5. Fasting

Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "None of you should fast a day or two before the (beginning of the) mouth of Ramadan, unless it is a day on which one is in the habit of fasting (i.e. voluntary fasting that coincides with that day).” Agreed upon. ’Ammar bin Yasir (RAA) narrated, ‘Whoever fasts the day of doubt he has then disobeyed Abu al-Qasim (the Prophet).’ Related by the five Imams, and Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih Ibn 'Umar (RAA) narrated, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, "Start fasting after you have seen it (i.e. the new crescent) and end the fast (at the end of the month) when you see it. If it is overcast and cannot be seen, then estimate its sighting (i.e. presume that Sha‘ban lasted for thirty days)." Agreed upon. Muslim narrated, "If it is too overcast to be seen then presume that it (Sha'ban) lasted for thirty days."In another narration by al-Bukhari, "wait, until thirty days of it (Sha’ban) have passed." Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah, “Complete the days of Sha’ban as thirty days.” Ibn ’Umar (RAA) narrated, ‘The people were trying to sight the new moon (of Ramadan.) and when I reported to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that I had seen it, he fasted and commanded people to fast.’ Related by Abu Dawud, and Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih. Ibn ‘Abbas (RAA) narrated, ‘A Bedouin came to the Prophet and said, ‘I have sighted the crescent (of Ramadan). He then said to him, "Do you testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah?” The Bedouin said, ‘Yes.’ He asked him again, "Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?" The man replied, ‘Yes.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) there upon said, "O Bilal! Announce to the people to (start) fasting tomorrow." Related by the five Imams. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih. An-Nasa'i said that it is most probably Mursal (a Hadith in which the link between the Successor (Tabi’i) and the Prophet (ﷺ) is missing. The mother of the believers, Hafsah (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever does not form his intention to fast before to fajr, his fasting will not be accepted.” Related by the five Imams, but At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i consider it to be related by Hafsah and not connected to the Prophet (ﷺ). Imam Ad-Daraqutni transmitted, "No fasting is accepted for one who does not form the intention (to fast) the night before.” 'A’isha (RAA) narrated, ‘One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered my house and said, “ls there anything here (to eat)?" I said, ‘NO,’ He said, “I shall then be fasting (today)." Then he came to us another day and we said to him, 'Someone has offered us some hais as a gift.’ He then said, "Show it to me. I had been fasting since this morning, “and he ate from it ( as it was a voluntary fast and not during the obligatory fasting of Ramadan). Related by Muslim. Sahl bin Sa'd (RAA) narrated That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "People will always be fine (on the right path, or following the Sunnah) as long as they hasten to break their fast (in Ramadan)." Agreed upon. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Allah, the Most Exalted said: “Those among My servants, who hasten to break their fast, are the most beloved (or dearest)to Me.” Related by At-Tirmidhi. Anas (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Eat the suhur (pre-dawn meal), for there are blessings in this meal.” Agreed upon. Sulaiman bin ’Amir Ad-Dabbi (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “When one of you is breaking his fast, he should eat some dates. If dates are not available, then break it with some water, for water is purifying.’’ Related by the five lmams. Ibn Khuzaimah, Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim graded it as Sahih. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade us from practicing wisal in fasting (i.e. fasting continuously without breaking one’s fast in the evening or eating before the following dawn). So a man said to him, ‘But you practice wisal O Messenger of Allah!’ The Prophet Allah (ﷺ) replied, “Which one of you is like me? I am given food and drink during my sleep by Allah." So when people refused to stop wisal, the Prophet fasted day and night continuously along with them for a day and then another day and then they saw the crescent (of the new month of Shawwal). The Prophet said to them, "If the crescent had not appeared, I would have made you fast for a longer period." That was a punishment for them because they refused to stop (practicing Wisal). Agreed upon. Abu Hurairah (BAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions and does not abandon foolishness, Allah is not in need of his leaving food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his FASTING).” Related by Al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud, and the wording is from the latter. 'A’isha (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would kiss and embrace (his wives) while fasting, for he had the most control of all of you over his desires.’ Agreed upon and the wording is from Muslim, who added in a narration, ‘In Ramadan. Ibn 'Abbas (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had himself cupped while he was in a state of Ihram, and had himself cupped while he was fasting.’’ Related by Al-Bukhari. Shaddad bin Aus (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came across a man in Al-Baqi' (in Madinah) who was having himself cupped in Ramadan., and said to him, “The one who cups and the one who is being cupped have both broken their fast." Related by the five Imams except for At-Tirmidhi. Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban regarded it as authentic. Anas (RAA) narrated, ‘The first time cupping was dis-liked for the one who is fasting was when Ja’far bin Abi Talib had himself cupped while fasting and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came across him and said, "Those two have broken their fast (meaning Ja'far and the man who was cupping him.)" But later on the Prophet allowed cupping for the one who is fasting. Anas used to have himself cupped while he was fasting. Related by Ad-Daraqutni, who regarded it as a strong hadith. 