IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'iL IBN KATHiR 251We have written at sufficient length on this in the TafSir (Exegesis), giving
those ahadith and related evidences relevant to it, along with the regulations aris-
ing therefrom. And all praise be to God.Imsm Ahmad has stated, "Abii d-Nadr related to us, quoting al-Mas'iidi, quot-
ing 'Amr b. Murra from 'Abd al-Rabzn b. Abn Layla, from Mucadh b. Jabal,
who said, 'The prayer underwent three changes and fasting underwent three
changes.' He referred to those respecting prayer, then went on, 'Regarding the
changes in fasting, when the Messenger of God (SAAS) came to Medina, he
began fasting three days each month, and he also fasted 'Ashora'.
"'Then God made fasting incumbent upon him and sent down the words, "0
believers, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was for those who preceded
you" (swat al-Baqara; 11, v.183), and so on to the words, "And those with the
means to do so may redeem this by feeding a poor person" (sarat al-Baqara; 11,
v.184). As a result, those who wished to fast did so, while those who preferred to
feed a poor person did so, and that was considered sufficient for them. Then God
sent down another verse, "the month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was
revealed" up to the words "whoever of you are present that month, let them fast
it" (sarat al-Baqara; 11, v.185). This firmly prescribed fasting for those who were
at home and healthy, and exempted those who were sick or travelling. It also
established that the elderly unable to fast should he fed. These, then, were two
changes."'
(Mu%dh b. Jabal) then said "Thereafter people would eat, drink and go to their
women before retiring to bed; after retiring for sleep they would refrain from
these. One Helper, however, a man named Sirma, once fasted while working until
evening, went home to his family, performed the evening prayer and then retired
without eating or drinking before the next morning, when he again began fasting.
The Messenger of God (SAAS) saw him under great strain and so he asked him,
'How is it I see you under such great stress?' So he informed him.
He went on, "Wmar was in the habit of having sexual relations even after he
had slept a while and he came to the Messenger of God and told him this. And
so God sent down, 'It is lawful for you to visit your wives on the night of the fast;
they are as apparel for you' and so on, to the words, 'and then complete the fast
till the night' (sgrat al-Bagara; 11, v.187)."
Abii D2'nd related this in his work, Al-Sunan al-Mustadrak, as did al-H2kim
in his Al-Mustadrak quoting a hadith of d-Mas'iidi in similar terms.
In both sahih collections there is a hadith of al-Zuhri from Wrwa which
quotes 'A'isha as saying, "'Ashars' was fasted until fasting in Ramadan was
made obligatory. Thereafter, those who wished to continue with the fast (of
(Ashnra') did so, while those who wished not to refrained." A similar account is
given by al-Bukhsri from Ihn Wmar and Ihn Mas'iid."
This subject is examined in another section of the exegesis as well as in my
work al-Ahkam al-Kabir (The Major Statutes). God is the source of all aid.