Bukhari

Hadith Footnote: Translation:
The chapter is derived from the fact that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appointed a single individual as his envoy on his behalf.

Hadith Commentary:
The name of this messenger was Hind ibn Asma’ ibn Harithah.
(Fath al-Bari: 13/298)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent him to make an announcement regarding ‘Ashura.
He was a single individual, and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) dispatched him:
The people and the community, considering his announcement trustworthy, acted upon it. The same ruling applies to a solitary report (khabar wahid): it is authoritative and yields certain knowledge. Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has established, through this hadith, the authoritative status (hujjiyyah) of a solitary report, which is as clear and manifest as the light of day.

Hadith Commentary:
The purpose of this chapter is that if a person has not eaten or drunk anything after Fajr and, remaining in this state, makes the intention (niyyah) for fasting during the day, then the fast will be valid. However, this permission is only for voluntary (nafl) fasts; for obligatory (fard) fasts, the intention must be made at night, at the time of suhoor.
In the hadith, the fast of Ashura is mentioned, which was obligatory before the obligation of Ramadan.
Later, it remained only as a voluntary (nafl) act.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah did not establish a decisive chapter heading; however, from the suspended (mu‘allaq) and connected (muttasil) narrations he has presented, his inclination becomes apparent: he does not consider it necessary to make the intention (niyyah) for fasting at night, but rather seeks to refute those who deem it obligatory to make the intention for obligatory fasts during the night. This is because the aforementioned narrations mention intention in an absolute sense. There is no specification in them regarding obligatory or supererogatory (nafl) fasts. However, the majority of scholars did not agree with Imam Bukhari’s position; rather, they have said that for obligatory fasts, it is necessary to make the intention from the night. The noble statement of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is: “Whoever does not make a firm intention for fasting before Fajr, i.e., before true dawn, then there is no fast for him.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Sawm, Hadith: 2454) Furthermore, it is mentioned in the hadith that actions are dependent upon intentions. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Bad’ al-Wahy, Hadith: 1)

(2)
However, for supererogatory (nafl) fasts, the intention can be made even before midday (zawal), as narrated by Aisha radi Allahu anha: One day, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to me and said, “Do you have anything (to eat)?” We said, “No.” Upon hearing this, he said, “Then I am fasting.” Then, on another day, he came to us and we said, “O Messenger of Allah! Some halwa has been sent to us as a gift.” He said, “Show it to me. Indeed, I began the morning in a state of fasting.” Then he ate that halwa. (Sahih Muslim, al-Siyam, Hadith: 2714(1154))

(2)
The hadith presented by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah pertains to the fast of Ashura, which is not obligatory. Moreover, in it, those who had eaten before midday were also commanded to complete the fast, which is a particularity for Ashura, because for a general fast, the intention can be made up to midday, provided that after morning a person has not eaten or drunk anything.

(3)
It should be clear that intention (niyyah) is merely the resolve of the heart; there is no need to utter it with the tongue. Therefore, the words “wa bisawmi ghadin nawaytu min shahri Ramadan” are not established from any hadith.

Hadith Commentary:
Here ends the Book of Fasting (Kitab al-Siyam), in which Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has brought one hundred and fifty-seven hadiths, including both suspended (mu‘allaq), connected (mawsul), and repeated (mukarrar) narrations. He has also brought sixty reports (athar) from the Companions (Sahabah) and Followers (Tabi‘in), most of which are suspended, and the rest are connected.

All praise is due to Allah, for today, on the 5th of Sha‘ban, 1389 AH, during a journey in South India while traveling by railway, I have completed the translation and explanations of this section.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Amir Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu performed his first Hajj after assuming leadership in 44 AH, and the second in 57 AH.
It appears that the aforementioned words were spoken by him on the occasion of the second Hajj, and after Hajj he stayed in Madinah Tayyibah until the tenth of Muharram.
The people of Madinah did not pay special attention to fasting on this day, which is why he referred the matter to the scholars.

(2)
From previous ahadith, it is known that the Jews, Christians, and the Quraysh used to fast on this day.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also maintained the status of fasting on this day, so much so that in the first year after the Hijrah to Madinah Tayyibah, not only did he himself observe this fast, but he also commanded others to fast on this day.

