What the Quran and Sunnah say about fasting.
[S1] Quran 2:183 (Al-Baqara)Openیَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَیۡكُمُ ٱلصِّیَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint
[S2] Quran 2:184 (Al-Baqara)Openأَیَّامࣰا مَّعۡدُودَ ٰتࣲۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِیضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرࣲ فَعِدَّةࣱ مِّنۡ أَیَّامٍ أُخَرَۚ وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ یُطِیقُونَهُۥ فِدۡیَةࣱ طَعَامُ مِسۡكِینࣲۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَیۡرࣰا فَهُوَ خَیۡرࣱ لَّهُۥۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَیۡرࣱ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ
(Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew
[S3] Quran 2:185 (Al-Baqara)Openشَهۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِیۤ أُنزِلَ فِیهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدࣰى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَیِّنَـٰتࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهۡرَ فَلۡیَصُمۡهُۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِیضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرࣲ فَعِدَّةࣱ مِّنۡ أَیَّامٍ أُخَرَۗ یُرِیدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلۡیُسۡرَ وَلَا یُرِیدُ بِكُمُ ٱلۡعُسۡرَ وَلِتُكۡمِلُوا۟ ٱلۡعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ
Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful
[S4] Quran 2:63 (Al-Baqara)Openوَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِیثَـٰقَكُمۡ وَرَفَعۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُوا۟ مَاۤ ءَاتَیۡنَـٰكُم بِقُوَّةࣲ وَٱذۡكُرُوا۟ مَا فِیهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ
And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (The towering height) of Mount (Sinai): (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: Perchance ye may fear Allah
[S5] Sahih al-Bukhari 46Sahih collection (no per-hadith grade)Openحَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ أَبِي سُهَيْلِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ طَلْحَةَ بْنَ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْدٍ، ثَائِرُ الرَّأْسِ، يُسْمَعُ دَوِيُّ صَوْتِهِ، وَلاَ يُفْقَهُ مَا يَقُولُ حَتَّى دَنَا، فَإِذَا هُوَ يَسْأَلُ عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم " خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ ". فَقَالَ هَلْ عَلَىَّ غَيْرُهَا قَالَ " لاَ، إِلاَّ أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ ". قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَصِي…
Narrated Talha bin 'Ubaidullah: A man from Najd with unkempt hair came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and we heard his loud voice but could not understand what he was saying, till he came near and then we came to know that he was asking about Islam. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "You have to offer prayers perfectly five times in a day and night (24 hours)." The man asked, "Is there any more (praying)?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "No, but if you want to offer the Nawafil prayers (you can)." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said to him: "You have to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." The man asked, "Is there any more fasting?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "No, but if you want to observe the Nawafil fasts (you can.)" Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said to him, "You have to pay the Zakat (obligatory charity)." The man asked, "Is there any thing other than the Zakat for me to pay?" Al…
Narrator: Talha bin 'Ubaidullah
[S6] Sahih al-Bukhari 317Sahih collection (no per-hadith grade)Openحَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ خَرَجْنَا مُوَافِينَ لِهِلاَلِ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُهِلَّ بِعُمْرَةٍ فَلْيُهْلِلْ، فَإِنِّي لَوْلاَ أَنِّي أَهْدَيْتُ لأَهْلَلْتُ بِعُمْرَةٍ ". فَأَهَلَّ بَعْضُهُمْ بِعُمْرَةٍ، وَأَهَلَّ بَعْضُهُمْ بِحَجٍّ، وَكُنْتُ أَنَا مِمَّنْ أَهَلَّ بِعُمْرَةٍ، فَأَدْرَكَنِي يَوْمُ عَرَفَةَ وَأَنَا حَائِضٌ، فَشَكَوْتُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " دَعِي عُمْرَتَكِ، وَانْقُضِي رَأْسَكِ وَامْتَشِطِي، و…
Narrated `Aisha:On the 1st of Dhul-Hijja we set out with the intention of performing Hajj. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Any one who likes to assume the Ihram for `Umra he can do so. Had I not brought the Hadi with me, I would have assumed the Ihram for `Umra. "Some of us assumed the Ihram for `Umra while the others assumed the Ihram for Hajj. I was one of those who assumed the Ihram for `Umra. I got menses and kept on menstruating until the day of `Arafat and complained of that to the Prophet. He told me to postpone my `Umra, undo and comb my hair, and to assume the Ihram of Hajj and I did so. On the night of Hasba, he sent my brother `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr with me to at-Tan`im, where I assumed the Ihram for `Umra in lieu of the previous one. Hisham said, "For that (`Umra) no Hadi, fasting or alms were required
