Sunan Abi Dawud — Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to observe retirement (i’tikaf) to the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan till Allah took him, and then his wives observed retirement to the mosque after his death.

The Prophet (ﷺ) read the verse mentioned above, “min du’f.”

Shahr ibn Hawshab said: I asked Umm Salamah: How did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) read this verse: “For his conduct is unrighteous (innahu ‘amalun ghayru salih”. She replied: He read it: “He acted unrighteously” (innahu ‘amila ghayra salih). Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Harun al-Nahwi and Musa b. Khalaf from Thabit as reported by the narrator ‘Abd al-Aziz.

: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed, he began with himself and said: May the mercy of Allah be upon us and upon Moses. If he had patience, he would have seen marvels from his Companion. But he said: “(Moses) said: If ever I ask thee about anything after this, keep me not in they company: then wouldst thou have received (full) excuse from my side”. Hamzah lengthened it.

Muslim ibn Yasar al-Juhani said: When Umar ibn al-Khattab was asked about the verse “When your Lord took their offspring from the backs of the children of Adam” – al-Qa’nabi recited the verse–he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say when he was questioned about it: Allah created Adam, then passed His right hand over his back, and brought forth from it his offspring, saying: I have these for Paradise and these will do the deeds of those who go to Paradise. He then passed His hand over his back and brought forth from it his offspring, saying: I have created these for Hell, and they will do the deeds of those who go to Hell. A man asked: What is the good of doing anything, Messenger of Allah? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When Allah creates a servant for Paradise, He employs him in doing the deeds of those who will go to Paradise, so that his final action before death is one of the deeds of those who go to Paradise, for which He will bring him into Paradise. But when He creates a servant for Hell, He employs him in doing the deeds of those who will go to Hell, so that his final action before death is one of the deeds of those who go to Hell, for which He will bring him into Hell.

I was with ‘Umar b. al-Khattab when he transmitted this tradition. The tradition of Malik is more perfect.

The boy whom al-Khidr had killed was created an infidel. Had he lived, he would have moved his parents to rebellion and unbelief.

It would have been better for him. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: I think (or, I have been commanded) that I should be brief in what I say, for brevity is better.