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Riyad as-SalihinThe Book of Virtues

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to leave fasting in a certain month until we would think that he has not fasted at all that month; and he used to fast in another month so much that we would think he has not stopped fasting at all in that month. If one wished to see him praying at night, one could see him (in that state), and if one wished to see him sleeping at night, one could see him (in that state) too

Chapter: Excellence of Standing in Prayer at Night

Authentic Riyad as-Salihin 1170

Narrator:Anas ibn Mālik

وعن أنس رضي الله عنه، قال‏:‏ كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، يفطر من الشهر حتى نظن أن لا يصوم منه، ويصوم حتى نظن أن لا يفطر منه شيئًا، وكان لا تشاء أن تراه من الليل مصليا إلا رأيته، ولا نائمًا إلا رأيته‏.‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to leave fasting in a certain month until we would think that he has not fasted at all that month; and he used to fast in another month so much that we would think he has not stopped fasting at all in that month. If one wished to see him praying at night, one could see him (in that state), and if one wished to see him sleeping at night, one could see him (in that state) too.

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 1141, 1972) and At-Tirmidhi (No. 769). Cited in Riyad as-Salihin (No. 1170).

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Explanation

The meaning of the Hadīth: Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informs about the condition of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding fasting and praying at night. He said that he used to leave fasting in a certain month until a person would think that he has not fasted any day of that month; for not fasting for many days. Conversely, he used to fast in a certain month so many days that one would think that he has not broken his fast at all in that month; for his consistent fasting for many days. Likewise, he has not committed himself to pray at a certain time at night. Rather, he used to pray at the beginning of the night sometimes, other times in the middle, and other at the last part of it; such that if you wished to see him praying at night, you would be able to. And if you wished to see him sleeping at night, you would be able to as well. Therefore, his deeds were moderate between excess and negligence.

Explanation in Arabic

معنى الحديث: يخبر أنس رضي الله عنه عن حال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في صيامه وقيامه، فيخبر أنه كان يُفْطِرُ من الشهر حتى يظن المرء أنه لا يصوم منه شيئا؛ لكثرة فطره فيه، ويصوم حتى يُظن أنه لا يُفْطِر منه شيئًا؛ لكثرة صيامه فيه، و كذلك كان عليه -الصلاة والسلام- لا يَتَقَيَد بوقت معين في صلاة القيام، بل يصلي تارة في أول الليل، وتارة في وسطه، وتارة في آخره، بحيث لا تُحب أن تراه من الليل مصليًا إلا رأيته، ولا نائمًا إلا رأيته، فكان عَمَله التَوَسط بين الإفْرَاطِ والتفريط.

  • صوم النفل المطلق لا يختص بزمان إلا ما نهي عنه.
  • الحث على الإكثار من العبادة وخاصة صيام النفل والتهجد مع التَوسط في ذلك، بحيث لا يضيع الحقوق أو يُقَصِّر في الواجبات.
  • لم يَصم رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- الدَّهر، ولا قام الليل كله.
  • من كُلِّ الليل قام رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم-، ومن كل الشهر صام رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم-.

Scholars’ grades

Original grading term, without a named scholar: صحيح

Other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 1141

Sometimes Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 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 throughout that month and (as regards his prayer and sleep at night), if you wanted to see…

يُفْطِرُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَظُنَّ أَنْ لاَ يَصُومَ مِنْهُ، وَيَصُومُ حَتَّى نَظُنَّ أَنْ لاَ يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا، وَكَانَ لاَ تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلاَّ رَأَيْتَهُ وَلاَ نَائِمًا…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 1972

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to leave fasting in a certain month till we thought that he would not fast in that month, and he used to fast in another month till we thought he would not stop fasting at all in that month. And if one wanted to see him praying at night, one could see him (in that…

يُفْطِرُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ، حَتَّى نَظُنَّ أَنْ لاَ يَصُومَ مِنْهُ، وَيَصُومُ حَتَّى نَظُنَّ أَنْ لاَ يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا، وَكَانَ لاَ تَشَاءُ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلاَّ رَأَيْتَهُ، وَلاَ نَائِمًا إِلاَّ…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Jami' at-Tirmidhi 769

