The Prophet said: "Fasting during the winter is an easy reward."

Anas bin Malik was asked about the Prophet's fasting and he said: "He would fast during a month until we thought that he did not want to abstain from fasting during any of it. And, he would not fast during a month until we thought that he did not want to fast during any of it. (There was no time) that I wanted to see if he was performing Salat during the night, except that I would see him praying, nor to see him sleeping, except that I would see him sleeping."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) stood and gave a sermon; he commanded to give sadaqah, at the end of Ramadan when the fasting is closed, one sa' of dried dates or of barley payable by every person. The narrator Ali added in his version: "or one sa' of wheat to be taken from every two." Both the chains of narrators are then agreed upon the version: "payable by young and old, freeman and slave."

He reported God’s messenger as saying, "Every [good] deed a son of Adam does will be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. God has said, ‘With the exception of fasting, for it is done for my sake and I give a reward for it. One abandons his passion and his food for my sake.* The one who fasts has two occasions of joy, one when he breaks his fast and one when he meets his Lord. The bad breath of one who fasts is sweeter to God than the fragrance of musk. Fasting is a protection, [i.e. from acts of disobedience in this world and from hell in the next. Pt. vi.] and when the day of the fast of any of you comes he must not use vile language or raise his voice, and if anyone reviles him or tries to fight with him he should tell him he is fasting.” *This is not from the Qur’an, but is a hadith qudsi, a tradition which gives words spoken by God. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A'isha said that Hamza b. ‘Amr al-Aslami who was greatly devoted to fasting asked the Prophet whether he should fast when on a journey, and received the reply, “Fast if you like, or break your fast if you like.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Yahya related to me from Malik that he used to hear the people of knowledge say,"There is no harm in fasting continuously as long as one breaks the fast on the days on which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade fasting, namely, the days of Mina, the day of Adha and the day of Fitr, according to what we have heard."

Malik said, "This is what I like most out of what I have heard about the matter."

the Messenger of Allah said: "Do no precede the month of Ramadan by fasting a day or two before it, unless it is the case of a man who normally performs some fast, then let him fast it."

It was narrated from Anas that there was a group of the Companions of the Prophet, one of whom said: "I will not marry women." Another said: "I will not eat meat." Another said: "I will not sleep on a bed." Another said: "I will fast and not break my fast." News of that reached the Messenger of Allah and he praised Allah then said: "What is the matter with people who say such and such? But I pray and I sleep, I fast and I break my fast, and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me."

"The Prophet was cupped somewhere between Makkah and Al-Madinah and he was fasting and in Ihram."

Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger prohibited fasting on the day of ‘Arafa at ‘Arafa. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

"When this verse was revealed 'And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a miskin (poor person) (for every day). Those among us who did not want to fast would pay the fidyah, until the verse after it was revealed and abrogated this."

Three are the signs of a hypocrite, even if he observed fast and prayed and asserted that he was a Muslim.

When the night approaches and the day retreates and the sun sinks down, then the observer of the fast should break it. Ibn Numair made no mention of the word" then".

I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) as saying, "Observing Ribat in the way of Allah for a day and a night is far better than observing Saum (fasting) for a whole month and standing in Salat (prayer) in all its nights. If a person dies (while performing this duty), he will go on receiving his reward for his meritorious deeds perpetually, and he will be saved from Al- Fattan."

[Muslim].

Abu Huraira reported God's Messenger as saying, "There are no days on which God likes better to be worshipped than the ten days of Dhul Hijja. Fasting observed on each of these days is equivalent to a year’s fasting, and prayer during each of these nights is equivalent to prayer during Lailat al-qadr.’* * A night towards the end of Ramadan. See Book 7, Chap. 9. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but Tirmidhi said its isnad is weak.

"Ibn Umar was asked about fasting (the Day of) Arafah (at Arafat). He said: 'I performed Hajj with the Prophet, and he did not fast it, and with Abu Bakr, and he did not fast it, and with Umar, and he did not fast it, and with Uthman, and he did not fast it. I do no fast it, nor order it nor forbid it."

"I did not see the Prophet fasting two consecutive months except for Sha'ban and Ramadan."

The Messenger of Allah said: "The gift for the fasting person is (fragrant) oil and a censer."

