Riyad as-Salihin

We took Suhur (predawn meal) with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and then we stood up for (Fajr) Salat (prayer). It was asked: "How long was the gap between the two?" He replied: "The time required for the recitation of fifty Ayat.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had two Mu'adhdhin: Bilal and Ibn Umm Maktum (May Allah be pleased with them). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Bilal proclaims Adhan .

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The difference between our observance of Saum (fasting) and that of the people of the Scriptures is Suhur (predawn meal in Ramadan).".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "People will continue to adhere to good as long as they hasten to break the Saum (fasting).".

Masruq and I visited 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O Mother of the Believers! There are two Companions of Muhammad (ﷺ) and neither of them holds back from doing good acts; but one of them hastens to break Saum (fasting) and hastens to perform the Maghrib prayer, while the other delays breaking Saum and delays performing Salat (prayer)." She asked, "Who is the one who hastens to break Saum and perform the Maghrib prayer?" Masruq said, "It is 'Abdullah (meaning 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud)." She said, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do so.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah the Most High says: 'From amongst my slaves, the quicker the one is in breaking the Saum (fasting), the dearer is he to me."'.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "When the night approaches from this side (i.e., the east) and the day retreats from that side (i.e., west) and the sun sets, then it is time for a person observing Saum (fasting) to break his fast.".

We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey and he was observing Saum (fasting). When the sun set, he (ﷺ) said to a person, "Dismount and prepare the ground roasted barley drink for us." Upon this he replied, "O Messenger of Allah, there is daylight still." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Get down and prepare barley drink for us." He said, "But it is still daytime." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) again said to him, "Get down and prepare barely drink for us." So he got down and prepared a barley liquid meal for him. The Prophet (ﷺ) drank that and then said, "When you perceive the night approaching from that side, a person observing Saum (fasting) should break the fast." And he (ﷺ) pointed towards the east with his hand..

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "When one of you breaks his Saum (fasting), let him break it on dates; if he does not have any, break his fast with water for it is pure.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to break his Saum (fasting) before performing Maghrib prayer with three fresh date-fruits; if there were no fresh date- fruits, he will eat three dry dates; and if there were no dry date- fruits; he would take three draughts of water..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When any one of you is observing Saum (fasting) on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language nor should he raise the voice; and if anyone reviles him or tries to quarrel with him he should say: 'I am observing fast."'.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If one does not eschew lies and false conduct, Allah has no need that he should abstain from his food and his drink.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If any one of you forgetfully eats or drinks (while observing fasting) he should complete his Saum (fasting), for Allah has fed him and given him to drink.".

I requested the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to talk to me about ablution. He said, "Perform the Wudu' well (by washing those parts of the body, such as the face, hands and feet beyond what is required, like washing the hands up to the upper-arm instead of the elbow). Cleanse the base of your fingers and sniff water deep into the nose except when you are observing fast.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would wake up at Fajr time in a state of Janabah; so he would take bath before dawn and observe fasting..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would wake during Ramadan (fasting) in a state of major impurity without a wet dream, but on account of sexual intercourse and he would take a bath before dawn..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best month for observing Saum (fasting) next after Ramadan is the month of Allah, the Muharram; and the best Salat (prayer) next after the prescribed Salat is Salat at night (Tahajjud prayers).".

The Prophet (ﷺ) did not observe voluntary Saum (fasting) so frequently during any other month as he did during Sha'ban. He observed Saum throughout the month of Sha'ban.Another narration is: He (ﷺ) observed Saum during the whole month of Sha'ban except a few days..

"I am Al- Bahili who visited you last year." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "You were quite handsome, what has changed your appearance so much?" He replied, "Since my departure from here, I have not eaten anything except at night." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remarked, "You have put yourself to torture. Observe Saum (fasting) during the Month of Patience (i.e., Ramadan) and fast one day from each month." He submitted, "Permit me to observe more voluntary fasts because I have capacity to do so." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Then observe fasts for two days in every month." He said, "Permit me to observe more." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Observe fasts on three days in every month." He requested that he should be allowed to observe more fasts. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Fast three days during the sacred months and omit fasting for three days alternately." He (ﷺ) joined his three fingers together and left them apart while repeating this sentence thrice..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There are no days during which the righteous action is so pleasing to Allah than these days (i.e., the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah)." He was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, not even Jihad in the Cause of Allah?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Not even Jihad in the Cause of Allah, except in case one goes forth with his life and his property and does not return with either of it.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the observance of Saum (fasting) on the day of 'Arafah. He said, "It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year and the current year.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed Saum (fasting) on the day of 'Ashura' and commanded us to fast on this day..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about observing As-Saum (the fast) on the tenth day of Muharram, and he replied, "It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If I remain alive till the next year, I shall also observe fast on the ninth of Muharram.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who observes As-Saum (the fasts) in the month of Ramadan, and also observes As-Saum for six days in the month of Shawwal, it is as if he has observed As-Saum for the whole year.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said, "That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I received Revelation.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Deeds of people are presented (to Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays. So I like that my actions be presented while I am fasting.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe fast on Mondays and Thursdays..

