Hadith 124

Sahih Bukhari

Book 65: Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))

Chapter 25

The Statement of Allah "[Observing Saum (fasts)] for a fixed number of days but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty (e.g., an old man, etc.) they have (a choice, either to fast or) to feed a Miskin (poor person) (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast is better for you, if only you know." (V.2:184)

باب قَوْلِهِ ‏{‏أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ‏}‏

'Ata said, "One may stop fasting if one is suffering from any kind of disease, as Allah تعالى says concerning nursing or pregnant women." Al-Hasan and Ibrahim said, "If they are afraid of harming themselves or their babies, they can give up fasting for the time being and make up for the missed fasts later on. If an old man has no strength to observe fast (he can feed a poor person daily). When Anas bin Malik became old, he used to provide a poor person with bread and meat everyday while he gave up fasting during the last one or two years of his life."
وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ يُفْطِرُ مِنَ الْمَرَضِ كُلِّهِ كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى‏.‏ وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ فِي الْمُرْضِعِ وَالْحَامِلِ إِذَا خَافَتَا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمَا أَوْ وَلَدِهِمَا تُفْطِرَانِ ثُمَّ تَقْضِيَانِ‏.‏ وَأَمَّا الشَّيْخُ الْكَبِيرُ إِذَا لَمْ يُطِقِ الصِّيَامَ، فَقَدْ أَطْعَمَ أَنَسٌ بَعْدَ مَا كَبِرَ عَامًا أَوْ عَامَيْنِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِسْكِينًا خُبْزًا وَلَحْمًا وَأَفْطَرَ‏.‏ قِرَاءَةُ الْعَامَّةِ ‏{‏يُطِيقُونَهُ‏}‏ وَهْوَ أَكْثَرُ‏.‏
Sahih al-Bukhari 4602
حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، قَالَ كُنَّا فِي حَلْقَةِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَجَاءَ حُذَيْفَةُ حَتَّى قَامَ عَلَيْنَا، فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَقَدْ أُنْزِلَ النِّفَاقُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْكُمْ‏.‏ قَالَ الأَسْوَدُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ ‏{‏إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرَكِ الأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ‏}‏ فَتَبَسَّمَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، وَجَلَسَ حُذَيْفَةُ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ، فَقَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَتَفَرَّقَ أَصْحَابُهُ، فَرَمَانِي بِالْحَصَا، فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ عَجِبْتُ مِنْ ضَحِكِهِ، وَقَدْ عَرَفَ مَا قُلْتُ، لَقَدْ أُنْزِلَ النِّفَاقُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ كَانُوا خَيْرًا مِنْكُمْ، ثُمَّ تَابُوا فَتَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ‏.‏
Al-Aswad:

While we were sitting in a circle in `Abdullah's gathering, Hudhaifa came and stopped before us, and greeted us and then said, "People better than you became hypocrites." Al-Aswad said: I testify the uniqueness of Allah! Allah says: "Verily! The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire." (4.145) On that `Abdullah smiled and Hudhaifa sat somewhere in the Mosque. `Abdullah then got up and his companions (sitting around him) dispersed. Hudhaifa then threw a pebble at me (to attract my attention). I went to him and he said, "I was surprised at `Abdullah's smile though he understood what I said. Verily, people better than you became hypocrite and then repented and Allah forgave them."
Quran References: