234. One Beautiful, Beloved Deed To Allaah

By Asma bint Shameem

Want to do a deed that’s beloved to Allaah?

Then fast every other day like the fast of Dawood Alaiyhis-Salaam. 

Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr radhi Allaahu anhu narrated that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“The most beloved of fasting to Allaah is the fast of Dawood; he used to fast one day and not the next (i.e., fast alternate days).” 

[al-Bukhaari (1079) and Muslim (1159)]

Subhaan Allaah!

The act of Fasting is one of the most beloved deeds to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala.

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“Allaah said: ‘Every deed of the son of Adam is for him except fasting; it is for Me and I shall reward for it…’”  

[al-Bukhaari (1761) and Muslim (1946)]

And from the different voluntary fasts, the best and most beloved ways of fasting to Allaah is to  fast alternate days like the fasting of Dawood Alaiyhis-Salaam.  

So if you’re able to fast on alternate days, without any kind of weakness or harm to yourself, it’s recommended to fast that way. 

QUESTION

But if I fast on alternate days, one of the fasts is bound to fall on a Friday or a Saturday. 

And the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam forbade singling out Friday or Saturday by itself for fasting. 

Then what?

ANSWER

Yea, it’s true that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam forbade fasting on Friday or Saturday by itself. 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“No one of you should fast on Friday, unless he fasts (a day) before it or after it.” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

And he also said:

“Do not fast on Saturdays apart from days when you are obliged to fast. 

If any one of you cannot find anything other than grape stalks or the twigs of a tree, let him chew it (to make sure that he is not fasting).”

(at-Tirmidhi - saheeh by al-Albaani)

But when fasting the way of Dawood Alaiyhis-Salaam, these ahaadeeth  do not apply.

That’s because the prohibition of fasting on Friday or Saturday by itself is *not absolute*. 

And if there’s a REASON to fast on a Friday or Saturday by itself, it’s allowed. 

Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said: 

“The hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr radhi Allaahu anhu indicates that if fasting on a Friday or Saturday coincides with a day one usually fasts, without intending to single that day out for fasting, then there is nothing wrong with it, because if he fasts alternate days, then that will coincide with some Fridays and Saturdays. 

Thus it becomes clear that fasting on these days is not haraam. 

Otherwise the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam would have said: 

“Fast one day and not the next, so long as that (fasting) does not coincide with a Friday or Saturday.”

(Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/476)

And he said:

“When it happens to be a day when he habitually fasts, such as a person whose habit is to fast alternate days, and the day that he fasts happens to be a Saturday, then there is nothing wrong with it, as the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said when he forbade fasting one or two days before Ramadaan begins: “except a man who (habitually) observes a fast, in which case let him fast.” This is similar.”

[Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (20/57)]

So go ahead and take advantage of this beautiful act of ibaadah. 

You can fast on these alternate days and make up any days that you have left of your fardh fasts. 

Or if you’ve completed your fardh fasts, you can fast your voluntary (Nafl) fasts every other day, like Dawood Alaiyhis-Salaam 

Fast alternate days and earn the pleasure of your Rabb.