'A’isha (RAA) narrated, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) applied kohl to his eyes while he was fasting.’ Related by Ibn Majah with a weak chain of narrators. According to At-Tirmidhi, nothing authentic has been related from the Prophet concerning this issue, i.e. applying kohl, eye drops etc. to the eye while fasting. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever forgets that he is fasting, and eats or drinks is to complete his fast, as it was Allah who fed him and gave him something to drink." Agreed upon. Al-Hakim transmitted on the authority of Abu Hurairah, “Whoever breaks his fast during Ramadan due to forgetfulness is not to make up for the day later or perform an expiation.” It is a sound hadith. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever is overcome and vomits is not to make up for the day, but whoever vomits intentionally must make up the day.” Related by the five Imams. Jabir (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) left for Makkah during the year of the conquest (of Makkah) in Ramadan and he and the people with him fasted until he reached the valley of Kura Al-Ghamim. He then called for a cup of water, which he elevated so that the people could see it, and then he drank. After-wards, he was told that some people had continued to fast, and he then said, "Those are the disobedient ones! Those are the disobedient ones!” In another narration, ‘He was told that people are finding it difficult to fast (during the journey) and they are waiting to see what the Prophet (ﷺ) will do. So he called for a cup of water after the Asr (afternoon) prayer and drank it.’ Related by Muslim. Hamzah bin ’Amro Al-Aslami (RAA) narrated, ‘I said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)! I find within me the strength to fast while traveling. Would there be any blame upon me if I were to do so?’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him, "It is a concession from Allah. Whoever takes it has done well. Whoever likes to fast, there is no blame upon him."Related by Muslim. And it's basic meaning is in Al-Bukhari and Muslim from the narration of Aisha (with the wording) "that Hamza bin 'Amro asked". Ibn ’Abbas (RAA) narrated, ‘An elderly man is permitted to break his fast, but he must feed a poor person daily, and he does not have to make up for it.’ Related by Ad-Daraqutni and Al- hakim, who rendered it to be Sahih Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, “l am ruined O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)!" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked him, “What has ruined you?" The man replied, ‘I had intercourse with my wife during the day in Ramadan while fasting)’ The Prophet said to him, "Are you able to free a slave?" The man said, ‘No.’ The Prophet said, "Can you fast for two consecutive months?" He said, ‘NO.' The Prophet then asked him, "Can you provide food for sixty poor people?" He said, ‘No.’ Then the man sat down. A basket of dates was brought to the Prophet and he said to the man, “Give this as Sadaqah (voluntary charity)” The man said, ‘To someone who is poorer than us!’ There is no one in this city (Al-Madinah) who is in need of these dates more than us!’ The Prophet laughed until his molar teeth could be seen and said to the man, “Go and feed your family with these dates.” Related by the seven Imams and the wording is from Muslim. 'A’isha and Umm Salamah (RAA) narrated, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would rise in the morning (when it is already Fajr time) while he was Junub (in a state of major ritual impurity due to intercourse) on a day in Ramadan. He would then perform Ghusl and fast. Agreed upon. In the narration of Muslim on the authority of Umm Salamah, ‘And he would not make up for it (that day).’ 'A’isha (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever dies while he still has some fasts to make up (of the days of Ramadan), then his heir (any of them) should fast on his behalf.” Agreed upon. Abu Qatadah Al-Ansari (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah (the 9th of the month of Dhul Hijjah). He replied, "Fasting on the day of Arafah is an expiation for the preceding year and the following year.” He was also asked about fasting on the day of Ashura (the 10th of the month of Muharram). He replied, “Fasting on the day of Ashura is an expiation for the preceding year.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was also asked about fasting on Monday, and he replied, "This is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was sent (with the Message of Islam) and the day on which I received revelation." Related by Muslim. Abu Aiyub Al-Ansari (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal will be (rewarded) as if he had fasted the entire year." Related by Muslim. Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “No servant (of Allah) fasts on a day (merely) for the sake of Allah except that Allah pushes the Hellfire seventy years further away from his face, due to fasting on this day.” Agreed upon and the wording is from Muslim. 'A’isha (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast until one would say, he never breaks his fast (i.e. he never stops fasting), and he would abandon fasting (at other times) until one would say that he never fasts. And I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fast for a complete month except for the month of Ramadan, and I never saw him fast in a month more than he did in the month of Sha’ban.” Agreed upon and the wording is from Muslim. Abu Dharr (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded us to fast for three days of every month; that is on the days of the full moon; the 13th , 14th , and 15th (of the lunar month).’ Related by An-Nasa’i and At-Tirmidhi and rendered authentic by Ibn Hibban. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah said, "A woman is not to fast (even) for one day while her husband is present except with his permission" Agreed upon and the wording is from Al-Bukhari. Abu Dawud’s version states, “unless it is during Ramadan (then she does not need his permission as it is obligatory fasting).’’ Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (RAA) narrated. ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has prohibited fasting on two days; the day of Fitr (breaking the fast of Ramadan) and on the day of sacrifice ('Idul Adha).’ Agreed upon. Nubaishah Al-Hudhali (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The days of Tashriq (the three days following 'Idul Ad-ha, i.e. 11th , 12th and 13th of Dhul Hijjah) are days of eating, drinking and remembering (dhikr) of Allah, the Most Great and Glorious." Related by Muslim. 'A’isha and lbn 'Umar (RAA) narrated, ‘Nobody was allowed to fast on the days of Tashriq except for those, who could not afford the Hadi (sacrifice).' Related by Al-Bukhari. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Do not single out Friday night (i.e. the night preceding Friday) among all the other nights for performing the night prayer. Also, do not single out Friday among other days for fasting, unless it coincides with the days one regularly fasts." Related by Muslim. Abu Hurairah, narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “None of you should fast on Friday, unless he fasts together with the day before or the day after.” Agreed upon. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "When it is the middle of Sha'ban do not fast (until it is Ramadan).” Related by the five Imams, but Imam Ahmad declared it to be a weak narration. As-Samma’ bint Busr (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Do not fast on Saturday unless it is an obligatory fast. (Do not fast) even if you do not find anything (to eat) except for some grape peelings or the branch of a tree, in that case he should chew on it." Related by the five Imams and its narrators are reliable. Imam Malik disapproved this narration, and Abu Dawud said that this narration is abrogated. Umm Salamah (RAA) narrated, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast more often on Saturdays and Sundays than on the other days. He would say, "They are the 'ids of the polytheists, and I love to act contrary to what they do." Related by An-Nasal and was rendered authentic by Ibn Khuzaimah, and the wording is his. Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade fasting on the day of Arafah for the one who is actually at Arafah (i.e. performing Hajj). Related by the five Imams except for At-Tirmidhi. Ibn Khuzaimah and al-Hakim graded it as Sahih. ’Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “May he, who perpetually fasts (without a break) never fast." Agreed upon. Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Qatadah, “May he not fast or break his fast." Abu Hurairah narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever prays during the night in Ramadan out of sincere faith and seeking its reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven." Agreed upon. 'A’isha (RAA) narrated, ‘With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. keep away from his wives) and used to stay up praying all night, and he would also wake his wives (to pray and recite Qur’an etc..).” Agreed upon. 'A’isha (RAA) narrated, ’The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan until he died. Then his wives used to perform I'tikaf after his death.’ Agreed upon. ’A’isha (RAA) narrated, "Whenever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) intended to make I'tikaf he would pray the morning prayer and then he would enter the place of his I’tikaf (i.e. the place, which he had prepared for his I'tikaf inside the mosque)." Agreed upon. ’A’isha (RAA) narrated, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to put his head into (the window of my house) while he was in the mosque (performing I'tikaf) and I would comb his hair. When he was in I'tikaf he would not enter the house except for some need.”Agreed upon and the wording is from Al-Bukhari. ’A’isha (RAA) narrated, ‘It is Sunnah for the one performing I'tikaf not to visit the sick, attend a funeral, or touch his wife (with sexual desire), nor have sexual intercourse with her. He should also not go out (of the mosque) except for an extreme necessity, and no I’tikaf is accepted without fasting, or without being in a congregational mosque (where Friday prayer is performed).’ Related by Abu Dawud with an acceptable chain of narrators, but scholars say that the last part (starting: ‘no I'tikaf is accepted….) is most probably the saying of ’A’isha (RAA), i.e. Hadith Mauquf (i.e. that which the companion does not connect to the Prophet and it is not the Prophet (ﷺ) himself. Ibn ’Abbas (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The one who is performing I'tikaf does not have to fast unless he obliges himself to do so.” Related by Ad-Daraqutni and al-Hakim, and most probably it is also the saying of Ibn 'Abbas, i.e. Mawquf and not of the sayings of the Prophet (ﷺ). Ibn ’Umar (RAA) narrated, ‘Some of the companions of the Prophet were shown in their dreams that the night of Qadr was in the last seven nights of Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to them, “It seems that all of your dreams agree that (the Night of Qadr) is in the last seven nights, and whoever wants to seek that night should do so in the last seven nights (of Ramadan)." Agreed upon. Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufian (RAA) narrated, ’The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said regarding the night of al-Qadr, "It is the 27th night (of Ramadan).’’ Related by Abu Dawud. But it is most probably the saying of Mu’awiyah and not the Prophet (ﷺ). 'A’isha (RAA) narrated, ‘I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), if I know what night the night of Qadr is, what should I say during it?’ He said, “Say: O Allah, You are the Pardoner and You love to pardon, so pardon me." Related by the five Imams except for Abu Dawud. At-Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim reported it as Sahih. Abu Sa 'id AI-Khudri (RAA) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “One should not undertake journeys except to three mosques: al-Masque al-Haram (in Makkah ), the Aqsa mosque, or this mosque (in Madinah)." Agreed upon.