Anas bin Malik was asked about the Prophet's fasting and he said: "He would fast during a month until we thought that he did not want to abstain from fasting during any of it. And, he would not fast during a month until we thought that he did not want to fast during any of it. (There was no time)…

كَانَ يَصُومُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لاَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لاَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُومَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا وَكُنْتَ لاَ تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic chain Ash-Shama'il al-Muhammadiyya 298

"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…

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالَ‏:‏ كَانَ يَصُومُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ…

Authentic Mishkat al-Masabih 1241

Anas said, “God's Messenger used to break his fast during a month so that we imagined he had not fasted during it at all, and he fasted so that we imagined he had not broken it. You did not wish to see him praying during the night without doing so, or sleeping without doing so.” Bukhari transmitted…

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُفْطِرُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى يُظَنَّ أَنْ لَا يَصُومَ مِنْهُ وَيَصُومُ حَتَّى يُظَنَّ أَنْ لَا يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا وَكَانَ لَا تَشَاءُ…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Also reported by… (7)
  • السنن الكبرى للبيهقي (4348)لا تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ ، وَلا نَائِمًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ
  • الشمائل المحمدية للترمذي (285)يَصُومُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنْ لا يُرِيدَ أَنْ يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ ، وَيُفْطِرُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنْ لا يُرِيدَ أَنْ يَصُومَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا . وَكُنْتَ لا تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ مُصَلِّيًا ، وَلا نَائِمًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ نَائِمًا
  • تغليق التعليق لابن حجر (407)يُفْطِرُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَظُنَّ أَنْ لا يَصُومَ مِنْهُ ، وَيَصُومُ حَتَّى نَظُنَّ أَنْ لا يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا
  • حديث إسماعيل بن جعفر (46)يَصُومُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لا يُرِيدُ يُفْطِرُ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا ، وَيُفْطِرُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لا يُرِيدُ يَصُومُ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا ، وَكُنْتَ لا تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ ، وَلا نَائِمًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ
  • صحيح ابن حبان (2683)يَصُومُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا ، وَيُفْطِرُ مِنَالشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُومَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا ، وَكُنْتَ لا تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ مُصَلِّيًا ، وَلا نَائِمًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ
  • صحيح ابن خزيمة (2001)يَصُومُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لا يُرِيدُ يُفْطِرُ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا ، وَيُفْطِرُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَرَى أَنَّهُ لا يُرِيدُ يَصُومُ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا . وَكُنْتَ لا تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ ، وَلا نَائِمًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ
  • مختصر قيام الليل للمروزي (155)لا تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ يَعْنِي النَّبِيَّ ﷺ ، مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ ، وَلا نَائِمًا إِلا رَأَيْتَهُ

On the same subject

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Bulugh al-Maram 683

'A’isha (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast until one would say, he never breaks his fast (i.e. he never stops fasting), and he would abandon fasting (at other times) until one would say that he never fasts. And I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fast for a complete month…

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: { كَانَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لَا يُفْطِرُ, وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لَا يَصُومُ, وَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله…

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 21 other versions

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 2430

I asked Sa'id b. Jubair about fasting during Rajab. He said: Ibn 'Abbas told me that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast to such an extent that we thought that he would never break his fast; and he would go without fasting to such an extent that we thought he would never fast.

كَانَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يُفْطِرُ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يَصُومُ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 8 other versions

Authentic Jami' at-Tirmidhi 768

"I asked Aishah about the Prophet's fasting.' She said: 'He would fast until we said: "He has fasted" and he would abstain from fasting until we said: "He has abstained from fasting." (She said:) 'The Messenger of Allah did not fast an entire month except Ramadan.'"

يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ صَامَ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَمَا صَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَهْرًا كَامِلاً إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ ‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 5 other versions

Authentic Sahih Muslim 1158

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…

يَصُومُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ قَدْ صَامَ قَدْ صَامَ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ ‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 3 other versions

Authentic chain Ash-Shama'il al-Muhammadiyya 299

"The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to fast until we would say: “He does not intend to break fast [during the month],” 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…

حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلانَ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ سَمِعْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله…

+ 4 other versions

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