Sahih Muslim – Hadith No : 2770

‘A’isha, the Mother of the Believers (Allah be pleased with her), reported that one day the Messenger of Allah tpay peace be upon him) said to me: ‘A’isha, have you anything (to eat)? I said: ‘Messenger of Allah, there is nothing with us. Thereupon he said: I am observing fast. She said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out, and there was a present, for us and (at the same time) some visitors dropped in. When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came back, I said to him: Messenger of Allah, a present was given to us, (and in the meanwhile) there came to us visitors (a major Portion of it has been spent on them), but I have saved something for you. He said: What is it? I said: It is hais (a compound of dates and clarified butter). He said: Bring that. So I brought it to him and he ate it and then said: I woke up in the morning observing fast. Talha said: I narrated this hadith to Mujahid and he said: This (observing of voluntary fast) is like a person who sets apart Sadaqa out of his wealth. He may spend it if he likes, or he may retain it if he so likes.

Hadith In Arabic Text :

وحدثنا أبو كامل، فضيل بن حسين حدثنا عبد الواحد بن زياد، حدثنا طلحة، بن يحيى بن عبيد الله حدثتني عائشة بنت طلحة، عن عائشة أم المؤمنين، – رضى الله عنها – قالت قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات يوم ‏”‏ يا عائشة هل عندكم شىء ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قالت فقلت يا رسول الله ما عندنا شىء ‏.‏ قال ‏”‏ فإني صائم ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قالت فخرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فأهديت لنا هدية – أو جاءنا زور – قالت – فلما رجع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قلت يا رسول الله أهديت لنا هدية – أو جاءنا زور – وقد خبأت لك شيئا ‏.‏ قال ‏”‏ ما هو ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قلت حيس ‏.‏ قال ‏”‏ هاتيه ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فجئت به فأكل ثم قال ‏”‏ قد كنت أصبحت صائما ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قال طلحة فحدثت مجاهدا بهذا الحديث فقال ذاك بمنزلة الرجل يخرج الصدقة من ماله فإن شاء أمضاها وإن شاء أمسكها‏.‏

Chapter : The Book of Fasting – كتاب الصيام