22/67. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 2323 — Optional Fasting Outside Ramadan
The intention to fast, and the differences reported from Talhah bin Yahya in the narration of 'Aishah about it
Optional Fasting Hadith: Outside Ramadan and Make-Up Fasts
Sunan an-Nasai : 2323
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 2323
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ، أَنْبَأَنَا شَرِيكٌ، عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ دَارَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَوْرَةً قَالَ " أَعِنْدَكِ شَىْءٌ " . قَالَتْ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي شَىْءٌ . قَالَ " فَأَنَا صَائِمٌ " . قَالَتْ ثُمَّ دَارَ عَلَىَّ الثَّانِيَةَ وَقَدْ أُهْدِيَ لَنَا حَيْسٌ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ فَأَكَلَ فَعَجِبْتُ مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ دَخَلْتَ عَلَىَّ وَأَنْتَ صَائِمٌ ثُمَّ أَكَلْتَ حَيْسًا . قَالَ " نَعَمْ يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّمَا مَنْزِلَةُ مَنْ صَامَ فِي غَيْرِ رَمَضَانَ - أَوْ غَيْرِ قَضَاءِ رَمَضَانَ أَوْ فِي التَّطَوُّعِ - بِمَنْزِلَةِ رَجُلٍ أَخْرَجَ صَدَقَةَ مَالِهِ فَجَادَ مِنْهَا بِمَا شَاءَ فَأَمْضَاهُ وَبَخِلَ مِنْهَا بِمَا بَقِيَ فَأَمْسَكَهُ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah passed by my door. He said: 'Do you have anything (to eat)?' I said 'I do not have anything.' He said 'Then I am fasting.' Then he passed by my door a second time and we had been given some Hais. I brought it to him and he ate, and I was surprised. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you were fasting, then you ate Hais.' He said: 'Yes, O 'Aishah. The one who observes a fast other than in Ramadan, or making up a missed Ramadan, fast, is like a man who allocated some of is wealth to give in charity; if he wishes he may go ahead and give it, and if he wishes he may keep it.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 2323In-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 234English translation : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2325
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 2323
This Hadith about optional fasting repeats the scene with Aishah and adds an important wording from the report itself. The Messenger of Allah first said he was fasting when there was no food. Later, when Hais was given, he ate from it. Aishah was surprised because he had said he was fasting earlier. He explained that a fast outside Ramadan, outside making up a missed Ramadan fast, or a voluntary fast is like wealth set aside for charity. A person may give from it or keep what remains. The explanation here stays with the text: it points to choice in voluntary fasting and does not speak about obligatory fasts beyond what the Hadith names.
What we learn from this hadith
- Aishah noticed the change and asked about it directly.
- The report separates this case from Ramadan and missed Ramadan fasts.
- The Prophet used the example of charity to explain optional fasting.
- The text supports care in telling the difference between optional and required acts.
