Abu Bakr says that I heard Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) saying that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The person who enters the morning in a state that requires ghusl (ritual bath), his fast is not valid." After some time, I went with my father to the service of Hazrat Umm Salamah and Hazrat Aisha, and they informed us that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes enter the morning in a state that required ghusl by choice and would still fast. Then we met Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), and my father narrated this hadith to him. The color of his face changed, and he said: "This hadith was told to me by Fadl bin Abbas, but the noble wives (of the Prophet) know more about this."