1/1246ــ عَنْ أبي هُرَيْرةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أفضلُ الصِّيَامِ بعدَ رَمَضَانَ: شهرُ الله المحَرَّمُ، وأفْضلُ الصَّلاة ِبعدَ الفَريضَةِ: صلاةُ اللَّيل». رواه مسلم.
1246/1 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The most excellent fast after Ramadan is in Allah’s month Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after the obligatory prayers is (voluntary) night prayer.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) فضل صيام النافلة في شهر الله المحرم، وخاصة يوم العاشر منه، لورود فضيلة خاصة بصيامه.
1) It shows the merit of observing voluntary fasting during Muharram, especially on the 10th day of it, as it is reported to have a particular virtue.
2) تتفاضل العبادات، ويضاعف ثوابها بحسب زمانها، فَلْيحرصِ العبد علىٰ اغتنام الأزمنة الفاضلة للطاعات.
2) Some acts of worship are more excellent than others, and their rewards get multiplied at certain times. So, a person should be keen to seize virtuous times for engaging in worship.
2/1247 ــ وعن عائشةَ رضي الله عنها قالت: لَمْ يكُن النَّبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يصومُ من شهر أكثرَ من شعبانَ، فإنَّهُ كَانَ يصومُ شعبَانَ كلَّه. وفي رواية: كَانَ يصومُ شعبَانَ إلا قليلاً. متفق عليه.
1247/2 - ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would not fast in any month more than he did in Sha‘bān. He used to fast the whole of Sha‘bān.” In another version: “He used to fast the whole of Sha‘bān except for a few days.”
1) الإكثار من صيام شهر شعبان سُنَّة، لأن النَّبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يصوم أكثره.
1) It is Sunnah to fast often during Sha‘bān, as the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast most of it.
2) الحكمة في صيام أكثر شعبان أن يكون مقدمة بين يدي رمضان، كالرواتب بين يدي الفريضة.
2) The wisdom behind fasting most of Sha‘bān is that it serves as a prelude to Ramadan, just like the regular Sunnah prayer before the obligatory prayer.
3/1248ــ وعن مجيبةَ الباهليَّةِ عَنْ أبيها، أو عمِّها، أنَّه أتىٰ رَسُولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ثُمَّ انطلقَ فأتاهُ بعد سَنة، وقد تغيَّرت حالُه وَهَيئتُهُ، فقال: يارسولَ الله أَمَا تعرفُني؟ قَالَ: «ومن أنْتَ؟» قَالَ: أنا الباهليُّ الذي جئتُكَ عام الأوَّل، قَالَ: «فَمَا غيَّرك، وقد كنتَ حَسَنَ الهَيئة؟» قَالَ: مَا أكلتُ طعاماً منذُ فارقْتُكَ إلَّا بِليل، فقال رَسُولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «عَذَّبتَ نفسَكَ!» ثُمَّ قَالَ: «صُمْ شهرَ الصَّبْر، ويوماً مِن كلِّ شَهرٍ» قَالَ: زدْني ، فإنَّ بي قوَّةً، قَالَ: «صُمْ يَوْمين» قَالَ: زدْني، قَالَ: «صُمْ ثلاثةَ أيَّامٍ» قَالَ: زدْني ، قَالَ: «صُمْ مِنَ الحُرُمِ واتْرُكْ ، صُمْ مِنَ الحُرُمِ واتْرُكْ، صُمْ مِنَ الحُرُمِ واتْرُكْ» وقال بأصابعِهِ الثلاثِ فَضَمَّهَا، ثُمَّ أرْسلَها. رواه أبو داود. وشهر الصبر: رمضان.
1248/3 - Mujībah Al-Bāhiliyyah reported from her father or uncle that he visited the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) once and then went to see him again after a year. His appearance had totally changed. He asked him: “O Messenger of Allah, do you not recognize me?” The Messenger said: “Who are you?” He replied: “I am the Bāhili who visited you last year.” The Messenger 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 remarked: “You have put yourself to torture.” Then, he said: “Observe fasting during the month of patience (i.e. Ramadan) and fast one day from each month.” He said: “Permit me to fast more, for I have the strength for it.” He said: “Fast two days.” He said: “Permit me to fast more.” He said: “Fast three days.” He said: “Permit me to fast more.” He said: “Fast three days during the sacred months and omit fasting for three days alternately.” He joined his three fingers while repeating this sentence thrice. [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd] --
1) ليس من الشرع المنزل أن يكلف العبدُ نفسَه مَا لا يطيق، وأن يعذب نفسه بالأعمال الشاقة التي لَمْ يأمر الشرع بها. ومن غامر بنفسه فإنما يتكلف الشرع المبدل!
