8. Book of Virtues
٨۔ كتاب الفضائل
The Prophet’s ﷺ advice to Abu Hurayrah
My friend (the Prophet ﷺ ) advised me to observe three things: (1) to fast three days a month; (2) to pray two rakʿat of Duha prayer (forenoon prayer); and (3) to pray witr before sleeping.
أَوْصَانِي خَلِيلِي ﷺ بِثَلاَثٍ صِيَامِ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَرَكْعَتَىِ الضُّحَى وَأَنْ أُوتِرَ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَنَامَ
My Friend ﷺ instructed me in three (acts), and I would never abandon them as long as I live. (And these three things are): Three fasts during every month, the forenoon prayer, and this that I should not sleep till I have observed the Witr prayer.
أَوْصَانِي حَبِيبِي ﷺ بِثَلاَثٍ لَنْ أَدَعَهُنَّ مَا عِشْتُ بِصِيَامِ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَصَلاَةِ الضُّحَى وَبِأَنْ لاَ أَنَامَ حَتَّى أُوتِرَ
" I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'The month of patience ( Ramadan) and three days of each month is fasting for a lifetime."' (Sahih).
سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ شَهْرُ الصَّبْرِ وَثَلاَثَةُ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ صَوْمُ الدَّهْرِ
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.
أَنَّهَا سَأَلَتْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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
"I heard Abu Dharr, at Ar-Rabadhah, saying: 'The Messenger of Allah said: if you want to fast at any time during the monthm then fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth."'
لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا صُمْتَ شَيْئًا مِنَ الشَّهْرِ فَصُمْ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ وَأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ
"The Messenger of Allah commanded us to fast three days of Al-Bid, the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth."
أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ نَصُومَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامِ الْبِيضِ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ وَأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ
"The Messenger of Allah commanded us to fast the three days of Al-Bid, the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth."
أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ نَصُومَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامِ الْبِيضِ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ وَأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to command us to fast the days of the white (nights): thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month. He said: This is like keeping perpetual fast.
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَأْمُرُنَا أَنْ نَصُومَ الْبِيضَ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ وَأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ قَالَ وَقَالَ هُنَّ كَهَيْئَةِ الدَّهْرِ
"The Messenger of Allah would not break fast on the days of Al-Bid whether he was a resident or traveling."
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يُفْطِرُ أَيَّامَ الْبِيضِ فِي حَضَرٍ وَلاَ سَفَرٍ