He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “ If anyone removes one of the anxieties of this world from a believer, God will remove one of the anxieties of the day of resurrection from him; if one smooths the way for one who is destitute, God will smooth the way for him in this world and the next; and if anyone conceals the faults of a Muslim, God will conceal his faults, in this world and the next. God helps a man as long as he helps his brother. If anyone pursues a path in search of knowledge, God will thereby make easy for him a path to paradise. No company will gather in a mosque to recite God’s Book and study it together without calmness descending on them, mercy covering them, the angels surrounding them, and God mentioning them among those who are with Him. But he who is made slow by his actions will not be speeded by his genealogy.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said, "I never saw the Prophet (ﷺ) singling out any day’s fast and considering it more excellent than another, except this day, the day of ‘Ashura’,* and this month, meaning the month of Ramadan." *The 10th of Muharram. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said that when God’s messenger fasted on the day of ‘Ashura’ and commanded that it should be observed as a fast, he was told it was a day held in honour by Jews and Christians, and said, “If I am spared till next year I shall fast on the ninth.” Muslim transmitted it.

Umm al-Fadl daughter of al-Harith said that on the day of 'Arafa some people near her argued about whether God’s messenger was fasting, some saying that he was and others saying that he was not. She therefore sent him a cup of milk while he was observing the halt at ‘Arafa on his camel, and he drank it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A'isha said she never saw God’s messenger fasting during the first ten days of Dhul Hijja. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Qatada said that when a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him how he fasted, he was angry at what he said, and when 'Umar observed his anger he said, “We are satisfied with God as Lord, with Islam as religion and with Muhammad as Prophet. We seek refuge in God from the anger of God and His messenger.” ‘Umar kept on repeating these words till his anger calmed down, then asked, “Messenger of God, what is the position of one who observes a perpetual fast?” He replied, “May he not fast or break his fast!” or he said, “He has neither fasted nor broken his fast.” He asked, “What is the position of one who fasts two days out of every three?” and received the reply, “Is anyone able to do that?” He asked what was the position of one who fasted every second day and was told that was the fast David observed. He asked what was the position of one who fasted one day out of every three, and God’s messenger replied, “I wish I were given power to observe that.” Thereafter he said, “The observance of three days’ fast every month and of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fast. I seek from God that fasting on the day of ‘Arafa may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming year, and I seek from God that fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’ may atone for the sins of the preceding year.” Muslim transmitted it.

He said that when God’s messenger was asked about fasting on Monday he said, “On it I was born and on it the revelation was first sent down to me.”* *The meaning seems to be that as this day is so distinguished, one could not choose a better one. Muslim transmitted it.

Mu'adha al-‘Adawiya said she asked ‘A'isha whether God’s messenger used to fast three days every month, and she replied that he did. She asked which days in the month he fasted, and she replied that he did not care which days of the month he fasted. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari told that God’s messenger said, “If anyone fasts during Ramadan, then follows it with six days in Shawwal, it will be like a perpetual fast.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said God’s messenger forbade fasting on the day of breaking the fast of Ramadan and on the day of sacrifice. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “No fast is to be observed on two days, al-Fitr and al-Adha.* *In this tradition I have used the Arabic words, but have translated them in the preceding tradition. In the preceding tradition an-nahr is used where al-Adha is used here. Al-Adha means literally the victims. (Bukhari and Muslim.)