The Book of Fasting — Hadith 2450

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْوِصَالِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَإِنَّكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تُوَاصِلُ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ وَأَيُّكُمْ مِثْلِي إِنِّي أَبِيتُ يُطْعِمُنِي رَبِّي وَيَسْقِينِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَلَمَّا أَبَوْا أَنْ يَنْتَهُوا عَنِ الْوِصَالِ وَاصَلَ بِهِمْ يَوْمًا ثُمَّ يَوْمًا ثُمَّ رَأَوُا الْهِلاَلَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ لَوْ تَأَخَّرَ الْهِلاَلُ لَزِدْتُكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ كَالْمُنَكِّلِ لَهُمْ حِينَ أَبَوْا أَنْ يَنْتَهُوا ‏.‏

English Translation

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade (his Companions) from observing fast uninterruptedly. One of the Muslims said: Messenger of Allah, you yourself observe Saum Wisal, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Who among you is like me? I spend night (in a state) that my Allah feeds me and provides me drink. When they (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) did not agree in abandoning the uninterrupted fast, then the Prophet (ﷺ) also observed this fast with them for a day, and then for a day. They then saw the new moon and he (the Holy Prophet) said: If the appearance of the new moon were delayed. I would have observed more (fasts) with you (and he did it) by way of warning to them as they had not agreed to refrain (from observing Saum Wisal)