(3)
Taking all the ahadith into consideration, the following facts regarding the fast of Ashura become clear:
✦ Before the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory, the fast of Ashura was obligatory, and this obligation lasted for one year, because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam arrived in Madinah Tayyibah in the month of Rabi al-Awwal, and in the following year the obligation of Ramadan fasting was revealed.
✦ Its obligation was publicized through a general announcement, as is evident from the hadith of Salamah bin Akwa radi Allahu anhu. Then, he commanded the mothers not to nurse their infants, as is clear from the following hadith.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent this message on the morning of Ashura to the settlements of the Ansar around Madinah Tayyibah: Whoever has fasted today should complete it until Maghrib, and whoever has not fasted should abstain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day.
Rabi’ bint Mu’awwidh radi Allahu anha says:
After this announcement, we ourselves would fast and also make our children fast.
When we would take our children to the mosque, we would take a woolen toy for them.
When they cried due to hunger, we would give them the toys to distract them so that they could complete their fast until the evening.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Siyam, Hadith: 2669(1136))
✦ When the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory, the obligation of Ashura was abrogated, but its recommendation (mustahabb) remained.
There is a difference of opinion among the scholars of usul regarding whether, when the obligation of a matter is abrogated, its permissibility remains or not. Imam Shafi’i rahimahullah holds that if a ruling is abrogated, its permissibility remains, whereas according to the Hanafis, its permissibility also ends.
Regarding Ashura, the statement of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, “Whoever wishes may fast, and whoever wishes may leave it,” is evidence of its permissibility. Also, it is mentioned in the hadith that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to command the fast of Ashura.
When the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory, he neither commanded nor forbade it.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Siyam, Hadith: 2652(1128))
Rather, from the hadith of Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu, its recommendation is understood.
✦ In the hadith, the virtue of fasting on this day is stated in these words: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Fasting on this day expiates the sins of the previous year.”
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Siyam, Hadith: 2746(1162))
✦ By “Yawm Ashura” is meant the tenth of Muharram, but there is a narration from Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu that he considered the ninth of Muharram to be Ashura.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Siyam, Hadith: 2664(1133))
Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu says:
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also used to fast on the ninth of Muharram.
(reference as above)
But according to the majority of hadith scholars, Ashura refers to the tenth of Muharram. However, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in opposition to the Jews, said that if he lived until the next year, he would fast on the ninth. Thus, it is mentioned in the hadith that when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to Madinah Tayyibah, he fasted on the tenth of Muharram and ordered fasting on that day.
The people said that the Jews and Christians also venerate this day (and fast on it).
He said:
“Next year we will fast on the ninth of Muharram.”
But before the next year came, he passed away.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Siyam, Hadith: 2666(1134))
In another narration: If I live until next year, I will surely fast on the ninth of Muharram.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Siyam, Hadith: 2667(1134))
Imam Bayhaqi rahimahullah says:
This means to fast on the ninth along with the tenth of Muharram.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 4/278)
Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu also gave the fatwa: Fast on the ninth and tenth, and in this way oppose the Jews.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 4/287)

(4)
According to us, there are three ways to fast on Ashura in Muharram:
✦ The best way is to fast on the ninth and tenth, because fasting on the tenth is established as a fact, but regarding the ninth, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam expressed his wish, even though due to meeting the Highest Companion (i.e., his passing), it could not be fulfilled.
✦ The next best is to fast on the tenth and eleventh of Muharram.
✦ The least is to fast only on the tenth.
Fasting only on the ninth is questionable for several reasons.
From an Islamic perspective, this is the reality and significance of Ashura in Muharram; therefore, one should fast on this day as an expression of gratitude, but in opposition to the Jews, one should also fast a day before or a day after along with it.
And Allah knows best.

English Translation:

Thus, according to Imam Nasa’i rahimahullah, the fast of ‘Ashura is recommended (mustahabb); that is why he has derived the issue of the chapter heading from this hadith, namely that one can begin a voluntary fast (nafl) by making the intention during the day (as is mentioned in hadith: 2324), provided that he has not eaten or drunk anything after the break of dawn. This deduction is correct, but it is not appropriate to use the above hadith as evidence for this, because according to the preferred opinion, the fast of ‘Ashura was initially obligatory. At most, it can be said that if one is unaware of the obligation of the fast, then whenever he becomes aware—whether he has eaten something or not—he should abstain from eating and complete the remainder of the day in fasting.