Mishkat al-Masabih

Shaddad b. Aus said that when God’s messenger was walking hand in hand with him on the eighteenth of Ramadan he came across a man in al-Baqi who was being cupped and said, “The one who cups and the one who is cupped have broken their fast.” Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. The shaikh and imam Muhyi as-sunna said that some of those who allow cupping have interpreted it as meaning that they exposed themselves to the danger of breaking the fast, the one who was cupped on account of weakness, and the one who did the cupping because he could not guarantee that something would not get into his stomach by sucking the flask.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone breaks his fast one day in Ramadan without a concession* or without being ill, a perpetual fast will not atone for it even if he observes it.” *e.g. while travelling. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Darimi and Bukhari in a chapter heading transmitted it. Tirmidhi said that he heard Muhammad, i.e. Bukhari, say this was the only tradition he knew by Abul Mutawwis the transmitter.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Many a one who fasts gets nothing from his fasting but thirst, and many a one who prays during the night gets nothing from his night prayers but wakefulness.” Darimi transmitted it. The tradition of Laqit b. Sabira has been mentioned in the chapter on how to perform ablution.

cupping, vomiting, and a nocturnal emission.” Tirmidhi transmitted it saying this is a tradition which is not regarded, its transmitter ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Zaid being declared a weak traditionist.

Thabit al-Bunani said that when Anas b. Malik was asked whether they disapproved of cupping for one who was fasting in the time of God’s messenger he replied, “No, except if it had a weakening effect.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Bukhari said without a complete isnad that Ibn ‘Umar used to have himself cupped whan he was fasting. Then he abandoned it and had himself cupped at night.

‘Ata’ said, “If one rinses his mouth and ejects the water in it, swallowing his saliva and anything that remains in it does him no harm; but one should not chew gum, for although I do not say that he breaks his fast he swallows the saliva produced by the gum, he is nevertheless prohibited from doing it.” Bukhari transmitted it in a chapter heading.

‘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.)

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said that when they went out on an expedition with God’s messenger on the sixteenth of Ramadan some fasted and some broke their fast, but neither party found fault with the other. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir said that in the course of a journey God’s messenger saw a crowd and a man who had been put in the shade. On asking the reason and being told that he was fasting he said, “Fasting while on a journey is not a part of righteousness.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said that in the course of a journey with the Prophet when some of them were fasting and others broke their fast, they alighted at a stage on a hot day, and while those who fasted collapsed those who had broken their fast rose and set up the tents and watered the riding-beasts, whereupon God's messenger said, “Those who broke their fast have earned all the reward today.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas said God's messenger left Medina to go to Mecca and fasted till he reached ‘Usfan. He then called for water, and raising it aloft so that the people might see it, he broke his fast and did not resume it till he reached Mecca, and that was in Ramadan. Ibn ‘Abbas used to say, “God’s messenger has fasted and has broken his fast, so he who wishes may fast and he who wishes may break his fast.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim from Jabir it says that he drank after the afternoon prayer.

Anas b. Malik al-Ka‘bi reported God’s messenger as saying, “God has remitted half the prayer to the traveller, and fasting to the traveller, the woman who is suckling an infant and the woman who is pregnant.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Salama b. al-Muhabbiq reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone has a riding-beast which carries him to where he can get sufficient food he should observe the fast of Ramadan wherever he is when it comes.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir said that God’s messenger went off to Mecca in Ramadan in the year of the Conquest, and he and the people fasted till he came to Kura' al-Ghamim.* He then called for a cup of water which he raised till the people looked at it, and then he drank. He was told afterwards that some of the people had continued to fast, and said, “Those are the disobedient ones; those are the disobedient ones.” *A wadi two stages from Mecca on the way to Medina. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf reported God’s messenger as saying, “One who fasts in Ramadan while travelling is like one who breaks his fast when not travelling.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Hamza b. ‘Amr al-Aslami told God’s messenger that he found himself strong enough to fast while travelling and asked whether it would be wrong for him to do so. He was told that licence had been given by God who is great and glorious, so that if anyone acted upon this he did well, but if anyone wished to fast he would not be guilty of sin. Muslim transmitted it.

‘A'isha said that when she had some part of the fast of Ramadan to make up she would be able to do so only in Sha'ban. Yahya b. Sa'id said she meant this was due to her being kept from it by her duty to the Prophet. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “It is not allowable for a woman to fast when her husband is present without his permission,* and she may not allow anyone to enter his house without his permission.” *This refers not to Ramadan, but to a supererogatory fast. Muslim transmitted it.

Mu'adha al-‘Adawiya said that when she asked ‘A'isha why one who has been menstruating must make up for her fast but not for her prayer, she replied, “That happened to us, and we were ordered to make up for the fast, but were not ordered to make up for the prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.