According to hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him): “We were young men with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and we did not have anything (i.e., we could not afford). The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to us, ‘O young men, whoever among you can afford to __________, then let him do so, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity. And whoever is not able to do that, then let him fast, for that will be a shield for him.’” (al-Bukhaari, 5066; Muslim, 1400).

‘Aa’ishah(r.a)said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to fast on __________and___________.” (al-Nasaa’i, 2320; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer, 4827). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about it, and he said: “Those are two days on which people’s deeds are shown to the Lord of the Worlds, and I want my deeds to be shown to Him when I am fasting.” (al-Nasaa’i, 2358; Ibn Maajah, 1740; Ahmad, 8161; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1583).

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “My close friend [i.e., the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] advised me to do three things which I will never give up until I die:

What are the three things?

(al-Bukhaari, 1178; Muslim, 721).

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) was asked about fasting on the day of ‘___________’. He said, “I do not know of any day on the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted that was better than this day and any month that was better than this month, meaning Ramadaan.” (al-Bukhaari, 2006; Muslim, 1132).

(Hint: It is Sunnah to fast the day before or the day after along with ‘Aashoora’, in order to be different from the Jews.)

Fasting on the day of ___________ may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years.

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan then fasts six days of Shawwaal, it is as if _____________.” (Muslim, 1164). See also Question no. 7859.

“The best of fasting after Ramadaan is the month of Allaah __________, and the best of prayer after the obligatory prayers is prayer at night (qiyaam al-layl).” (Muslim, 1163).

‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast until we thought that he would never break his fast, and he would not fast until we thought that he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fast an entire month apart from Ramadaan, and the month in which I saw him fast the most was _________. He used to fast all of ___________ or all of it apart from a few days.” (al-Bukhaari, 1969; Muslim, 1156).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will keep his face _________________’ distance from Hell,” (al-Nasaa’i, 2247; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Nasaa’i, 2121).

Allaah has prescribed that His slaves should voluntarily seek to draw closer to Him, after performing the __________ acts of worship, by doing more of the same kinds of acts of worship, and He has assigned to that great rewards.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that his Lord said: “My slave does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My slave continues to draw near to Me with _________________ works so that I will love him, When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.” (al-Bukhaari, 6502).