Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that we used to travel with the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) (in Ramadan). Among us were some who were fasting and some who were not fasting, but neither the fasting person found fault with the non-fasting person, nor did the non-fasting person find fault with the fasting person.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that we were with the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey. Some of the companions were fasting and some had not kept the fast. It was a hot season. The best shade any of us had was the one he made with his own cloak. Those who were fasting could not do any work, but those who had not kept the fast, they lifted up the camels (gave them water), served the fasting ones well, and did all the other tasks. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Today, those who did not fast have taken away all the reward."

The purified wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), narrated that Hamza bin Amr Al-Aslami asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), "Should I fast while traveling?" He used to fast frequently. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "If you wish, then fast, and if you wish, then break your fast."

Sayyiduna Abu Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We were traveling with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the day was extremely hot. The heat was such that due to its severity, people would hold their heads. No one among us was fasting except the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and Ibn Rawahah.

Umm Fadl bint Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that there was a difference of opinion among the people at her place regarding whether the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was fasting on the day of Arafat. Some said that he was fasting, while others said that he was not. So she (Umm Fadl) sent a bowl of milk to him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was standing in Arafat at that time, mounted on his camel. He drank that milk.

Sayyidah Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that on the day of Arafah, some people doubted whether the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was fasting, so they (Sayyidah Maymunah, may Allah be pleased with her) sent him some milk. At that time, he was staying at Arafat. He drank that milk while everyone was watching.

Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Quraysh used to fast on the day of Ashura in the pre-Islamic period. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also ordered fasting on this day, until the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever wishes may fast on the day of Ashura, and whoever wishes may leave it.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that in the days of ignorance, we used to fast on the day of Ashura, but when the fasting of Ramadan was prescribed, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever wishes may fast on Ashura, and whoever wishes may leave it.

Sayyiduna Ash'ath (may Allah have mercy on him) came to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud while he was eating. Ash'ath said, "Today is the day of 'Ashura." Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "In those days, the fast of 'Ashura was observed before the fasting of Ramadan was prescribed, but when the command for fasting in Ramadan was revealed, this fast was abandoned. Come, you also join in the meal."

Humaid bin Abdur Rahman narrates that I heard Sayyiduna Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) on the day of Ashura during Hajj, delivering a sermon from the pulpit. He said: O people of Madinah, where have your scholars gone? I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: This is the day of Ashura; its fasting is not obligatory upon you, but I am fasting, so whoever wishes may fast (and act upon my Sunnah), and whoever wishes may not fast.