1) It is not part of the Shariah to burden ourselves with things beyond our capacity and torture ourselves with arduous tasks not prescribed in the Shariah. He who does so subjects himself to needless suffering.
2) أحب الأعمال إلىٰ الله تعالىٰ أدومُها وإنْ قَلَّ.
2) The dearest deeds to Allah Almighty are those which are done regularly, even if they are little.
هذا الحديث ضعيف بهذا اللفظ، لكنه يصح برواية وردت من حديث كهمس الهلالي قال: أسلمتُ، فأتيتُ النَّبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فأخبرته بإسلامي، فمكثْتُ حولاً وقد ضَمرْتُ ونحلَ جسمي ثم أتيْتُه، فخفضَ فيَّ البَصَرَ ثم رفعَهُ، قلت: أمّا تعرفني؟ قال: «ومَن أنت؟» قلت: أنا كهمسُ الهلاليُّ، قال: «فما بلغ بكَ ما أرىٰ؟» قلت: ما أفطرْتُ بعدَك نهاراً، ولا نمتُ ليلاً. فقال صلى الله عليه وسلم:
The Hadīth with this wording is inauthentic, but another version of it is authentic, in which Kahmas al-Hilāli reported: I embraced Islam, so I went to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him about this. Then, one year passed in which I became thin and weak. Thereafter, I went to him, and he looked at me closely. I said: “Do you not know me?” He said: “Who are you?” I said: “I am Kahmas al-Hilāli.” He said: “What made you look like this?” I said: “I have not missed a day without fasting since I met you and have not slept at night.” Thereupon, he said:
«ومن أمركَ أنْ تعذِّبَ نفسَكَ؟ صُم شهرَ الصَّبرِ، ومِن كلِّ شهرٍ يوماً» قلتُ: زدني. قال: «صُم شهرَ الصبر، ومن كل شهرٍ يومين». قلت: زدْني أجدُ قوة. قال: «صُم شهرَ الصبر، ومن كل شهرٍ ثلاثةَ أيامٍ». رواه الطيالسي في مسنده والطبراني في المعجم الكبير.
“Who commanded you to torture yourself? Fast the month of patience (i.e. Ramadan) and one day every month.” I said: “Permit me to fast more.” He said: “Fast the month of patience and two days every month.” I said: “Permit me to fast more, for I have the strength for it.” He said: “Fast the month of patience and three days every month.” [Narrated by Al-Tayālisi in his Musnad and by Al-Tabarāni in Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr]
قال الحافظ الذهبي ــ رحمه الله تعالىٰ ــ في (سير أعلام النبلاء):
In Siyar A‘lām al-Nubalā’, Al-Hāfizh Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said:
«وكل من لم يَزُمَّ نفسَه في تعبده وأوراده بالسنة النبوية، يندم ويترهب ويسوء مزاجه، ويفوته خير كثير من متابعة سُنّة نبيِّه، الرؤوف الرحيم بالمؤمنين، الحريص علىٰ نفعهم، وما زال صلى الله عليه وسلم معلِّماً للأمة أفضل الأعمال، وآمراً بهجر التبتُّل والرهبانية التي لم يُبعث بها، فنهىٰ عن سرد الصوم، ونهىٰ عن الوِصال، وعن قيام أكثر الليل إلا في العشر الأخير، ونهىٰ عن العزبة للمستطيع، ونهىٰ عن ترك اللحم، إلىٰ غير ذلك من الأوامر والنواهي.
“He who does not adhere to the Prophet’s Sunnah in his worship and acts of piety will certainly regret, turn to monasticism, and will be in bad spirit, and he will miss a great deal of good to be obtained by following the Sunnah of the Prophet who is merciful and compassionate towards the believers and keen to benefit them. He taught the Ummah the best deeds and commanded them to abandon monasticism and devotion to their entire time to worship and impermissible continuous fasting and performing Qiyām for most of the night, except in the last ten nights (of Ramadan). He also prohibited celibacy for those who afford marriage and forbade refraining from eating meat, in addition to other commands and prohibitions.
فالعابد بلا معرفة لكثير من ذلك معذور مأجور، والعابد العالم بالآثار المحمدية المتجاوز لها مفضول مغرور. وأحب الأعمال إلىٰ الله تعالىٰ أدومها وإن قل.
He who engages in worship without knowing many of these rulings is excused and will be rewarded. But if a person worships while knowing these Prophetic instructions yet he disregards them, he is wrong and deluded. Indeed, the most pleasing deeds to Allah are the most regular, even if they are little.
ألهمَنَا اللهُ وإياكم حُسن المتابعة، وجنّبنا الهوىٰ والمخالفة».
May Allah guide all of us to follow the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) properly and keep away from personal inclination and going against the Sunnah.”