer than I am, messenger of God? I swear by God that there is no poorer family than mine between the two lava plains of Medina," i.e. the two harras. The Prophet thereupon laughed so that his eye-teeth became visible and said, "Give it to your family to eat." *In explaining the word 'araq the tradition calls it a hugh miktal. The miktal was a basket containing fifteen sa's. It is also said to have had double that capacity. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَن عَائِشَة: أَن الني صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: كَانَ يُقَبِّلُهَا وَهُوَ صَائِم ويمص لسنانها. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

‘A'isha said that the Prophet used to kiss her and suck her tongue when he was fasting. Abu Dawud transmitted it.* *Saum, 34. This is said by some to be weak because Muhammad b. Dinar and Sa'd b. Aus are among its transmitters.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ إِنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ الْمُبَاشَرَةِ لِلصَّائِمِ فَرخص لَهُ. وَأَتَاهُ آخَرُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَنَهَاهُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي رَخَّصَ لَهُ شَيْخٌ وَإِذَا الَّذِي نَهَاهُ شَابٌّ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Abu Huraira said that a man asked the Prophet whether one who was fasting might embrace his wife and he gave him permission, but when another came to him and asked him he forbade him. The one to whom he gave permission was an old man and the one whom he forbade was a youth. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «من ذرعه الْقَيْء وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ قَضَاءٌ وَمَنِ اسْتَقَاءَ عَمْدًا فَلْيَقْضِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ. وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ حَدِيثِ عِيسَى بْنِ يُونُس. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّد يَعْنِي البُخَارِيّ لَا أرَاهُ مَحْفُوظًا

He reported God’s messenger as saying, "If one has a sudden attack of vomiting while he is fasting no atonement is required of him, but if he vomits intentionally he must make atonement." Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. Tirmidhi said this is a gharib tradition which he knew only among the traditions of ‘Isa. b. Yunus, and that Muhammad, i.e. Bukhari, said he did not consider it one which was held in estimation.

وَعَنْ مَعْدَانَ بْنِ طَلْحَةَ أَنَّ أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَاءَ فَأَفْطَرَ. قَالَ: فَلَقِيتُ ثَوْبَانَ فِي مَسْجِدِ دِمَشْقَ فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّ أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ حَدَّثَنِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَاءَ فَأَفْطَرَ. قَالَ: صَدَقَ وَأَنَا صَبَبْتُ لَهُ وضوءه. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ والدارمي

Ma'dan b. Talha said Abu Darda’ told him that God’s messenger vomited and broke his fast. He said that he met Thauban in the mosque of Damascus, and when he remarked that Abu Darda’ told him that God’s messenger vomited and broke his fast he said, "He spoke the truth; and I was the one who poured out the water for his ablution." Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا لَا أُحْصِي يَتَسَوَّكُ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ ". رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ

‘Amir b. Rabi'a said he had seen the Prophet more often than he could count using a toothstick while he was fasting. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: " اشتكيت عَيْني أَفَأَكْتَحِلُ وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ؟ قَالَ: «نَعَمْ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: لَيْسَ إِسْنَادُهُ بِالْقَوِيِّ وَأَبُو عَاتِكَةَ الرَّاوِي يضعف

Anas told of a man coming to the Prophet and saying, “I have a complaint in my eyes, so may I apply collyrium while I am fasting?” He replied, “Yes.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying its isnad is not strong and Abu ‘Atika the transmitter is declared to be weak.

وَعَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالْعَرْجِ يَصُبُّ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ الْمَاءَ وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ مِنَ الْعَطَشِ أَوْ مِنَ الْحَرِّ. رَوَاهُ مَالك

One of the Prophet’s companions said he had seen the Prophet in al-'Arj* pouring water over his head while he was fasting; either because of thirst or because of the heat. *A wadi in the neighbourhood of at-Ta’if. Malik and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَتَى رَجُلًا بِالْبَقِيعِ وَهُوَ يَحْتَجِمُ وَهُوَ آخِذٌ بِيَدِي لِثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ: «أَفْطَرَ الْحَاجِمُ وَالْمَحْجُومُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ. قَالَ الشَّيْخُ الْإِمَامُ مُحْيِي السُّنَّةِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ: وَتَأَوَّلَهُ بَعْضُ مَنْ رَخَّصَ فِي الْحِجَامَةِ: أَيْ تَعَرُّضًا لِلْإِفْطَارِ: الْمَحْجُومُ لِلضَّعْفِ وَالْحَاجِمُ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَأْمَنُ مِنْ أَنْ يَصِلَ شَيْءٌ إِلَى جَوْفِهِ بمص الملازم

Shaddad b. Aus said that when God’s messenger was walking hand in hand with him on the eighteenth of Ramadan he came across a man in al-Baqi who was being cupped and said, “The one who cups and the one who is cupped have broken their fast.” Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. The shaikh and imam Muhyi as-sunna said that some of those who allow cupping have interpreted it as meaning that they exposed themselves to the danger of breaking the fast, the one who was cupped on account of weakness, and the one who did the cupping because he could not guarantee that something would not get into his stomach by sucking the flask.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ أَفْطَرَ يَوْمًا مِنْ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ رُخْصَةٍ وَلَا مَرَضٍ لَمْ يَقْضِ عَنْهُ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ وَإِنْ صَامَهُ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَالْبُخَارِيُّ فِي تَرْجَمَةِ بَابٍ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدًا يَعْنِي البُخَارِيّ يَقُول. أَبُو المطوس الرَّاوِي لَا أَعْرِفُ لَهُ غَيْرَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone breaks his fast one day in Ramadan without a concession* or without being ill, a perpetual fast will not atone for it even if he observes it.” *e.g. while travelling. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Darimi and Bukhari in a chapter heading transmitted it. Tirmidhi said that he heard Muhammad, i.e. Bukhari, say this was the only tradition he knew by Abul Mutawwis the transmitter.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «كَمْ مِنْ صَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ إِلَّا الظَّمَأُ وَكَمْ مِنْ قَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ من قِيَامه إِلَّا السهر» . رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Many a one who fasts gets nothing from his fasting but thirst, and many a one who prays during the night gets nothing from his night prayers but wakefulness.” Darimi transmitted it. The tradition of Laqit b. Sabira has been mentioned in the chapter on how to perform ablution.

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «ثَلَاثٌ لَا يُفْطِرْنَ الصَّائِمَ الْحِجَامَةُ وَالْقَيْءُ وَالِاحْتِلَامُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَيْرُ مَحْفُوظٍ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زيد الرَّاوِي يضعف فِي الحَدِيث

cupping, vomiting, and a nocturnal emission.” Tirmidhi transmitted it saying this is a tradition which is not regarded, its transmitter ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Zaid being declared a weak traditionist.

وَعَنْ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: كُنْتُمْ تَكْرَهُونَ الْحِجَامَةَ لِلصَّائِمِ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: لَا إِلَّا مِنْ أَجْلِ الضَّعْفِ. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

Thabit al-Bunani said that when Anas b. Malik was asked whether they disapproved of cupping for one who was fasting in the time of God’s messenger he replied, “No, except if it had a weakening effect.” Bukhari transmitted it.