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:

Dear brother Burhan

Assalamu Alaykum

brother could u pls. answer me the following:

on the second day of eid al fitr (second of shawal ) my granny starts fasting for 6 days for shawal roza

and during eid al adha she starts voluntary fasting from  the 4th day of eid.

my uncle says 2nd and 3rd day of eid al fitr is haraam to keep fasting.  people should not fast on these 2 days of eid al fitr also. 

brother pls. let me know and my family the correct answer.  i will appreciate.

thanks n jazakallah

a sister

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Answer:

Fasting 2nd day of Eid

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.

Observing voluntary fasts to earn the pleasure of Allah Subhanah is a meritorious act of worship in Islam, and one may keep a voluntary fast on any day except some specific days which are prohibited by Allah’s Messenger (saws).

Amr al-'Ashari reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: "Verily, Friday is a day of Eid for you, so do not fast on it unless you fast the day before or after it."

Related by al-Bazzar.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 3.120a

Hadrat Umar (r.a.) said: "The Messenger of Allah (saws) has forbidden fasting on the two days of Eid (Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha). Concerning the Eid of breaking the fast, it is for you to break your fast [of Ramadan]; and on the Eid of sacrifice, you should eat from what you sacrifice."

Related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, atTirmidhi, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) sent 'Abdullah ibn Hudhaqah to announce at Mina: "You are not to fast the days of ‘tashreeq’ (the three days after the Eid ul-Adha). They are days of eating, and drinking, and remembering Allah."

Related by Ahmad.

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." He (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 said, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! I can do (fast) more than this." He (saws) said, "Fast on every third day." I said: "I can do (fast) more than that." He (saws) said: "Fast on alternate days and this was the fasting of Prophet Dawood (a.s.) which is the most moderate sort of fasting." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! I can do (fast) more than that." He (saws) said, "There is nothing better than that!"

In light of the above guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), the believers must abstain from fasting on:

1. Fridays, for the day of Friday is a day of Eid for the believers.
2. The days of the Eid-ul-Fitr and the Eid-ul-Adha.
3. The three days of ‘tashreeq’ after the Eid-ul-Adha (when performing the Hajj pilgrimage)
4. It is not permissible for a believer to keep continuous fasts.

Apart from the above listed prohibited days, one may keep voluntary fasts as often and as many as one wishes and is easy for them.

Your Question: …my uncle says 2nd and 3rd day of eid al fitr is haraam to keep fasting.  people should not fast on these 2 days of eid al fitr also. 

brother pls. let me know and my family the correct answer.  i will appreciate.

In light of the above quoted guidance from the Messenger of Allah (saws), the believers are prohibited from observing voluntary fasts on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, the day of Eid-ul-Adha, and for those performing the Hajj pilgrimage, the three days of ‘tashreeq’ following the Eid-ul-Adha.

To the best of our knowledge, we have found no authentic hadith which declares that it is unlawful or unacceptable for a believer to fast on the days immediately after the Eid-ul-Fitr!

If your uncle or anyone else is of the opinion or declares that it is ‘haraam’ or prohibited to observe voluntary fasts on the days immediately after the Day of Eid-ul-Fitr, he should be asked to provide evidence for his prohibition from either the Glorious Quran or the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws). If he is unable to provide such evidence, rest assured that his declaration of prohibition is self-invented and not based on the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah!

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