Mishkat al-Masabih

Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone fasts for a day while engaged in jihad, God will remove him* seventy years’ distance from hell.” *Literally, ‘his face’. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘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?” 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.)

‘A'isha said that God’s messenger used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Men’s deeds are presented on Mondays and Thursdays, and I like mine to be presented when I am fasting.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you fast three days in the month, Abu Dharr, fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.” Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that God’s messenger used to fast the first three days every month, and he would seldom break his fast on a Friday. Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Abu Dawud transmitted up to “three days every month.”

‘A'isha said that God’s messenger used to fast on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday one month, and on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday the next. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Umm Salama said that God’s messenger used to command her to fast three days every month beginning with Monday or Thursday. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Muslim al-Qurashi said that he or someone else asked God's messenger about perpetual fasting, and he replied, “You have a duty to your family. Fast during Ramadan and the following month, and every Wednesday and Thursday. You will then have observed a perpetual fast." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

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

‘Abdallah b. Busr, on the authority of his sister as-Samma’, reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not fast on Saturday except during what has been made obligatory for you; and if one of you can get nothing but a grape skin or a piece of wood from a tree, he should chew it.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Umama reported God’s messenger as saying, "If anyone fasts for a day while on jihad,* God will put between him and hell a ditch as wide as the distance between heaven and earth." *Mirqat gives this meaning, but says it may refer to the hajj, the 'umra, seeking knowledge, or desiring to please God. The Arabic is 'in God’s way.' Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Amir b. Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “Fasting in winter is booty gained without trouble.”* *Literally, 'the cold booty.' The idea is that in winter one does not suffer from hunger and thirst as in summer. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying this is a mursal tradition.

The tradition of Abu Huraira, “No days are dearer to God”, has been mentioned in the chapter on the sacrifices.* *Reference to the first ten days of the month of Dhul Hijjah.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s messenger came to Medina and found the Jews observing the fast on the day of ‘Ashura’, so he asked them what was the significance of that day which they were observing and they replied, “It is a great day on which God delivered Moses and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people; so Moses observed it as a fast out of gratitude, and we do so also.” He said, “We have more right, and we have a closer connection with Moses than you have,” so God’s messenger observed it as a fast himself and gave orders that it should be observed. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Umm Salama said that God's messenger used to fast on Saturdays and Sundays more than on other days, and he used to say, “They are days of festival for the polytheists, and I like to act contrary to them.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Jabir b. Samura said, “God’s messenger used to command us to observe the day of ‘Ashura’ as a fast, urge us to observe it and pay attention to us when it came; but when Ramadan was made obligatory he neither commanded nor forbade us to observe it, nor did he pay attention to us when it came.” Muslim transmitted it.

fasting on ‘Ashura’, the first ten days of Dhul Hijja* and three days every month, and praying two rak'as before dawn. *The Arabic has simply 'the ten', to be understood as translated above. Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that it was the custom of God’s messenger not to eat on the middle days* of the month whether travelling or not. *Literally, the days of the white (nights). These are the days following the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth nights of the month, the nights when there is most moonlight. Nasa’i transmitted it.

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.