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Days Forbidden to Fast
1-The
Days of `Eid:
All
scholars agree that such a fast is prohibited. It does not matter if
the fast is obligatory or voluntary. `Umar testifies: “The Messenger
of Allah has forbidden fasting on these two days. Concerning the `Eid
of breaking the fast, it is for you to break your fast [of Ramadan].
On the `Eid of sacrifice, you should eat from what you sacrifice.”
(Related by Ahmad, An-Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Ibn
Majah.)
2-The
Days of Tashreeq (The Three Days following `Eidul-Adha):
It
is not permissible to fast during the three days following the `Eidul-Adha.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings be upon him, sent `Abdullah ibn Hudhafah to announce at
Mina: “You are not to fast these days. They are days of eating and drinking
and Dhikr (remembrance of Allah).” (Related by Ahmad.) Ibn `Abbas
reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon
him, sent a person to announce: “Do not fast on these days, as they
are days of eating, drinking and rejoicing with one's family.”
(Recorded by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat.)
The Shaf`iyyah allow fasting on the days of Tashreeq if there is
some reason for the fasting - that is, if it is due to an oath, for expiation,
or for making up a missed day of Ramadan. Those fasts that have no
special reason behind them are not allowed, and there is no
disagreement on this point. The Shaf`iyyah applied the same
reasoning that they used in saying that prayers that are performed
for a specific reason are allowed to be performed during the
prohibited times of prayer [for example, the prayer of salutation to
the mosque, and so on].
3-Singling
out Friday As a Day of Fasting:
The
day of Friday is a kind of weekly feast for Muslims and, therefore,
it is prohibited to fast on that day. Most scholars say that this prohibition
is one of dislike, not one of complete forbiddance.
If one fasts on the day before or after it, or if it is a day that
one customarily fasts on (for example, the 13th, 14th, or 15th of
the month), or if it is the day of `Arafah or `Ashurah (the
tenth of the month of Muharram), then it is not disliked to fast on
such a Friday.
`Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah entered the
room of Juwairiyah bintul-Harith while she was fasting on a Friday.
He asked her: "Did you fast yesterday?" She answered,
"No." He said: "Do you plan to fast tomorrow?"
She answered, "No." Therefore he said: "Then
break your fast." (Related by Ahmad and an-Nasa’i with a good
chain.)
`Ali counseled: "He who wants to [fast] voluntarily should fast
on Thursday instead of Friday, for Friday is a day of eating,
drinking, and remembrance." (Related by Ibn Abu Shaibah
with a good chain.)
In the two Sahihs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim), Jabir reported that the
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Do not fast on
Friday unless you fast on it together with the day before or
the day after." Muslim's version states: "Do not
exclusively choose the night of Friday [Thursday night in
English] as a special night for performing the night prayers. Also,
do not exclusively choose Friday as a day of fasting unless it occurs
on a day that you regularly fast."
4-Singling
out Saturday as a day of fasting
Busr
As-Salmi related from his sister As-Sama' that the Messenger of
Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Do not fast on
Saturdays unless it is an obligatory fast. [You should not
fast] even if you do not find anything [to eat] save some grape
peelings or a branch of a tree to chew on.” (Related by
Ahmad, An-Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and Al-Hakim
At-Tirmidhi 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.
In contradiction with the preceding report, Umm Salamah reports:
“The Prophet used to fast more often on Saturdays and Sundays than
on the other days. He would say: 'They are the feasts of the
polytheists, and I love to differ from them.' " (Related by
Ahmad, Al-Baihaqi, Al-Hakim, and Ibn Khuzaimah who declared it
Authentic)
The Hanafiyyah, Shaf`iyyah, and Hanbaliyyah say it is disliked to
fast on Saturday only due to the preceding evidence. Malik differs
from them, but the Hadith stands as a proof against him.
5-Fasting
on The "Day of Doubt":
`Ammar
ibn Yasir said: “Whoever fasts the 'day of doubt has disobeyed
Abul-Qasim (i.e. the Prophet].” (Related by An-Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi,
Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah.) Most of the knowledgeable people act in
accordance with this tradition. It is the opinion of Sufyan
Ath-Thauri, Malik ibn Anas, `Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak, Ash-Shafi’i,
Ahmad, and Ishaq. They all hate that one fasts on a 'day of
doubt.' Most of them believe that if one fasts on such a day and it
turns out to be Ramadan, then that day still has to be made up
later. If such a day occurs during one's regular fasting period,
then it is permissible to fast on such a day.
As related by "the group" Abu Hurairah reported that the
Messenger of Allah said: “Do not precede Ramadan by fasting the
day or two before it unless it is a day on which the person
usually fasts."
About this Hadith, At-Tirmidhi says: "The Hadith is Sound and
Authentic and the scholars act in accordance with it. They dislike
that a person should hasten Ramadan by fasting on the day
before it. If a person usually fasts on a day and 'the day of doubt'
occurs on that day, then there is no problem with his fasting
on that day, in their opinion."
6-Perpetual
Fasting:
It
is forbidden to do so because there are certain days of the year on
which one is not allowed to fast. The Messenger of Allah said: “There
is no [reward for] fasting for the one who perpetually fasts."
(Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, and Muslim.)
If one breaks his fast during the days of `Eid and the days of
Tashreeq, then his perpetual fasting would no longer be
considered disliked. In his comments on this issue, At-Tirmidhi
says: "A group of scholars dislike fasting every day if it
includes the `Eids [`Eidul-Fitr, `Eidul-Adha] and the days of
Tashreeq. If one breaks his fast on those days, his action is no
longer disliked, as he is no longer fasting the whole
year." The scholars are Malik, Ash-Shafi’i, Ahmad, and Ishaq.
The Prophet approved of Hamzah Al-Aslami's numerous fasts when he
told him: "Fast if you wish and break your fast if you
wish."
7-A
Woman Cannot Offer Voluntary Fasting Unless After Gaining Her
Husband’s Permission:
The
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade a woman to fast if
her husband was present unless after gaining his permission. Abu
Hurairah reported that the Prophet said: “A woman is not to
fast [even] for one day while her husband is present except with his
permission, unless it is during Ramadan." (Recorded by
Ahmad, al-Bukhari, and Muslim) Muslims scholars have interpreted
this prohibition as one of forbiddance, and they allow the
husband to end his wife's fasting if she fasted without his
permission and he seeks his right [to sexual intercourse] from
her. This is also true, obviously, for days other than those of
Ramadan in which case she does not need her husband's permission.
Similarly, if she fasted without his permission because he was not
present, he has the right to end her fast when he returns.
If the husband is sick or incapable of intercourse, it is
permissible for the woman to fast without his permission, for this
case is similar is similar to the case where he is not present.
8-Offering
Consecutive Days of Fasting without Eating (Al-Wisal):
Abu
Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings
be upon him, said: “Do not perform Al-Wisal." He repeated it
thrice and the people said to him: "But you perform Al-Wisal, O
Messenger of Allah!" He said: “You are not like me in that
matter. I spend the night in such a state that Allah feeds me
and gives me to drink. Devote yourselves to the deeds which you can
perform.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
The scholars say this prohibition implies that the act is disliked.
Ahmad and Ishaq say that it is allowed to fast until the time of the pre-dawn
meal as long as it is not a hardship on the one fasting. This
opinion is based on what al-Bukhari recorded on the authority of Abu-Sa`id
Al-Khudri: "The Messenger of Allah said: “Do not make
Al-Wisal. If one of you insists on making Al-Wisal, he may continue
his fast [after sunset] until the time of the pre-dawn.”
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