550 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade wisāl (continuous fasting). A man from among the Muslims asked, ‘But you practice wisāl, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Which of you is like me? I spend the night while my Lord provides me with food and drink.’ When they still refused to give up wisāl, he fasted continuously with them for a day, then for another day, and when they finally sighted the new moon he said, ‘Had the crescent been delayed, I would have prolonged it for you,’—as a deterrent because they had refused to stop.” Agreed upon. (1)

Vocabulary of the ḥadith:
– wisāl: with a kasrah on the wāw and a fatḥah on the ṣād, derived from “connection”; here it means extending the fast over two or more consecutive days without breaking it at night.
– munkkil: with ḍammah on the mīm, fatḥah on the nūn, and a geminated kāf – one who punishes so as to restrain others from repeating the same act.

Points derived from the ḥadith:

1. Islamic law is gentle and accommodating; it imposes no excessive hardship. Its wise and merciful Legislator detests extremism by adding to what He has prescribed, for such excess only torments the soul. Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity.
2. Facilitation in worship helps sustain good deeds, wards off weariness, and is closer to justice. A Muslim owes rights to his Lord, to himself, and to his family; justice is to give every entitled party its due.