The Fiqh of Fasting: 6.8 Voluntary Fasting

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

6.8 Voluntary Fasting

A voluntary, nafl, fast, once begun, becomes wajib. However, a nafl fast begun on a day in which fasting is prohibited does not become wajib.

A voluntary fast may not be broken without an excuse. In the event that an excuse should present itself, the fast may be broken [and should be made up at a later date]. The arrival of a guest for instance, is considered as a valid excuse.

A woman should not keep a voluntary fast without first taking permission from her husband.

If, during the daytime in the month of Ramadhan, child should pass into maturity, or a kafir become a Muslim, or a traveller reach one’s residence, or a woman finishes her period of menstruation, hayd, or post-childbirth bleeding, nifas, then it is essential that the remainder of the day that abstaining from eating, drinking, etc. be observed. Yet, regardless of whether or not the remainder of the fast is observed, there will be no need to make up the fast, except in the case of the traveller and the woman.

6.8.1 Days of Voluntary fasting

i. Six days during the month of Shawwal

It is in a hadith of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that

whoever keeps six fasts after Ramadhan, in the month of Shawwal, will receive a reward similar to that of keeping fast all year long.

Certain ‘ulama’ have said that the six fats of Shawwal should be observed a few days after, and not directly following ‘Id al-Fitr to avoid imitation with Christians. The fatwa however, is that it is not makruh to fast immediately after ‘Id.

ii. Fasting in the month of Sha’ban

The Messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to observe many fats during the month of Sha’ban. In some ahadith, however, fasting in the second half of Sha’ban has been prohibited as not to weaken the individual unduly before the fast of Ramadhan.

iii. To keep three fasts every month

It is sunnah to observe three voluntary fats in every month. It was the practice of the Messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to keep fasts sometimes on the ‘white days’ of the month, i.e. the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th, and sometimes the first or last three days of the month., or after every tenth day during the month, or Thursday, Monday, and Thursday, or Monday, Thursday, and Monday, on Saturday , Sunday, and Monday of one month, and on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of another month.

iv. The Day of ‘Arafah [the 9^th of Dhl al-Hijjah]

Whoever fasts this day will be forgiven the sins of two years, the past and the coming years.

v. The Day if ‘Ashara’ [the 10^th of Muharram, the day Bani Isra’il were delivered from the hands of Pharoah]

Whoever fasts on this day will be forgiven all sins one committed during the year. It is mustahab to add another day’s fast to that of the day of ‘Ashura’, on either the day before or the day after.

vi. Fasting every Monday and Thursday

vii. Fasting eight days during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa'sallam said:
"The Muslim is a unique Ummah among the whole of mankind:
Their Land is ONE, their War is ONE, their Peace is ONE,
Their Honour is ONE and their Trust is ONE."
[Ahmad]