Chapter on Reward of Fasting

Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Faddal, from al-Abbas ibn Amir, from Ali ibn Abi Hamzah, from Ishaq ibn Ghalib, from Abdullah ibn Jabir, from Uthman ibn Madhun, who said: I (narrator) said to the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family: “O Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I wanted to ask you about some things.” So the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “And what are they, O Uthman?” He (narrator) said: “I asked, ‘I wanted to become a monk (atarahhab).’” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “Do not do so, O Uthman, for the monasticism (tarahhub) of my community is sitting in the mosques and waiting for the prayer after the prayer.” He (narrator) said: “So I wanted, O Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, to castrate myself.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “Do not do so, O Uthman, for the castration (ikhtisa) of my community is fasting,” along with a lengthy statement.