"The Messenger of Allah did not fast in any month of the year more than he did in Shaban. He used to fast all of Shaban."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "(The superstructure of) Islam is based on five (pillars), testifying the fact that La ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammad-ar-Rasul-ullah [there is no true god except Allah, and Muhammad ((PBUH)) is the Messenger of Allah], establishing As- Salat (the prayers), paying Zakat (poor due), the pilgrimage to the House [of Allah (Ka'bah)], and the Saum (fasting) during the month of Ramadan."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “Fasting and the Qur’an intercede for a man. Fasting says, ‘O my Lord, I have kept him away from his food and his passions by day, so accept my intercession for him.’ The Qur’an says, ‘I have kept him away from sleep by night, so accept my intercession for him.’ Then their intercession is accepted." Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

"The one who eats and is grateful is like the status of the patient fasting person."

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “There is zakat applicable to everything, and the zakat of the body is fasting.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

"I was with Ibn Masud when he was with "uthman, and 'Uthman said: 'Whoever among you has the means, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding one's chastity. And whoever cannot, then fasting will be a shield for him." (Sahih) Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasai) said: This (narrator) is Abu Mashar, his name is Ziyad bin Kulaib, and he is trustworthy. He was a companion of Ibrahim. Mansur, Mughirah, and Shubah reported from him. (As for) Abu Mashar AL-Madini; his name is Najih and he is weak, and with his weakness, he also became confused, he narrated Munkar narrations, among them: Muhammad bin 'Amr from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurairah, from the Prophet, who said: "What is between the east and the west is the Qiblah. And among them: Hisham bin 'Urwah, from his father, from 'Aishah, from the Prophet: "Do not cut meat with the knife, rather gnaw at it."

The Messenger of Allah said: "There are two joys for the fasting person: the joy when he breaks his fast, and the joy of when he meets his Lord."

"The Messenger of Allah came to me saying, 'Do you have anything for breakfast?' I said: 'No.' Then he said: 'I am fasting.'" She said: "One day he came to me and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah; I have received a gift for us.' He said: 'What is it?'" She said: "I said 'Hais' He said: 'I began the day fasting'" She said: "Then he ate."

Observe fast on sighting it (the new moon) and break it on sighting it. But if (due to clouds) the actual position of the month is concealed from you, you should then count thirty (days).

‘A'isha said, "God’s messenger used to fast to such an extent that we thought he would never break his fast, and he would go without fasting to such an extent that we thought he would never fast. I never saw God’s messenger fast a complete month except in Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more in any month than in Sha'ban." In a version she said he used to fast the whole of Sha'ban, i.e. he would fast all but a little of Sha'ban. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

the Messenger of Allah said: "The most virtuous fasting after the month of Ramadan is Allah's month Al-Muharram."

‘A'isha said she never saw God’s messenger fasting during the first ten days of Dhul Hijja. Muslim transmitted it.

Hamzat al-Aslami asked the Prophet (saws): Messenger of Allah, I am a man who keeps perpetual fast, may I fast while on a journey? He replied: Fast if you like, or break your fast if you like.

"Hafsah, the wife of the Prophet said: 'There is no fast for the one who does not intend (to fast) before dawn."'

That Umm al-Fadl, daughter of al-Harith, sent him to Mu'aqiyah in Syria. He said: I came to syria and performed her work. The moon of Ramadan appeared while I was in Syria. We sighted the moon on the night of Friday. When I came to Median towards the end of the month (of Ramadan), Ibn 'Abbas asked me about the moon. He said: When did you sight the moon ? I said: I sighted it on the night of Friday. He asked: Did you sight it yourself ? I said: Yes, and the people sighted it. They fasted and Mu'awiyah also fasted. He said: But we sighted it on the night of saturday. Since then we have been fasting until we complete thirty days or we sight it. Then I said: Are the sighting of the moon by Mu'awiyah and his fasts not sufficient for us? He replied: No. The Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded us to do so.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As told of God’s messenger saying to him, “Have I not been informed, ‘Abdallah, that you fast during the day and get up at night for prayer?” [Mirqat explains this as meaning all night.] When he replied that that was so, he said, “Do not do it. Fast and break your fast, get up for prayer and sleep, for you have a duty to your body, your eye, your wife, and your visitors. May he who observe a perpetual fast never fast!* Fasting three days every month is equivalent to a perpetual fast. Fast three days every month and recite the Qur'an every month.” When he replied that he was able to do more than that, he said, “Observe the most excellent fast, that of David, fasting every second day, and recite the Qur’an once every seven nights, but do no more than that.” * Cf. the similar phrase in the tradition of Abu Qatada (p.434). Some hold that the meaning here is, ‘He who observes a perpetual fast has not fasted.’ (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that A'isha and Hafsa, the wives of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began fasting voluntarily one morning and then food was given to them and they broke their fast with it. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came in. A'isha said, "Hafsa asked, anticipating me in speech - she took after her father Umar - 'Messenger of Allah, A'isha and I began the morning fasting voluntarily and then food was given us and we broke the fast with it.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Fast another day in its place.' "

