Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a stream of water while riding a mule. The people were fasting and there were many people walking on foot. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Drink.”They began to look at him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Drink, I am the strongest among you.”They again began to look at him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned his back and drank water, then the Companions also drank.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), narrates from Sayyiduna Usamah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him). Imam Nasa'i did not mention the name of Abu Hurairah. Sayyiduna Usamah says: I said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have seen that you fast a lot in one month, while in another month you do not fast as much. (What is the reason)?" The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Which month?" I said: Sha'ban. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Sha'ban, which is the month between Rajab and Ramadan, many people are heedless of it. In this month, the deeds of people are raised (towards the heavens), and I wish that my deeds are raised while I am fasting." I said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have also seen that you do not leave fasting on Mondays and Thursdays?" The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "On these days also, the deeds of the servants are raised."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Count the days of Sha'ban for Ramadan (i.e., keep track of the dates by the moon) and do not join it with Ramadan (by fasting an extra day), except if a man is in the habit of fasting on a particular day and it coincides with that day (then he may fast). Begin fasting by sighting the moon and break the fast by sighting it. If (on the evening of the 29th) the moon is hidden by clouds or mist, then the counting is not concealed (i.e., complete thirty days based on the count)."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Fast upon sighting the moon and break your fast upon sighting the moon. If clouds, darkness, or dust come between you and the moon, then complete the counting (of thirty days) of Sha'ban. Do not anticipate the month, nor join Ramadan with a day from Sha'ban."

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "On this day of Ashura, announce among your people or among the people that whoever has eaten should observe fasting for the rest of the day, and whoever has not eaten should fast for the whole day." This hadith is narrated from Salamah bin Akwa’, Rabi’ bint Mu’awwidh, Muhammad bin Saifi, Hind bint Asma, Abu Hurairah, and Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), from some unspecified individuals of the Aslam tribe, from Ma’bad Qurashi, and is also narrated mursal from Muhammad bin Sirin.

It is narrated from Nafi‘ that Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) related to him that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say on the Day of ‘Ashura:“The people of the Age of Ignorance used to fast on this day. Now, whoever wishes to fast on it, let him fast, and whoever wishes to leave it, let him leave it.”

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the people of the Age of Ignorance used to fast on the Day of Ashura (that is, the tenth of Muharram), and before the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and other Muslims also used to fast. When Ramadan was made obligatory, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Indeed, Ashura is one of Allah’s days; whoever wishes may fast on it, and whoever wishes may leave it."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If I remain alive till the next year, I will also fast on the ninth of Muharram, so that the risk of missing the fast of the Day of Ashura is eliminated."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Unais (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Laylat al-Qadr was shown to me, but then I was made to forget it. I think that on the morning of that night I will be prostrating in water and mud." He said: On the twenty-third (night) of (Ramadan), it rained, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led the prayer. When he finished, it was seen that there were traces of water and mud on his face and nose.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The Night of Qadr was shown to me, then one of my wives woke me up, so I forgot it. Seek it in the last ten nights."