Medieval Sourcebook:
Hadith on fasting, collected by al-Bukhari (d. 870 CE)
Volume 1, Book 2, Number 50:
Narrated Abu Jamra:
I used to sit with Ibn 'Abbas and he made me sit on his sitting place. He requested me to
stay with him in order that he might give me a share from his property. So I stayed with
him for two months. Once he told (me) that when the delegation of the tribe of 'Abdul Qais
came to the Prophet, the Prophet asked them, "Who are the people (i.e. you)? (Or) who
are the delegate?" They replied, "We are from the tribe of Rabi'a." Then
the Prophet said to them, "Welcome! O people (or O delegation of 'Abdul Qais)!
Neither will you have disgrace nor will you regret." They said, "O Allah's
Apostle! We cannot come to you except in the sacred month and there is the infidel tribe
of Mudar intervening between you and us. So please order us to do something good
(religious deeds) so that we may inform our people whom we have left behind (at home), and
that we may enter Paradise (by acting on them)." Then they asked about drinks (what
is legal and what is illegal). The Prophet ordered them to do four things and forbade them
from four things. He ordered them to believe in Allah Alone and asked them, "Do you
know what is meant by believing in Allah Alone?" They replied, "Allah and His
Apostle know better." Thereupon the Prophet said, "It means:
- To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's
Apostle.
- To offer prayers perfectly
- To pay the Zakat (obligatory charity)
- To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.
- And to pay Al-Khumus (one fifth of the booty to be given in Allah's Cause).
Then he forbade them four things, namely, Hantam, Dubba,' Naqir Ann Muzaffat or
Muqaiyar; (These were the names of pots in which Alcoholic drinks were prepared) (The
Prophet mentioned the container of wine and he meant the wine itself). The Prophet further
said (to them): "Memorize them (these instructions) and convey them to the people
whom you have left behind."
Volume 2, Book 21, Number 242:
Narrated Anas bin Malik
Sometimes Allah's Apostle would not fast (for so many days) that we thought that he would
not fast that month and he sometimes used to fast (for so many days) that we thought he
would not leave fasting through-out that month and (as regards his prayer and sleep at
night), if you wanted to see him praying at night, you could see him praying and if you
wanted to see him sleeping, you could see him sleeping.
Volume 2, Book 23, Number 480:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
A Bedouin came to the Prophet and said, "Tell me of such a deed as will make me enter
Paradise, if I do it." The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Worship Allah, and worship
none along with Him, offer the (five) prescribed compulsory prayers perfectly, pay the
compulsory Zakat, and fast the month of Ramadan." The Bedouin said, "By Him, in
Whose Hands my life is, I will not do more than this." When he (the Bedouin) left,
the Prophet said, "Whoever likes to see a man of Paradise, then he may look at this
man."
Volume 3, Book 31, Number 118:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person
observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave
foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell
him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is,
the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah
than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food,
drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person)
for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times."
Volume 3, Book 31, Number 145:
Narrated 'Abdullah:
The Prophet fasted for days continuously; the people also did the same but it was
difficult for them. So, the Prophet forbade them (to fast continuously for more than one
day). They slid, "But you fast without break (no food was taken in the evening or in
the morning)." The Prophet replied, "I am not like you, for I am provided with
food and drink (by Allah)."
From http://www.juniata.edu/~tuten/fasting.html
From the Hadith
Database at USC
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