The Prophet's Fasts at times other than Ramadan; and it is recommended to ensure that no month is free of fasting

Abdullah b. Shaqiq reported:

I said to'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her): Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fast for a full month besides Ramadan? She said: I do not know of any month in which he fasted throughout, but that of the month of Ramadan and (the month) in which he did not fast at all, till he ran the course of his life.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، بْنِ شَقِيقٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ رضى الله عنها هَلْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ شَهْرًا مَعْلُومًا سِوَى رَمَضَانَ قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ إِنْ صَامَ شَهْرًا مَعْلُومًا سِوَى رَمَضَانَ حَتَّى مَضَى لِوَجْهِهِ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَهُ حَتَّى يُصِيبَ مِنْهُ ‏.‏

'Abdullah b. Shaqiq reported:

I said to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her): Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observe fast during a month? She said, I do not know of any month in which he fasted throughout except Ramadan and (the month) in which he did not fast at all till he ran the course of his life. ﷺ.

وَحَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا كَهْمَسٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ - رضى الله عنها - أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ شَهْرًا كُلَّهُ قَالَتْ مَا عَلِمْتُهُ صَامَ شَهْرًا كُلَّهُ إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ وَلاَ أَفْطَرَهُ كُلَّهُ حَتَّى يَصُومَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى مَضَى لِسَبِيلِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

Abdullah b. Shaqiq reported. I asked 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) about fasting of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said:

He used to observe fast (at times) so continuously that we said: He has fasted, he has fasted. And (at times) he did not observe fast (for days) and we began to say: He has abandoned fasting, he has abandoned fasting. She said: I did not see him observing fast throughout the whole of the month since he arrived in Medina, but that of Ramadan.

وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، وَهِشَامٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، - قَالَ حَمَّادٌ وَأَظُنُّ أَيُّوبَ قَدْ سَمِعَهُ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، - قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ - رضى الله عنها - عَنْ صَوْمِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ كَانَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ صَامَ قَدْ صَامَ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ - قَالَتْ - وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلاً مُنْذُ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ رَمَضَانَ ‏.‏

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Abdullah b. Shaqiq but in the chain of transmitters no mention is made of Hisham and Muhammad.

وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ - رضى الله عنها - بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِي الإِسْنَادِ هِشَامًا وَلاَ مُحَمَّدًا ‏.‏

'A'isha, the Mother of the Believers (Allah be pleased with her), reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast (so continuously) that we said that he would not break, and did not fast at all till we said that he would not fast. And I did not see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) completing the fast of a month, but that of Ramadan, and I did not see him fasting more in any other month than that of Sha'ban.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي النَّضْرِ، مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، - رضى الله عنها - أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يُفْطِرُ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يَصُومُ ‏.‏ وَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ فِي شَهْرٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُ صِيَامًا فِي شَعْبَانَ ‏.‏

Abu Salama reported:

I asked 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) about the fasting of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: He used to observe fast (at times so continuously) that we said: He has fasted (never to break), and he did not observe fast till we said: He has given up perhaps never to fast, and I never saw him observing (voluntary fasts) more in any other month than that of Sha'ban. (lt appeared as if) he observed fast throughout the whole of Sha'ban except a few (days).

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، - قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، - عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَبِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ - رضى الله عنها - عَنْ صِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ كَانَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ صَامَ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ ‏.‏ وَلَمْ أَرَهُ صَائِمًا مِنْ شَهْرٍ قَطُّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ كُلَّهُ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ‏.‏

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not observe fast in any month of the year more than in the month of Sha'ban, and used to say: Do as many deeds as you are capable of doing, for Allah will not become weary (of giving you reward), but you would be tired (of doing good deeds) ; and he also said: The deed liked most by Allah is one to which the doer adheres constantly even if it is small.

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ، أَبِي كَثِيرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الشَّهْرِ مِنَ السَّنَةِ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ خُذُوا مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَنْ يَمَلَّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ أَحَبُّ الْعَمَلِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَا دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with both of them) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not fast throughout any month except during ramadan. And when he observed fast (he fasted so continuously) that one would say that he would not break (them) and when he Abandoned, he abandoned (so continuously) that one would say: By Allah, perhaps he would never fast.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، - رضى الله عنهما - قَالَ مَا صَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَهْرًا كَامِلاً قَطُّ غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ ‏.‏ وَكَانَ يَصُومُ إِذَا صَامَ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الْقَائِلُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ يُفْطِرُ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ إِذَا أَفْطَرَ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الْقَائِلُ لاَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَصُومُ ‏.‏

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Bishr with the same chain of transmitters (with a slight variation of words and these are), that he (the narrator) said:

" During any month continuously since he came to Medina."

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ عَنْ غُنْدَرٍ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ وَقَالَ شَهْرًا مُتَتَابِعًا مُنْذُ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ

'Uthman b. Hakim al-Ansari said:

I asked Sa'id b. Jubair about fasting In Rajab, and we were then passing through the month of Rajab, whereupon he said: I heard Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with both of them) as saying: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe fast (so continuously) that we (were inclined) to say that he would not break (them) and did not observe them so conti- nuously) that we (were inclined to say) that he would not observe fast.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ حَكِيمٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ جُبَيْرٍ عَنْ صَوْمِ، رَجَبٍ - وَنَحْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي رَجَبٍ - فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ - رضى الله عنهما - يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يُفْطِرُ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يَصُومُ ‏.‏

The same hadith as the previous hadith has been transmitted through another chain.

وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، فِي هَذَا الإِسْنَادِ ‏.‏ بِمِثْلِهِ ‏.‏

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe fast till it was said that he had observed fast, he had observed fast (perhaps never to break it), and he did not fast till it was said that he had given up fast, he had given up fast (perhaps never to observe it).

وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَابْنُ أَبِي خَلَفٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، رضى الله عنه ح. وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، رضى الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ قَدْ صَامَ قَدْ صَامَ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ ‏.‏