Sayyiduna Salamah bin Akwa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a man on the day of ‘Ashura to announce that whoever has eaten should complete (the fast) for the rest of the day (i.e., remain in the state of fasting until sunset), or (he said) should fast, and whoever has not eaten should (begin to) fast and not eat.

Sayyidah Rubayyi’ bint Mu’awwidh (may Allah be pleased with her) said that on the morning of ‘Ashura, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent word to the neighborhoods of the Ansar that whoever among them had eaten or drunk in the morning should complete the rest of the day (like a fasting person), and whoever had not eaten or drunk should observe the fast. Rubayyi’ said: After that (after the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory), we would still fast on that day and also make our children fast. We would give them a toy made of wool to keep them occupied, and when any of them cried for food, we would give them that toy until it was time to break the fast.