Voluntary fasting.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Assalam Alaykum Brother
I am fasting 6 days out of
each month so far and working well. This is done out of trying to be closer to
God's grace and his acceptance. Can you give me some clues with your profound
knowledge and research if this is agreeable to God's (SWT) acceptance and
Prophet's (PBUH) approval.
May God guide you to Jannah
and we be your companions going there too...
Thanks
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Voluntary fasting
In the name of Allah,
We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah
guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide
them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah
Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the
seal of His Messengers.
Sahih Al-Bukhari
Hadith 4.629 Narrated by Abdullah
bin Amr
Allah's Messenger
(saws) was informed that I have said: "By Allah, I will fast all the days
and pray all the nights as long as I live." On that, Allah's Messenger
(saws) asked me. "Are you the one who says: 'I will fast all the days and
pray all the nights as long as I live?'"
I said, "Yes, I have said it."
The Prophet (saws) said, "You cannot do that! So fast (sometimes)
and do not fast (sometimes). Pray and sleep. Fast for three days a month, for
the reward of a good deed is multiplied by ten times, and so the fasting of
three days a month equals the fasting of a year." I asked, "O Allah's Messenger (saws), I
can do (fast) more than this." The
Prophet (saws) replied "Fast on every third day." I said: "I can
do (fast) more than that." The
Prophet (saws) said: "Fast on alternate days and this was the fasting of
Prophet Dawood (a.s.) which is the best sort of fasting." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (saws), I
can do (fast) more than that." The
Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "There
is nothing better than that (ie. fasting on alternate days)!"
The absolute maximum one is
permitted to observe voluntary fasting in Shariah is to fast every alternate
day. Respected brother, if you are
observing voluntary fasts for six days of the month for the Sake and Pleasure
of your Lord Most Gracious, rest assured you are well within the boundaries to
do so.
Hadrat Abu Hurairah
(r.a.) reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Allah Subhanah Said:
'Every action of the son of Adam is for him except fasting, for that is solely
for Me. I give the reward for it.'
Related by Muslim.
The Messenger of
Allah (saws) said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the [bad]
breath of the one who is fasting is better in the Sight of Allah on the Day of
Resurrection than the smell of musk! The one who is fasting is happy at two
times: when he breaks his fast he is happy with it, and when he meets his Lord
he will be happy that he has fasted."
Related by Ahmad,
Muslim, and an-Nasa'i.
The Messenger of
Allah (saws) said that Allah Subhanah Says: ‘He (one who observes fasts) leaves
his food, drink, and desires for My Sake. His fasting is for Me... I will give
the reward for it, and for every good deed, he will receive ten similar to
it."
Related by
al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud.
Abdullah ibn Amr
(r.a.) reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "The fast and the
Qur'an are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of
Resurrection. The fast will say: 'O Lord, I prevented him from his food and
desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.' The Qur'an will say: 'I
prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.' And their
intercession will be accepted." Related by Ahmad.
Abu Umamah (r.a.)
reported: "I came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and said: 'Order me to
do a deed that will allow me to enter
Related by Ahmad,
an-Nasa'i, and al-Hakim.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri
(r.a.) reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "No servant fasts
on a day in the path of Allah except that Allah removes the Hell Fire seventy
years further away from his face."
Related by Bukhari
and Muslim.
Sahl ibn Sa'd (r.a.)
reported that the Prophet (saws) said: "There is a gate to
Related by Bukhari
and Muslim.
Whatever written of
Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever
of error is of me alone. Allah Alone
Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister