Aslam

Some learned men said: Some secrets of the unseen world are disclosed to a man who can remain without food for consequitive forty days. One of these sages, while passing by a Christian monk, invited him to accept Islam and to give up self conceit. There were much arguments between tfyem over this matter. The monk said to him at last: Jesus Christ fasted forty consequitive days. This is a m trade indeed. Had he not been a Prophet, he could not have done so. the sage said to him: If I can fast for consequitive fifty days, will you accept Islam? The monk said: I shall accept Islam in that case. Thereafter the sage fasted for consequitive fifty days at a stretch. The sage said: I can fast ten days more. He then continued his fast for ten days more. The Christian monk was astonished at this and said: I did not think that any man can surpass Jesus Christ in this matter. Then he accepted Islam.

(2) Second Stage. In this stage, some pious men fast from two to three days consequitively. This can be done by habit. (3) Third Stage. The people of this stage take meal once a day. This is the lowest stage for a sojourner in the path of the next world. If anybody takes meal more than once in a day of 24 hours, it will be considered extravagance and eating with satisfaction. Such a person has got no hunger. It is far from following the ways of the Prophet. The companion Abu Sayeed said: If the Prophet took meal in the morning, he did not take it at night. If he took meal at

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night, he did not take it in the morning. The Prophet once said to Hazrat Ayesha: O Ayesha, beware, don't squander. In case of two meals a day, there is squander. One meal in every two days is the lowest rank of the Sufis and one meal per day is the middle of the two stages. If anybody wishes to take one meal a day, he should take it after Tahajjud prayer and before morning prayer. In that case, the rewards of fasting by day and hunger by night are obtained.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah said: The Prophet never prayed Tahajjud like you. He stood so long in Tahajjud that his feet got swollen. He used not to take meal after Iftar as you do. He used to take meal of fasting at the time of Sehri only. Hazrat Ayesha said that the Prophet used to remain hungry up to the time of Sehri.
Meal should be divided in to two. If it is said that two pieces of bread are sufficient, then one bread at the time of Iftar and another at the time of Sehri, should be taken. If meal is taken at the time of Sehri, hunger during the day does not become acute and Tahajjud prayed with peaceful mind.