`When night comes and day departs and the sun sets, the fasting person may break his fast.”

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

Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. It was related by al-Bukhari.

"Hafsah and I were both fasting when we were presented some food that we really wanted, so we ate from it. The Messenger of Allah came, and Hafsah beat me to him - she was the daughter of her father - and she said: 'O Messenger of Allah! We were both fasting when we were presented with some food that we wanted, so we ate from it.' He said: 'Make up another day in its place.'"

"I heard a freed slave of ours called Laila narrated from [his (Habib's) grandmother] Umm Amarah bint Ka'b Al-Ansar, that the Prophet entered upon her and some food was brought to him. He said: 'Eat.' She said: 'I am fasting.' So the Messenger of Allah said: 'Indeed the angels send Salat upon the fasting person when (others) eat in his presence, until they finish.' And perhaps he said: 'Until they have eaten their fill.'"

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "If you want to observe Saum on three days in a month, then fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the (lunar) month."

[At-Tirmidhi].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was asked about observing As-Saum (the fast) on the tenth day of Muharram, and he replied, "It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year."

[Muslim].

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "If a person dies without observing Saum (fasts), his Wali should make it up on his behalf."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar used to forbid kissing and fondling for people who were fasting .

"The Messenger of Allah would kiss and fondle while he was fasting, and he had the most control among you of his limbs."

I saw (the dead body) of Abdullah b. Zubair hanging on the road of Medina (leading to Mecca). The Quraish passed by it and other people too, that Abdullah b. Umar happened to pass by it. He stood up there and said: May there be peace upon you, Abu Khubaib (the Kunya of Hadrat 'Abdullah b. Zubair), may there be peace upon you Abu Khubaib, may there be peace upon you, Abu Khubaib! By Allah, I used to forbid you from this; by Allah, I used to forbid you from this, by Allah I used to forbid you from this. By Allah, so far as I know, you had been very much devoted to fasting and prayer and you had been paying very much care to cementing the ties of blood. By Allah, the group to which you belong (are labelled) as (a) wicked (person) is indeed a fine group. Then 'Abdullah b. 'Umar went away. The stand 'Abdullah (b. 'Umar) took in regard to the inhuman treatment (meted out to 'Abdullah b. Zubair) and his words (in that connection) were conveyed to Hajjaj (b. Yusuf) and (as a consequence of that) he (the body of Abdullah b. Zubair) was brought down from the stump (the scaffold) by which it was hanging and thrown into the graves of the Jews. He (Hajjaj) sent (his messenger) to Asma' (bint Abu Bakr, 'Abdullah's mother). But she refused to come. He again sent the messenger to her with the message that she must come, otherwise he would bring her forcibly catching hold of her hair. But she again refused and said: By Allah, I will not come to you until you send one to me who would drag me by pulling my hair. Thereupon he said: Bring me my shoes. He put on his shoes and walked on quickly swollen with vanity and pride until he came to her and said: How do you find what I have done with the enemy of Allah? She said: I find that you wronged him in this world, whereas he has spoiled your next life. It has been conveyed to me that you used to call him ('Abdullah b. Zubair) as the son of one having two belts. By Allah, I am indeed (a woman) of two belts. One is that with the help of which I used to suspend high the food of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and that of Abu Bakr (making it out of the reach) of animals and, so far as the second belt is concerned, that is the belt which no woman can dispense with. Verily Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) told us that in Thaqif, there would be born a great liar and great murderer. The liar we have seen, and as far as the murderer is concerned, I do not find anyone else besides you. 'Thereupon he (Hajjaj) stood up and did not give any reply to her.

