7.

Statement of Fasting

٧-

بيان الصوم

‘A'isha said that the Prophet used to engage in private devotions in the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan till God took him, and then his wives followed this practice after his death.* *Mirqatsays that the Prophet’s wives observed periods of seclusion for devotion, not in the mosque but in their houses. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s messenger was the most generous of men, and he was as generous as possible in Ramadan. Gabriel used to meet him every night in Ramadan and the Prophet would go over the Qur’an to him. When Gabriel met him he was more generous than the wind which blows freely. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that the Qur’an was gone over* to the Prophet once annually, but that this was done twice in the year in which he died. He used to engage in private devotions in the mosque during ten nights every year, but he did this during twenty nights in the year in which he died. *Mirqatremarks that some expositors say the passive is used here because the person who went over the Quran to the Prophet was well-known, viz. Gabriel. Bukhari transmitted it.

‘A'isha said, “During his private devotional exercises God’s messenger would put his head near me when he was in the mosque, and I would comb it; and he entered the house only to relieve himself.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar said that when ‘Umar consulted the Prophet about a vow he had made in the pre-Islamic period to spend a night in devotion in the sacred mosque, he said, “Fulfill your vow.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to observe Itikaf (religious seclusion) in the last ten days of Ramadan, but one year he did not observe Itikaf, so the next year he observed Itikaf for twenty days. Sahih, narrated by At-Tirmidhi.

Imam Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah narrated it from Abi bin Ka'b. Sahih.

‘A'isha said that when God’s messenger intended to engage in private devotion in the mosque he prayed the dawn prayer and then entered his place of seclusion. Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

She said that the Prophet used to visit the sick while engaged in a period of private devotion in the mosque and he would pass on straight ahead without pausing and ask for him. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

She said that thesunnafor one who is observing a period of private devotion in a mosque is not to visit an invalid, or attend a funeral, or touch or embrace one’s wife, or go out for anything but necessary purposes. There is no period of private devotion in a mosque without fasting, and it must be carried out in a congregational mosque. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that when the Prophet observed a period of private devotion in the mosque his bedding was placed for him, or a couch was put down for him, behind the column of repentance.* *A column in the Prophet's mosque in Medina, said to have got this name because the repentance of Abu Lubaba was accepted beside it. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying about one who observes a period of private devotion in a mosque, “He turns away from sins and he is rewarded for good deeds like one who does all good deeds.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.