It was narrated on the authority of Al-Baraa’, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said,
It was the custom among the Companions of Muhammad that if any of them was fasting and food was presented (for breaking his fast), but he slept before eating, he would not eat that night and the following day till sunset.
Qays ibn Sirmah Al-Ansaari, may Allah be pleased with him, was fasting and came to his wife at the time of Iftaar (breaking one's fast) and asked her whether she had anything to eat. She replied, ‘No, but I will go and bring some (food) for you.’ He used to do hard work during the day, so he slept.
When his wife came and saw him, and said, ‘Disappointment for you (i.e. you missed the food you were seeking).’ When it was midday on the following day, he fainted and that was mentioned to the Prophet .
The following verse was then revealed (which means): {It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations].} [Quran 2:187] The Companions were very pleased with this verse. Another verse was also revealed: {And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night].} [Quran 2:187]. [Al-Bukhari]
It was narrated on the authority of Mu‘aath ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said,
Prayer passed through three stages and fasting also passed through three stages. (The narrator mentioned the stages of prayers and then said about fasting that the Messenger of Allah used to fast three days every month, and fast the tenth of Muharram.)
Then Allah The Exalted revealed the verse (which means): {O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you} up to {of feeding a poor person} [Quran 2:183-184] Thus, those who wished to fast would fast and those who wished to abandon the fast would feed a poor person every day and this would free them from liability. However, this was changed as Allah The Exalted revealed (what means): {The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran} up to {[Fasting for] a limited number of days.} [Quran 2:184-185] Hence, fasting became obligatory for the one who witnesses the month (of Ramadan) and the traveler was required to make up for the days of fasting that he misses; and feeding (a poor person) became obligatory for the old man and woman who are unable to fast.” [Abu Daawood]
Another version reads:
As regards the stages of fasting, the Messenger of Allah came to Al-Madeenah and fasted three days each month. Yazeed ibn Haaroon, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘Over nineteen months starting from Rabee‘ Al-Awwal to Ramadan, he fasted three days every month and fasted on the tenth day of Muharram.
Then Allah The Almighty revealed the obligation of fasting in the verse (which means): {O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you} up to {And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] -- a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]} [Quran 2:183-184] Thus, people would either fast or feed the poor and they would be free from liability in both cases.
Then Allah revealed the other verse (which means): {The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran} up to {So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it} [Quran 2:185] Thus, Allah enjoined the fast on the healthy person who is not traveling and permitted the sick and traveling person to break the fast.
Feeding was established for the old person who could not fast. This continued for two years. People would thus eat, drink and have sexual intercourse as long as they did not sleep. If they slept, they would abstain. A man from the Ansaar called Sirmah, may Allah be pleased with him, kept working while fasting until sunset and came to his wife, prayed ‘Ishaa’ and slept before eating or drinking until the morning and continued his fast.
The Messenger of Allah saw him extremely exhausted and therefore asked him about the reason for that. He said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I worked yesterday and I returned, then I slept and woke up fasting in the morning.’
The narrator also mentioned that ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, had sexual intercourse with a bondmaid or a free woman that belonged to him after he had slept. He went to the Prophet and told him about that, so Allah The Almighty revealed (what means): {It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations].}up to {Then complete the fast until the sunset.} [Quran 2:187]”
Benefits and rulings:
1. Fasting three days every month and fasting on the tenth day of Muharram.
2. Giving people the option of either fasting or feeding the poor if they did not want to fast.
3. Enjoining fasts on those who were able to do it, absolving old people from fasting by feeding the poor; and people with incurable diseases are treated like old people.