al-Mufaḍḍal as “Sālim ibn ʿUbayd Allāh,” with ʿUbayd in the diminutive form. It likewise appears in al-Ṭabarānī’s al-Kabīr (504), for he narrated it through the aforementioned chain of al-Awsaṭ, as well as through another chain from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Mubārak al-ʿĀʾishī: Abū Qutaybah narrated it to us in the same manner. Al-Bazzār also narrated it (1025) through another route from Abū Qutaybah with the same wording, though an omission occurs in it.

I have found a corroborating report for this hadith, narrated by Miṣād ibn ʿUqbah, from Abū al-Zubayr, from Jābir, attributing it to the Prophet. Al-Khaṭīb narrated it in al-Tārīkh (12/360–361). Its narrators are trustworthy, apart from this Miṣād. Ibn Abī Ḥātim included his biography (4/1/4040), through reports from three trustworthy narrators, but mentioned neither criticism nor accreditation concerning him. Thus, the hadith is good, Allah willing.

His word “waḍaḥ,” with a fatḥah on its letters, means the whiteness of dawn, as stated in al-Qāmūs. Al-Nihāyah states: “That is, from light to light. It was also said: from crescent to crescent, and this is the more fitting interpretation, because the context of the hadith indicates it. Its complete wording is: ‘If it is obscured from you, then complete the number as thirty days.’”

I say: I have not seen the hadith with this complete wording. If it is authentic with it, then that is the correct interpretation. Otherwise, what appears correct to me—and Allah knows best—is that it means: Fast from the pre-dawn meal until the pre-dawn meal. It permits them to fast continuously between the two. This is stated explicitly in the hadith of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, in which the Prophet said: “Do not fast continuously. But whoever among you wishes to do so may continue fasting until the pre-dawn meal.” Al-Bukhārī narrated it (no. 962, in abridged form), as did Ibn Khuzaymah and others. It is also cited in Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd (2044).

1919 — “The night prayer is performed two units at a time, and the latter part of the night is more responsive to supplication.”

Aḥmad narrated it (4/387): Abū al-Yamān narrated to us; he said: Abū Bakr ibn ʿAbd Allāh narrated to us, from Ḥabīb ibn ʿUbayd, from ʿAmr ibn ʿAbasah, attributing it to the Prophet with this wording. He said: “I asked, ‘Did he say: “More obligatory”?’ He replied, ‘No; rather, “more responsive,”’ meaning more likely to receive a response.”