It is narrated from the noble wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), that she states: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would enter the morning in a state of janabah (major ritual impurity) due to intercourse with his wives, not because of a wet dream, and then he would fast.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to ask for a fatwa, while Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was listening from behind the door. He said, "O Messenger of Allah, the time for prayer comes upon me while I am in a state of janabah (major ritual impurity), so should I fast?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The time for prayer comes upon me as well while I am in a state of janabah, so I fast." He said, "O Messenger of Allah, you are not like us. Surely Allah has forgiven your past and future sins." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, indeed I hope that I am the most God-fearing among you and the most knowledgeable of you regarding piety."

Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that this hope is of the same kind about which I say that a person, regarding something about which he has no doubt or uncertainty, says, 'I hope that I will be such and such.' Because there is no doubt that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had no doubt or uncertainty in this matter; rather, he had complete certainty that he was the most God-fearing among all and the most knowledgeable regarding matters of piety. This issue is of the same kind as that which is narrated from Alqamah bin Qais, that he was asked, "Are you a believer?" He replied, "I hope that I am a believer." While there is no doubt that he was among those believers upon whom the rulings of believers—marriage, buying and selling, and other rulings of the Shari'ah—apply. I have explained this issue in the Book of Faith. Here is a clear proof of this matter: that by your statement, "I hope," what is meant is firm certainty, as I have already explained, that you swore an oath and said that you are the most God-fearing among all people before Allah.

Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a concession in a certain matter, but some people refrained from it. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What is the matter with people that when I give them a command, they refrain from it? By Allah, I have the greatest knowledge of Allah among them, and I fear Allah more than them."