Surah 1-2 - YasSarNal QuR'aN

Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | SOCIAL JUSTICE AND FASTINGMālik, al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī and al-Nasā’ī] Anotherversion of this ĥadīth describes the man as ‘one who had no difficulty withfasting’.7. Anas reports: “A group of us were travelling with the Prophet: some werefasting and others were not. No fasting person criticized anyone for notfasting, nor did any criticize others for fasting.” [Related by Mālik, al-Bukhārī,Muslim and Abū Dāwūd]8. Abū al-Dardā’ reports: “We travelled with the Prophet one very hot day inRamadan. We would even cover our heads with our hands because of theintense heat. None of us was fasting except the Prophet and Ibn Rawāĥah.”[Related by al-Bukhārī, Muslim and Abū Dāwūd]9. Muĥammad ibn Ka`b reports: “I went in Ramadan to see Anas ibn Mālik as hewas about to leave on a journey. When Anas was dressed and had his horsesaddled and ready, he requested some food and ate. I asked whether this wasthe practice of the Prophet. Anas said, ‘Yes.’“ [Related by al-Tirmidhī]10. ‘Ubayd ibn Jubayr reports: “I was travelling from Fusţāţ by boat duringRamađān with Abū Başrah al-Ghifārī, a Companion of the Prophet (peace beupon him). As he set off on his journey, Abū Başrah asked for lunch to bebrought to him. He said to me, ‘Come and join me.’ I said, ‘We can still see thebuildings on the shore,’ (meaning they had not gone past the city, the Nile).Abū Başrah said, ‘Are you unwilling to follow the Prophet’s example, orSunnah.’ He then started eating and I joined him.” [Related by Abū Dāwūd]11. Manşūr al-Kalbī reports that Diĥyah ibn Khalīfah, a Companion of theProphet, was travelling a distance of about five kilometres from a suburb ofDamascus during Ramađān. Neither did he fast, nor did many of the peoplewith him. Some, however, were reluctant to break the fast. When he returnedto his home village, Diĥyah said, “By God, I have today seen something Ithought I would never see: people unwilling to follow the example of God’sMessenger and his Companions. My Lord, gather me to You!” [Related byAbū Dāwūd]Taken together, these reports support the view that the option of not fasting whileon a journey ought to be taken unconditionally to alleviate hardship. This isparticularly clear in the last two reports. The incident reported by Abū al-Dardā’,which relates that the Prophet and only one of his Companions continued to fastdespite the severe heat, should be taken as an exceptional case. In certain religiousmatters, the Prophet was known to commit himself to a much more rigorousdiscipline than he would recommend to his Companions. He, for example, orderedthat no one should fast two days running without the normal night break. Yet, he did203