Mishkat al-Masabih

He said that the Prophet used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, and when someone remarked on this to him he said, “On Monday and Thursday God forgives every Muslim except two who are at variance, for He says they must be left till they make peace with one another.” Ahmad and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone out of a desire to please God fasts for a day, God will remove him from jahannam as far as a crow flies from the time it is a young bird till it dies of old age.” Ahmad transmitted it, and Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman from Salama b. Qais.

The Prophet came to visit me one day and asked if I had anything . When I said I had nothing he replied, “Then I shall observe a fast.” When he came to me another day and I told him I had been given a present of some hais* he said, “Show me it, for I began the day fasting.” Then he ate. *A mixture of dates and clarified butter. Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said that the Prophet visited Umm Sulaim, and when she brought him some dates and clarified butter he said, “Put your butter back in its container and your dates in their vessel, for I am fasting.” He then went to a separate part of the house and prayed a prayer which was not one of the prescribed prayers, and invoked a blessing on Umm Sulaim and the inhabitants of her house. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you is invited to a meal at a time when he is fasting he should say he is fasting.” In a version he said, “When one of you receives an invitation he should accept it. If he is fasting he should pray, but if not, he should eat.” Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Hani’ said that on the day of the conquest of Mecca Fatima came and sat on God’s messenger’s left and Umm Hani on his right, and when the maidservant brought a vessel containing; drinking water and handed it to him, he drank some of it and handed it to Umm Hani’ who drank some of it. She then said, “Messenger of God, I was fasting and I have broken my fast.” He asked if she was making up for anything, and when she replied that she was not, he said, “It will not harm you if it was a voluntary fast.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it. A version by Ahmad and Tirmidhi has something similar. In it she said, “Messenger of God, I was fasting,” and he replied, “The one who observes a voluntary fast is his own master; if he wishes he may fast, and if he wishes he may break it.”

When Hafsa and I were fasting we were offered food which we liked very much and ate some of it. Hafsa told God’s messenger of this, and he said, “Make up for it by fasting on another day.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, but he mentioned a number of huffaz* who transmitted on the authority of Zuhri on the authority of ‘A'isha in mursal form, omitting to mention ‘Urwa’s authority, and this is sounder. Abu Dawud transmitted it from Zumail the client of ‘Urwa from ‘Urwa from ‘A'isha. *Traditionists who have a reputation for their accurate memory.

Umm ‘Umara, daughter of Ka‘b, said that once when the Prophet visited her and she called for food for him, he told her that she must eat also; but when she replied that she was fasting he said, “When people eat beside one who is fasting the angels invoke blessings on him till they finish eating.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Buraida said that once when Bilal went in to visit God’s messenger while he was having his morning meal he invited him to join him, and when Bilal replied that he was fasting, he said, “We are eating our provision and Bilal’s superior provision is in paradise. Did you know, Bilal, that the bones of one who fasts extol God and that the angels ask forgiveness for him as long as people eat beside him?” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

‘A'isha reported God's messenger as saying, “Seek lailat al-qadr on an old number night among the last ten in Ramadan.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that some of the Prophet’s companions had a dream that lailat al-qadr was among the last seven nights, so God’s messenger said, “ I see that your dreams agree regarding the last seven nights, so if anyone seeks it he should do so during the last seven nights.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, “Seek lailat al-qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan, on the twenty-first, twenty-third and twenty-fifth.” Bukhari transmitted it.

God’s messenger spent the first ten nights of Ramadan in devotion, and spent the middle ten nights in devotion in a round Turkish tent, after which he raised his head and said, “I have spent the first ten nights in devotion seeking this night, then I spent the middle ten nights in devotion, and after that I had a heavenly visitant and was told that it is in the last ten, so he who has engaged in devotion along with me should do so during the last ten nights, for I was shown this nights, then was caused to forget it, but I have seen myself prostrating in water and clay on the morning following, so seek it among the last ten and seek it in every night with an odd number.” He said: Rain fell that night, the mosque which was a thatched building dripped, and my eyes saw God’s messenger with traces of water and clay on his forehead on the morning after the twenty-first night. Bukhari and Muslim agree on the subject-matter, the wording being Muslim's up to “and was told it is it the last ten”, the remainder being Bukhari's. In the version of ‘Abdallah b. Unais he said it was the twenty-third night. Muslim transmitted it.

I questioned Ubayy b. Ka'b about a statement by his brother ” he replied, “By the indication (or sign)* of which God’s messenger informed us, viz. that the sun rises on that day without rays.” *An alternative, the transmitter not being sure which word was used. *An alternative, the transmitter not being sure which word was used. Muslim transmitted it.

‘A'isha said that God’s messenger used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time. Muslim transmitted it.

She said that when the last ten nights began God’s messenger prepared himself for religious exercises, stayed awake at night and wakened his family. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A'isha said she asked God’s messenger to tell her what prayers to say on lailat al-qadr if she knew which night it was, and he told her to say, “O God, Thou art forgiving and lovest forgiveness, so forgive me.” Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi declared it to be sound.

Abu Bakra said he heard God’s messenger say, “Seek it (meaning lailat al-qadr), on the twenty-first, twenty-third, twenty-fifth, twentyseventh, or on the last night.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said God’s messenger was asked about lailat al-qadr and replied, “It occurs every Ramadan.” Abu Dawud transmitted it and said that Sufyan and Shu'ba transmitted it on the authority of Abu Ishaq tracing it no farther back than Ibn ‘Umar.

‘Abdallah b. Unais told that he said, “Messenger of God, I have a place in the desert where I live and in which I pray praising God, but give me command about a night when I may leave it and come to this mosque.” He replied, “Come on the twenty-third night.” His son was asked how his father used to act and said he used to enter the mosque when he had prayed the afternoon prayer and not leave it for any purpose till he prayed the morning prayer. Then when he had prayed the morning prayer he found his beast at the door of the mosque, mounted it and got back to his desert region. Abu Dawud transmitted it.