8/35. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 734 — Breaking Optional Fast
Performing A Voluntary Fast Without Planning It The Night Before
Optional Fast Hadith: Starting and Breaking a Fast
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 734
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 734
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ يَحْيَى، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ بِنْتِ طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْتِينِي فَيَقُولُ " أَعِنْدَكِ غَدَاءٌ " . فَأَقُولُ لاَ . فَيَقُولُ " إِنِّي صَائِمٌ " . قَالَتْ فَأَتَانِي يَوْمًا فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ قَدْ أُهْدِيَتْ لَنَا هَدِيَّةٌ . قَالَ " وَمَا هِيَ " . قَالَتْ قُلْتُ حَيْسٌ . قَالَ " أَمَا إِنِّي قَدْ أَصْبَحْتُ صَائِمًا " . قَالَتْ ثُمَّ أَكَلَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah Came To Me Saying, 'Do You Have Anything For Breakfast?' I Said: 'No.' Then He Said: 'I Am Fasting.'" She Said: "One Day He Came To Me And I Said: 'O Messenger Of Allah; I Have Received A Gift For Us.' He Said: 'What Is It?'" She Said: "I Said 'Hais' He Said: 'I Began The Day Fasting'" She Said: "Then He Ate."
[1] A dish made of cooking-butter, dried dates, and cheese.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 734In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 53English translation : Vol. 2, Book 3, Hadith 733
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 734
This optional fast hadith continues the same theme from Aishah. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would ask if there was breakfast. If there was none, he would say, “I am fasting.” On another day, Aishah told him that a gift had arrived. When he asked what it was, she said it was hais. He replied that he had begun the day fasting, then he ate. The narration shows both sides of voluntary fasting: starting it when no food is available and breaking it when food is present. It is not about Ramadan or a makeup fast. It is about a voluntary fast and the ease shown in the Prophet’s practice. The teaching is practical and balanced.
What we learn from this hadith
- Voluntary fasting may begin during the day in the situation described.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also ate after saying he had begun the day fasting.
- The hadith should not be applied to Ramadan or qada without a separate proof.
- The narration shows ease around optional worship.