My friend (the Messenger of Allah) (ﷺ) directed me to observe fast for three days in every month, to perform two Rak'ah (optional) Duha prayer at forenoon and to perform the Witr prayer before going to bed..

My friend (the Messenger of Allah) (ﷺ) directed me to observe Saum (fasting) for three days in every month, to perform two Rak'ah (optional) Duha prayer at forenoon, and to perform the Witr prayer before going to bed..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Observing Saum (fasting) on three days of every month is equivalent to a full month's fasting.".

I asked 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her). Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) use to observe three days of Saum (fasting) in every month?" She replied, "Yes." I asked, "On which days in the month did he observed fast?" She replied that he did not mind on which days of the month he observed fast..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If you want to observe Saum on three days in a month, then fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the (lunar) month.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) directed us to observe Saum (fasting) on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the (lunar) month..

It was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to not to omit fast on 'bright days' whether he was staying at a place or on a journey..

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who provides a fasting person something with which to break his fast, will earn the same reward as the one who was observing the fast, without diminishing in any way the reward of the latter.".

Once the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us and I served him some food. He (ﷺ) asked me to eat. I replied that I was observing (optional) fast. He (ﷺ) said, "When people eat by a person observing fast, the angels keep asking Allah's forgiveness for that person until they have had their fill.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) came to visit Sa'd bin 'Ubadah (May Allah be pleased with him) who presented bread and olive oil to him. The Prophet (ﷺ) ate it and said, "The observers of fast have broken their fast with you (this is the literal translation, but the meaning is: 'May Allah reward you for providing a fasting people with food to break their fast'); the pious people have eat your food and the angels invoked blessings on you.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe I`tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. .

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to engage himself in I'tikaf (seclusion for prayers) in the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan till he passed away; thereafter, his wives followed this practice after him..

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to observe I'tikaf every year (during Ramadan) for ten days; in the year in which he passed away, he observed I'tikaf for twenty days..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "(The superstructure of) Islam is based on five (pillars), testifying the fact that La ilaha illallah wa anna Muhammad-ar-Rasul-ullah .

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered a Khutbah and said, "O people! Hajj (pilgrimage to the House of Allah) has been made incumbent upon you, so perform Hajj." A man inquired: "O Messenger of Allah, is it prescribed every year?" He (ﷺ) remained silent till the man repeated it thrice. Then he (ﷺ) said, "Had I replied in the affirmative, it would have surely become obligatory, and you would not have been able to fulfill it." Afterwards he said, "Do not ask me so long as I do not impose anything upon you, because those who were before you were destroyed on account of their frequent questioning and their disagreement with their Prophets. So when I order you to do something, do it as far as you can; and when I forbid you from doing anything, eschew it.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked: "Which deed is the best?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Faith in Allah and His Messenger." Then he was asked: "What is next?" He replied, "Jihad (holy fighting) in the Cause of Allah." Then he was asked, "What is after that?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Hajj Mabrur (an accepted pilgrimage).".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whoever performs Hajj (pilgrimage) and does not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commits sin, nor disputes unjustly (during Hajj), then he returns from Hajj as pure and free from sins as on the day on which his mother gave birth to him.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "(The performance of) 'Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed between it and the previous 'Umrah; and the reward of Hajj Mabrur (i.e., one accepted) is nothing but Jannah.".

I said: "O Messenger of Allah! We consider Jihad as the best deed, should we not then go for Jihad?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best Jihad for you women is Hajj Mabrur (i.e., one accepted by Allah).".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There is no day on which Allah sets free more slaves from Hell than He does on the Day of 'Arafah.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "(The performance of) 'Umrah during Ramadan is equal to Hajj (pilgrimage)." Or said, "Equal to the performance of Hajj with me.".

A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, "Allah's obligation upon His slaves has become obligatory on my father in his old age. My father is very old and incapable of riding. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?" He (ﷺ) said, "Yes.".