Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 1160
sahih

Mu'adha al-'Adawiyya reported that she asked 'A'isha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed fasts for three days during every month. She said:

Yes I said to her: Which were (the particular) days of the month on which he observed fast? She said: He was not particular about the days of the month on which to observe fast.

حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ الرِّشْكِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَتْنِي مُعَاذَةُ، الْعَدَوِيَّةُ أَنَّهَا سَأَلَتْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصُومُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا مِنْ أَىِّ أَيَّامِ الشَّهْرِ كَانَ يَصُومُ قَالَتْ لَمْ يَكُنْ يُبَالِي مِنْ أَىِّ أَيَّامِ الشَّهْرِ يَصُومُ ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 13, Hadith 250
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 6, Hadith 2600 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
People would ask the Prophet's wives about his custom regarding matters unclear to them or those they liked to learn about. In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah informs that she asked ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her): "Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to fast three days of each month?" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged the observance of fasting for three days every month, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections. In response to her, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: 'Yes', he used to fast them, and this was the minimum he would fast in a month. Then, Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah asked for the specification of these days; whether they were at the start, middle, or end of the month, and whether they were successive or separated? ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told her that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not care about fixing these days; rather, she would find him fasting at the start of the month and at its middle and at its end. It was said: He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) probably did not observe three specific days in a persistent manner, lest it might be thought they were specified. In a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd, ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast - meaning at the Ghurrah of each month - three days, i.e., the start of the month. The Ghurrah of something is its beginning. It was also said: He meant the white days in the middle of the month during which the moon becomes full, namely the 13th, 14th, and 15th days. This is because Ghurrah also refers to whiteness. So, the Companion ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd, who reported the Hadīth, probably mentioned the usual practice based on his knowledge of the Prophet's conditions and that he used to fast these days. Also, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections, reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would fast so often outside Ramadan until it was said: He does not cease fasting. And he would refrain from fasting until it was said: He does not fast. Nonetheless, he used to fast on certain days, like the days at the start of the month and its middle, as well as on Mondays and Thursdays. The bottom line is that there were numerous conditions for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding fasting. Every Companion reported what he knew about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or what he saw, or what was suitable in a certain situation; all the reports about the Prophet's fasting are authentic, which falls under permissibility and flexibility for those who want to fast as they wish while being keen to adhere to the Prophet's Sunnah and keep away from the days in which fasting is prohibited. In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the practice of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as he used to fast often and diligently.
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