Chapter 02-Voluntary Fasting and Forbidden Days to Fast

700. Abu Qatadah Al-Ansari   narrated. 'The Messenger of Allah    was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafah (the 9th of the month of Dhul Hijjah). He replied, "Fasting on the day of 'Arafah is an expiation for the preceding year and the following year." He was also asked about fasting on the day of 'Ashura' (the 10'h of the month of Muharram). He replied, "Fasting on the day of 'Ashura' is an expiation for the preceding year." The Messenger of Allah    was also asked about fasting on Monday, and he replied, "This is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was sent (with the Message of Islam) and the day on which I received revelation." Related by Muslim.






701. Abu Aiyub Al-Ansari    narrated that the Messenger of Allah    said, "Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal will be (rewarded) as if he had fasted the entire year." Related by Muslim.









702. Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri    narrated that the Messenger of Allah    said. "No servant (of Allah) fasts on a day (merely) for the sake of Allah except that Allah pushes the Hellfire seventy years further away from his face, due to fasting on this day." Agreed upon and the wording is from Muslim.







703. 'A'ishah   ) narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah    used to fast until one would say, he never breaks his fast (i.e. he never stops lasting)" and he would abandon fasting (at other times) until one would say that he never fasts. And I never saw the Messenger of Allah    fast for a complete month except for the month of Ramadan, and I never saw him fast in a month more than he did in the month of Sha'ban. Agreed upon and the wording is from Muslim.







704. Abu Dharr    narrated that the Messenger of Allah    commanded us to fast for three days of every month; that is on the days of the full moon; the 13th, 14th, and 15th (of the lunar month).' Related by An-Nasa'i and At-Tirmidhi and rendered authentic by Ibn Hibban.







705. Abu Hurairah ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "A woman is not to fast (even) for one day while her husband is present except with his permission." Agreed upon and the wording is from Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud's version states, "unless it is during Ramadan (then she does not need his permission as it is obligatory fasting)."






706. Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri   narrated. 'The Messenger of Allah    has prohibited fasting on two days; the day of Fitr.(breaking the fast of Ramadan) and on the day of sacrifice (Idul Adha)." Agreed upon.





707. Nubaishah Al-Hudhali   narrated that the Messenger of Allah    said, "The days of Tashriq (the three days following Idul-Adha ie.  11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) are days of eating, drinking and remembering (dhikr) of Allah, the Most Great and Glorious." Related by Muslim.






708. 'A'ishah and Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) narrated, 'Nobody was allowed to fast on the days of Tashriq except for those, who could not afford the Hadi, (sacrifice).' Related by Al-Bukhari.

709. Abu Hurairah    narrated that the Messenger of Allah    said, "Do not single out Friday night (i.e. the night preceding Prlday) among all the other nights for performing the night prayer. Also, do not single out Friday among other days for fasting, unless it coincides with the days one regularly fasts." Related by Muslim.







710. Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said, "None of you should fast on Friday, unless he fasts together with the day before or the day after." Agreed upon .








711. Abu Hurairah    narrated that the Messenger of Allah    said, "When it is the middle of Sha 'ban do not fast (until it is Ramadan)." Related by the five Imams, but Imam Ahmad declared it to be a weak narration .







712. As-Samma' bint Busr   narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said, "Do not fast on Saturday unless it is an obligatory fast. (Do not fast) even if you do not find anything (to eat) except for some grape peelings or the branch of a tree, in that case he should chew on it." Related by the five Imams and its narrators are reliable. Imam Malik disapproved this narration, and Abu Dawud said that this narration is abrogated. (206)

206. Imam As·San'ani in'Subul As-Salam,' says that probably Abu Dawud says that it is abrogated, because he is referring to the following narration of Umm Salamah,   who narrated that the Messenger of Allah   used to often fast on Saturdays and Sundays. Irnam At-Ttrmldhi said that what is disliked here is for a person to exclusively choose Saturday as a day of fasting, as it is the day that the Jews honor. Anyway, most scholars said that it is disliked to fast on Saturday by itself due to the above mentioned Ahadith, except for Imam Matik, who said that it is permissible to fast on Saturday by itself, but the hadith of As-Samma' is evidence against his opinion.







713. Umm Salamah   narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah    used to fast more often on Saturdays and Sundays than on the other clays. He would say, "They are the 'Ids of the polytheists, and I love to act contrary to what they do." Related by An-Nasa'i and was rendered authentic by Ibn Khuzaimah, and the wording is his.









714. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah    forbade fasting on the day of 'Arafah for the one who is actually at 'Arafah (i.e. performing Hajj). Related by the five Imams except for At-Tirmidhi.  Ibn Khuzaimah and al-Hakim graded it as Sahih.    

 




       

715. "Abdullah Ibn "Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma)  narrated that the Messenger of Allah    said, "May be, who perpetually fasts (without a break) never fast." (207) Agreed upon.


207. The Prophet    is probably rebuking the one who fasts continuously by making this Dua (supplication) against him, meaning to stop him from doing so. Or it could probably mean that this person will not be rewarded for this fast, as he is acting contrary to the Sunnah of the Prophet   who prohibited fasting on 'Id days and the other days mentioned above.






716. Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Qatadah,"May he not fast or break his fast."