The Salaf’s Fasting in the Hot Summer Days for a Greater Reward

The Virtues of Fasting in the Summer

Ibn Rajab has a section in ‘Lata’if al-Ma’arif’ (p. 272-273) about the virtues of fasting during hot days. Since Ramadan will start in the summer this year, this will be a good encouragement:

“…And from the acts of worship whose reward is multiplied during the heat is fasting, and this is because of the thirst that one experiences in the mid-day heat.

This is why Mu’adh bin Jabal expressed regret on his deathbed that he would no longer experience this mid-day thirst, as did other early Muslims.

And it was related that Abu Bakr would fast in the summer and not fast in the winter, and ‘Umar advised his son ‘Abdullah on his deathbed: “Try to obtain the characteristics of faith,” and the first one he mentioned was fasting in the intense summer heat.

And al-Qasim bin Muhammad said that ‘A’ishah would fast in the intense heat, and he was asked: “What drove her to do this?” He replied: “She would take advantage of the days before death.” And some of the righteous women would choose the hottest days and fast them, saying: “If the price is low, everyone will buy,” meaning that she wanted to do those actions that only a few were capable of due to how hard it was to do them, and this is indicative of the high aspirations these women had.

"I wish I had seen what you have seen and witnessed what you witnessed (i.e. Allah’s Messenger).”

‘Abd ar-Rahman bin Jubayr bin Nufayr related that his father said:

“We were sitting with al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad one day, and a man came by and said: “How fortunate those two eyes of yours are that have seen the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم). I wish I had seen what you have seen and witnessed what you witnessed.”

So, al-Miqdad became angry, and I was surprised! The man only said something good!

He then walked over to the man and said: “What makes this man wish to be where Allah made him absent when he has no idea how he would’ve acted there? By Allah, there were people who saw the Messenger of Allah who will be dragged by Allah on their noses in Hell because they didn’t respond to his call and did not believe in his message. Will you not thank Allah that you were born knowing only your Lord, believing in what your Prophet came with, and have been relieved of trials that others had to go through?””

This was reported by Ahmad (6/2), Ibn Hibban (1684), and al-Albani declared it authentic in ‘Sahih as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah’ (p. 141).a

Here are a couple of points on this statement:

Ten Examples of the Haya’ of the Salaf

http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?t=442

Ten Examples of the Haya’ of the Salaf

1 – Abu Musa al-Ash’ari:

Anas bin Malik said:

“When Abu Musa would sleep, he would wear a small over garment, fearing that his ‘awrah would be exposed.”

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 2/399]

2 – Ibn ‘Abbas:

“He would not enter the bathroom except that he was alone, and would be wearing a thick outer garment, saying: “I am shy from Allah Seeing me in the bathroom without any clothing.”"

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 3/355]

3 – ‘A’ishah:

“I used to enter the building in which the Messenger of Allah and my father were buried while I was dressed lightly, saying: ‘These are just my husband and father.’

However, when ‘Umar was buried, by Allah, I never entered this building except that my clothing was wrapped tightly around my body, out of shyness from ‘Umar.”

[al-Hakim's 'Mustadrak' (4/7), and he declared it authentic]

4 – Hisham bin ‘Ammar:

Mu’awiyah bin Aws narrated:

“I saw Hisham bin ‘Ammar, and when he would walk in the street, he would look down to the ground, and he would never raise his head to the sky, out of shyness from Allah – the Mighty and Majestic.”

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 11/430]

5 – al-Humaydi:

“Abu Bakr bin Maymun came and knocked on the door of al-Humaydi, and assumed that he was given permission to enter. So, he entered, finding al-Humaydi with his thigh exposed. al-Humaydi began to cry, saying: “By Allah, you have just laid your eyes on something that nobody has seen since I have reached adulthood!”"

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 19/122]

6 – Muhammad bin Yahya adh-Dhuhli:

Abu al-’Abbas al-Azhari said:

“I heard the servant of Muhammad bin Yahya adh-Dhuhli saying, while he was being washed: “I served him for thirty years, and I would give him his water, and I never even saw his leg, and I was his property.”"

