"I asked 'A'isha (may Allah the Exalted be well pleased with her) about the fasting of Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace). She said: “He used to fast until we would say: ‘He has fasted,’ and he used to break fast until we would say: ‘He has broken fast.’” She also said: “Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not fast for a whole month after arriving in Medina, with the exception of Ramadan.’
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ، عَنْ صِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، قَالَتْ: كَانَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ صَامَ، وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ قَالَتْ: وَمَا صَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، شَهْرًا كَامِلا مُنْذُ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ إِلا رَمَضَانَ.
Humaid ibn Anas ibn Malik reported that he was asked about the fasting of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), so he said:
"He used to fast during the month until we would assume that he did not intend to break fast during it, and he used to break fast until we would assume that he did not intend to fast during any of it. You would not wish to assume that he was performing the ritual prayer during the night, unless you saw him performing the ritual prayer, nor that he was sleeping, unless you saw him sleeping.”
"The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to fast until we would say: “He does not intend to break fast ,” and he used to break fast until we would say: “He does not intend to fast during it.” He did not fast for a whole month after arriving in Medina, with the exception of Ramadan.”
"I did not see Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) fast in any month more than his fasting for Allah’s sake in Sha'ban. He used to keep fast through all but a little of Sha'ban; no indeed, he used to keep fast through all of it!”
"Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to fast three days at the beginning of every month, and he would seldom break fast on Friday, the Day of the Congregation .”
"The Prophet said (Allah bless him and give him peace): “Works are reviewed on Monday and Thursday, so I would like my work to be reviewed while I am fasting!”
'A’isha said;
“The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to fast on the Saturday of one month, and on the Sunday and the Monday, as well as on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of another month.”
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلانَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ، وَمُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، قَالا: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ خَيْثَمَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ السَّبْتَ وَالأَحَدَ وَالاثْنَيْنَ، وَمِنَ الشَّهْرِ الآخَرِ الثُّلاثَاءَ وَالأَرْبَعَاءَ وَالْخَمِيسَ.
"I said to 'A'sha: “Was Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to fasting three days out of every month?” She said; “Yes!” I said: “Which days did he fast?” She said: “He was not concerned about which days he fasted.”
"‘Ashura' was a day on which Quraish used to fast in the pagan era Ramadan became the obligatory religious duty, and 'Ashura' was omitted, so one is free to fast this day or not to fast it.”
“I asked 'A'isha (may Allah be well pleased with her): ‘Was Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to singling out any of the days?’ She said: ‘His work was perpetual. Who of you would be capable of doing what Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to be do?”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ، أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، يَخُصُّ مِنَ الأَيَامِ شَيْئًا؟ قَالَتْ: كَانَ عَمَلُهُ دِيمَةً، وَأَيُّكُمْ يُطِيقُ مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، يُطِيقُ.
"Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) entered my presence, and there was a woman with me, so he said: “Who is this?” I said: “So-and-so, who does not sleep at night.” Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) then said: 'Incumbent upon you are the works of which you are capable, for, by Allah, Allah will not become weary until you become weary!” The work dearest to Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) was that in which his Companion would persevere.'"
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعِنْدِي امْرَأَةٌ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ هَذِهِ؟ قُلْتُ: فُلانَةُ لا تَنَامُ اللَّيْلَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ، فَوَاللَّهِ لا يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا، وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ ذَلِكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الَّذِي يَدُومُ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ.
"I asked 'A'isha and Umm Salama: “Which work was dearest to Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace)?” They said: “That which a person perseveres in, even if the amount of work done is small.”
"When I was together with Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) one night, he cleaned his teeth, then performed the minor ablution, then performed the ritual prayer. I stood up with him, whereupon he began with the Sura of the Cow followed by another Sura, and he did this in every cycle of the ritual prayer.”
