Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out on the day of Adha or Fitr and observed two rak'ahs, and did not observe prayer (at that place) before and after that. He then came to the women along with Bilal and commanded them to give alms and the women began to give their rings and necklaces. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

I never saw the Prophet seeking to fast on a day that he favored more than another except this day, the day of 'Ashura', and this month, meaning the month of Ramadan.

Ikrimah said: We were with AbuHurayrah in his house when he narrated to us: The Messenger of Allah (saws) prohibited fasting on the day of Arafah at Arafah.

A man who wants to perform the Hajj (from Mecca) can perform the Tawaf around the Ka`ba as long as he is not in the state of Ihram till he assumes the Ihram for Hajj. Then, if he rides and proceeds to `Arafat, he should take a Hadi (i.e. animal for sacrifice), either a camel or a cow or a sheep, whatever he can afford; but if he cannot afford it, he should fast for three days during the Hajj before the day of `Arafat, but if the third day of his fasting happens to be the day of `Arafat (i.e. 9th of Dhul-Hijja) then it is no sin for him (to fast on it). Then he should proceed to `Arafat and stay there from the time of the `Asr prayer till darkness falls. Then the pilgrims should proceed from `Arafat, and when they have departed from it, they reach Jam' (i.e. Al-Muzdalifa) where they ask Allah to help them to be righteous and dutiful to Him, and there they remember Allah greatly or say Takbir (i.e. Allah is Greater) and Tahlil (i.e. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah) repeatedly before dawn breaks. Then, after offering the morning (Fajr) prayer you should pass on (to Mina) for the people used to do so and Allah said:-- "Then depart from the place whence all the people depart. And ask for Allah's Forgiveness. Truly! Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (2.199) Then you should go on doing so till you throw pebbles over the Jamra.

The Prophet came to me at the time of Al-Hudaibiya Pledge while lice were falling on my face. He said, "Are the lice of your head troubling you?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Shave your head and fast for three days, or feed six poor persons, or slaughter a sheep as sacrifice." (The sub-narrator, Aiyub said, "I do not know with which of these three options he started.")

That Allah's Apostle saw him with the lice falling (from his head) on his face. Allah's Apostle said, "Are your lice troubling you? Ka`b said, "Yes." Allah's Apostle thus ordered him to shave his head while he was at Al-Hudaibiya. Up to then there was no indication that all of them would finish their state of Ihram and they hoped that they would enter Mecca. Then the order of Al-Fidya was revealed, so Allah's Apostle ordered Ka`b to feed six poor persons with one Faraq of food or slaughter a sheep or fast for three days.

The Prophet said, "The width between the two shoulders of a Kafir (disbeliever) will be equal to the distance covered by a fast rider in three days."

The apostle of Allah (saws) used to fast three days every month: Monday, Thursday and Monday in the next week.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az- Zubayr that A'isha umm al-muminin used to say, "Someone performing hajj at-tamattu who does not have a sacrificial animal fasts (three days) from the time he enters ihram for the hajj till the Day of Arafa, and if he does not fast then, he fasts the days of Mina."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Salim ibn Abdullah that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say the same concerning that, as the words of A'isha, may Allah the Exalted be pleased with her.

When the Divine Revelation: "For those who can fast, they had a choice either fast, or feed a poor for every day," (2.184) was revealed, it was permissible for one to give a ransom and give up fasting, till the Verse succeeding it was revealed and abrogated it.

I saw the Prophet on the Day of (the battle of) Al-Khandaq, carrying earth with us and saying, "By Allah, without Allah we would not have been guided, neither would we have fasted, nor would we have prayed. O Allah! Send down Sakina (calmness) upon us and make our feet firm when we meet (the enemy). The pagans have rebelled against us, but if they want to put us in affliction (i.e., fight us) we refuse (to flee)." (See Hadith No. 430, Vol. 5).

On the day of Khaybar the Messenger of Allah (may pease be upon him) forbade (eating) the flesh of domestic asses, and the animal which feeds on filth: riding it and eating its flesh.

Allah's Apostle said, "The month (can be) 29 nights (i.e. days), and do not fast till you see the moon, and if the sky is overcast, then complete Sha'ban as thirty days."

Some food was presented to me and Hafsah. We were fasting, but broke our fast. Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) entered upon us. We said to him: A gift was presented to us; we coveted it and we broke our fast. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: There is no harm to you; keep a fast another day in lieu of it.

Ibn 'Umar said that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) prescribed the Sadaqa of Ramadan (Sadaqat-al-Fitr) one sa' of dates or one sa' of barley for every free man or a slave, male or female, and then the people equalised (one sa' of dates or barley) with half a sa' of wheat.

The Prophet (saws) stood on the day of the breaking of the fast ('Id) and offered prayer. He began the prayer before the sermon. He then addressed the people. When the Prophet (saws) finished the sermon, he descended (from the pulpit) and went to women. He gave them an exhortation while he was leaning on the hand of Bilal. Bilal was spreading his garment in which women were putting alms; some women put their rings and others other things.

Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said, "I have heard that by his good character a man can reach the degree of the one who stands in prayer at night and the one who is thirsty from fasting in the heat of the day."

A man came to Allah's Apostle asking him about Islam, Allah's Apostle said, "You have to offer five compulsory prayers in a day and a night (24 hours)." The man asked, "Is there any more compulsory prayers for me?" Allah's Apostle said, "No, unless you like to offer Nawafil (i.e. optional prayers)." Allah's Apostle then added, "You have to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." The man said, "Am I to fast any other days?' Allah's Apostle said, "No, unless you wish to observe the optional fast voluntarily." Then Allah's Apostle told him about the compulsory Zakat. The man asked, "Do I have to give anything besides?" Allah's Apostle said, "No, unless you wish to give in charity voluntarily." So, the man departed saying, "By Allah I will neither do more nor less than that." Allah's Apostle said, "If he has said the truth he will be successful."

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported. In the pre-Islamic days fast was observed on the day of Ashura, but with the advent of Islam (its position was ascertained as that of a voluntary fast). Then he who wished to fast fasted, and he who liked to abandon it abandoned it.

The Prophet (saws) said: We forbade you to eat their meat for more than three days in order that you might have abundance; now Allah has produced abundance, so you may eat, store up and seek reward. Beware, these days are days of eating, drinking and remembrance of Allah, Most High.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say, "If some one makes himself vomit while he is fasting he has to make up a day, but if he cannot help vomiting he does not have to make up anything."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Gabriel (saws) led me in prayer at the House (i.e. the Ka'bah). He prayed the noon prayer with me when the sun had passed the meridian to the extent of the thong of a sandal; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when the shadow of everything was as long as itself; he prayed the sunset prayer with me when one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when the twilight had ended; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when food and drink become forbidden to one who is keeping the fast.

On the following day he prayed the noon prayer with me when his shadow was as long as himself; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when his shadow was twice as long as himself; he prayed the sunset prayer at the time when one who is fasting breaks the fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when about the third of the night had passed; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when there was a fair amount of light.

Then turning to me he said: Muhammad, this is the time observed by the prophets before you, and the time is anywhere between two times.

Sometimes I missed some days of Ramadan, but could not fast in lieu of them except in the month of Sha'ban." Said Yahya, a sub-narrator, "She used to be busy serving the Prophet ."