The Prophet (PBUH) was informed that I said that I would perform prayers the whole night and observe fasting every day as long as I live. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Is it you who said this?" I said to him, "O Messenger of Allah! I ransom you with my parents, it is I who said that." Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "You will not be able to do that. Observe fast and break it; sleep and get up for prayer, and observe fast for three days during the month; for every good is multiplied ten times and that will be equal to fasting the whole year." I said, "O Messenger of Allah! I can do more than that." He said, "Observe fast one day and leave off the next two days." I said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have strength to do more than that." Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Observe fast every other day, and that is the fasting of Dawud (PBUH) and that is the most moderate fasting".

According to another narration: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "That is the best fasting." I said, "But I am capable of doing more than this". Thereupon, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "There is nothing better than this." 'Abdullah bin 'Amr (May Allah be pleased with them) said (when he grew old): "Had I accepted the three days (fasting during every month) as the Messenger of Allah had said, it would have been dearer to me than my family and my property".

In another narration 'Abdullah is reported to have said: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me, "O 'Abdullah! Have I not been informed that you observe fast during the day and offer prayer all the night." I replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Don't do that. Observe fast for few days and then leave off for few days, perform prayers and also sleep at night, as your body has a right upon you, and your eyes have a right upon you; and your wife has a right upon you; your visitors have a right upon you. It is sufficient for you to observe fast three days in a month, as the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times, so it will be like fasting the whole year." I insisted (on fasting) and so I was given a hard instruction. I said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have strength." Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Observe fast like the fasting of Prophet Dawud (PBUH); and do not fast more than that." I said: "How was the fasting of Prophet Dawud?" He (PBUH) said, "Half of the year (i.e., he used to fast on every alternate day)."

Afterwards when 'Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) grew old, he used to say: "Would that I had availed myself of the concession granted to me by Messenger of Allah."

In another narration 'Abdullah is reported to have said: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "I have been informed that you observe fast continuously and recite (the whole of the Qur'an) every night." I said, "Messenger of Allah! It is right, but I covet thereby nothing but good," whereupon he (PBUH) said, "Then observe fasts like the fasting of Prophet Dawud (PBUH) as he was the most ardent worshipper of Allah; recite the Qur'an once every month." I said, "O Prophet of Allah! I am capable of doing more than that." He said, "Then recite it (the complete Qur'an) in every twenty days." I said, "O Prophet of Allah I am capable of reciting more than that." He said, "Then recite it once in every ten days." I said, "O Prophet of Allah! I am capable of reciting more than that." He said, "Then recite it once in every seven days, but not recite more than that." The Prophet of Allah also said to me, "You do not know, you may have a longer life". When I grew old I wished I had availed myself of the concession (granted to me by) the Prophet of Allah.

In another narration 'Abdullah is reported to have said: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The best fasting with Allah is that of (Prophet) Dawud, and the best prayer with Allah is that of Dawud (PBUH) for he would sleep half of the night and stand for prayer for the third of it and (then) would sleep sixth part of it; he observed fast one day and leave off the other. He would not flee on meeting the enemy".

In another narration 'Abdullah is reported to have said: My father helped me marry a noble woman and he used to inquire of his daughter-in-law regarding her husband. She would say: "He is, indeed, a fine man. Since I have come to him, he has neither stepped on my bed nor he has had sexual intercourse with me". When this state of affairs lasted for some time, my father mentioned the matter to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) who directed my father saying, "Send him to me". I went to him accordingly. He asked me, "How often do you observe fast?" I replied; "Daily". He asked me, "How long do you take in reading the Noble Qur'an completely." I said, "Once every night". Then he narrated the whole story. He (in his old age) would recite one seventh of his nightly recitation to some members of his family during the day to lighten his task at night. Whenever he wished to have a relief from his fast on alternate days, he would give up fasting for a few days and make up deficiency later by observing the number of fasts he had missed. He would not give up the number of fasts altogether because he did not like to abandon what he had settled with Messenger of Allah (PBUH).

When you see the new moon, observe fast, and when you see it (again) then break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then calculate it.