Narrator: `Aisha
[S7] Sahih al-Bukhari 322Sahih collection (no per-hadith grade)Openحَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَتْهُ أَنَّ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ قَالَتْ حِضْتُ وَأَنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ، صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْخَمِيلَةِ، فَانْسَلَلْتُ فَخَرَجْتُ مِنْهَا، فَأَخَذْتُ ثِيَابَ حِيضَتِي فَلَبِسْتُهَا، فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَنُفِسْتِ ". قُلْتُ نَعَمْ، فَدَعَانِي فَأَدْخَلَنِي مَعَهُ فِي الْخَمِيلَةِ. قَالَتْ وَحَدَّثَتْنِي أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُقَبِّلُهَا وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ، وَكُنْتُ أَغْتَسِلُ أَنَا وَالنَّبِيُّ صلى الله عل…
Narrated Zainab bint Abi Salama:Um-Salama said, "I got my menses while I was lying with the Prophet (ﷺ) under a woolen sheet. So I slipped away, took the clothes for menses and put them on. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Have you got your menses?' I replied, 'Yes.' Then he called me and took me with him under the woolen sheet." Um Salama further said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to kiss me while he was fasting. The Prophet (ﷺ) and I used to take the bath of Janaba from a single pot
Narrator: Zainab bint Abi Salama
[S8] Sahih al-Bukhari 525Sahih collection (no per-hadith grade)Openحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شَقِيقٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ، قَالَ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا عِنْدَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ يَحْفَظُ قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْفِتْنَةِ قُلْتُ أَنَا، كَمَا قَالَهُ. قَالَ إِنَّكَ عَلَيْهِ ـ أَوْ عَلَيْهَا ـ لَجَرِيءٌ. قُلْتُ " فِتْنَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَجَارِهِ تُكَفِّرُهَا الصَّلاَةُ وَالصَّوْمُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ وَالأَمْرُ وَالنَّهْىُ ". قَالَ لَيْسَ هَذَا أُرِيدُ، وَلَكِنِ الْفِتْنَةُ الَّتِي تَمُوجُ كَمَا يَمُوجُ الْبَحْرُ. قَالَ لَيْس…
Narrated Shaqiq:that he had heard Hudhaifa saying, "Once I was sitting with `Umar and he said, 'Who amongst you remembers the statement of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about the afflictions?' I said, 'I know it as the Prophet (ﷺ) had said it.' `Umar said, 'No doubt you are bold.' I said, 'The afflictions caused for a man by his wife, money, children and neighbor are expiated by his prayers, fasting, charity and by enjoining (what is good) and forbidding (what is evil).' `Umar said, 'I did not mean that but I asked about that affliction which will spread like the waves of the sea.' I (Hudhaifa) said, 'O leader of the faithful believers! You need not be afraid of it as there is a closed door between you and it.' `Umar asked, Will the door be broken or opened?' I replied, 'It will be broken.' `Umar said, 'Then it will never be closed again.' I was asked whether `Umar knew that door. I replied that…
Narrator: Shaqiq
[S9] Sahih al-Bukhari 575Sahih collection (no per-hadith grade)Openحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَاصِمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُمْ، تَسَحَّرُوا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ. قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ قَدْرُ خَمْسِينَ أَوْ سِتِّينَ ـ يَعْنِي آيَةً ـ ح.
Narrated Anas:Zaid bin Thabit said, "We took the "Suhur" (the meal taken before dawn while fasting is observed) with the Prophet (ﷺ) and then stood up for the (morning) prayer." I asked him how long the interval between the two (Suhur and prayer) was. He replied, 'The interval between the two was just sufficient to recite fifty to sixty 'Ayat
Narrator: Anas
[S10] Sahih al-Bukhari 641Sahih collection (no per-hadith grade)Openحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ، يَقُولُ أَخْبَرَنَا جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَاءَهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَاللَّهِ مَا كِدْتُ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ حَتَّى كَادَتِ الشَّمْسُ تَغْرُبُ، وَذَلِكَ بَعْدَ مَا أَفْطَرَ الصَّائِمُ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَاللَّهِ مَا صَلَّيْتُهَا " فَنَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى بُطْحَانَ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ فَتَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى ـ يَعْنِي الْعَصْرَ ـ بَعْدَ مَا غَرَبَتِ الشَّمْسُ،…
Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:On the day of Al-Khandaq (the trench), `Umar bin Al-Khattab went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! By Allah, I could not pray (the `Asr) till the sun had set." `Umar told this to the Prophet at the time when a fasting person had done Iftar (taken his meals). The Prophet (ﷺ) then went to Buthan and I was with him. He performed ablution and offered the `Asr prayer after the sun had set and then the Maghrib prayer
Narrator: Jabir bin `Abdullah