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 12/279]

7 – al-Imam al-Bukhari:

Muhammad bin Abi Hatim narrated:

“Some of my companions said to me: “We were at the house of Muhammad bin Salam, and Muhammad bin Isma’il al-Bukhari entered upon his upon his return from Iraq. So, he began to inform us of the tribulation that the people were being put through, as well as what had happened to Ahmad bin Hambal, etc.

When al-Imam al-Bukhari exited the house, Muhammad bin Salam said to those present: “Have you ever seen a virgin with as much shyness as this man?”"

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 12/418]

8 – Ibn al-Qayyim narrated that some of the Salaf said:

“If one does something in secret that he is shy from doing in public, this means that he means nothing to himself.”

['Madarij as-Salikin'; 2/353]

9 – Shams ad-Din al-Maqdisi:

“If my leg becomes exposed while I am alone, I rush to cover it up while making istighfar.”

['al-Mukhtar al-Masun min A'lam al-Qurun'; 1/540]

10 – Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Ghumari:

He would refuse to fall asleep in the presence of anyone, saying: “I fear that some bad smell would emanate from me while I am sleeping.”

['al-Mukhtar al-Masun min A'lam al-Qurun'; 2/758]

>Ten Examples of the Haya’ of the Salaf

>

http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?t=442

Ten Examples of the Haya’ of the Salaf

1 – Abu Musa al-Ash’ari:

Anas bin Malik said:

“When Abu Musa would sleep, he would wear a small over garment, fearing that his ‘awrah would be exposed.”

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 2/399]

2 – Ibn ‘Abbas:

“He would not enter the bathroom except that he was alone, and would be wearing a thick outer garment, saying: “I am shy from Allah Seeing me in the bathroom without any clothing.”"

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 3/355]

3 – ‘A’ishah:

“I used to enter the building in which the Messenger of Allah and my father were buried while I was dressed lightly, saying: ‘These are just my husband and father.’

However, when ‘Umar was buried, by Allah, I never entered this building except that my clothing was wrapped tightly around my body, out of shyness from ‘Umar.”

[al-Hakim's 'Mustadrak' (4/7), and he declared it authentic]

4 – Hisham bin ‘Ammar:

Mu’awiyah bin Aws narrated:

“I saw Hisham bin ‘Ammar, and when he would walk in the street, he would look down to the ground, and he would never raise his head to the sky, out of shyness from Allah – the Mighty and Majestic.”

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 11/430]

5 – al-Humaydi:

“Abu Bakr bin Maymun came and knocked on the door of al-Humaydi, and assumed that he was given permission to enter. So, he entered, finding al-Humaydi with his thigh exposed. al-Humaydi began to cry, saying: “By Allah, you have just laid your eyes on something that nobody has seen since I have reached adulthood!”"

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 19/122]

6 – Muhammad bin Yahya adh-Dhuhli:

Abu al-’Abbas al-Azhari said:

“I heard the servant of Muhammad bin Yahya adh-Dhuhli saying, while he was being washed: “I served him for thirty years, and I would give him his water, and I never even saw his leg, and I was his property.”"

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 12/279]

7 – al-Imam al-Bukhari:

Muhammad bin Abi Hatim narrated:

“Some of my companions said to me: “We were at the house of Muhammad bin Salam, and Muhammad bin Isma’il al-Bukhari entered upon his upon his return from Iraq. So, he began to inform us of the tribulation that the people were being put through, as well as what had happened to Ahmad bin Hambal, etc.

When al-Imam al-Bukhari exited the house, Muhammad bin Salam said to those present: “Have you ever seen a virgin with as much shyness as this man?”"

['Siyar A'lam an-Nubala''; 12/418]

8 – Ibn al-Qayyim narrated that some of the Salaf said:

“If one does something in secret that he is shy from doing in public, this means that he means nothing to himself.”

['Madarij as-Salikin'; 2/353]

9 – Shams ad-Din al-Maqdisi:

“If my leg becomes exposed while I am alone, I rush to cover it up while making istighfar.”

['al-Mukhtar al-Masun min A'lam al-Qurun'; 1/540]

10 – Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Ghumari:

He would refuse to fall asleep in the presence of anyone, saying: “I fear that some bad smell would emanate from me while I am sleeping.”

['al-Mukhtar al-Masun min A'lam al-Qurun'; 2/758]