It Is
Mustahabb To Fast The First Eight Days Of Dhu'l-Hijjah:
Can She Fast When Still Owes Days From Ramadaan?
Islamic Rulings - Living Shariah
VerdictsIslamic Questions & Answers
What is the ruling on fasting on the first eight days
of Dhu'l-Hijjah for the pilgrims? I know that it is
makrooh for them to fast on the Day of ‘Arafah.
Praise be to Allaah.
Fasting on the first eight days of Dhu'l-Hijjah is
mustahabb for pilgrims and others, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"There are no days in which good deeds are more
beloved to Allaah than these ten days." They said: O
Messenger of Allaah, not even jihad for the sake of
Allaah? The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Not even jihad for the
sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out with his self
and his wealth and comes back with neither." Narrated
by al-Bukhaari (969) and al-Tirmidhi (757), from the
hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with
him).
It says in al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (28/91): The
fuqaha' are unanimously agreed that it is mustahabb to
fast during the first eight days of Dhu'l-Hijjah,
before the day of ‘Arafah. The Maalikis and Shaafa'is
stated that it is Sunnah to fast on these days for the
pilgrim too. End quote.
It says in Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj (3/207): It is Sunnah
to fast the eight days before the day of ‘Arafah, as
is stated in al-Rawdah, and that applies equally to
pilgrims and others, but it is not Sunnah for the
pilgrim to fast on the day of ‘Arafah, rather it is
mustahabb for him not to fast then, even if he is able
for it, following the example of the Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and so that he
will have more strength for du'aa'. End quote.
And Allaah knows best.
Can she observe a voluntary fast when she still owes
days from Ramadaan?
I did not fast some days in Ramadaan because of my
period, and I have not made up the days I owe yet. Can
I fast the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
This issue is known to the scholars as observing
naafil fasts before making up missed Ramadaan fasts.
There is a difference of scholarly opinion concerning
this matter. Some scholars say that it is haraam to
observe naafil fasts before making up days that one
owes, because it is more important to start with an
obligatory action than a naafil one. Some of the
scholars say that it is permissible.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah
have mercy on him0 was asked about combining making up
a missed obligation and doing something that is
mustahabb: is it permissible for a person to do the
mustahabb action and make up the obligatory action
later on, or should he do the obligatory action first,
such as fasting the day ‘Ashoora' which coincides with
making up a missed Ramadaan fast?
With regard to obligatory and voluntary fasts, what is
prescribed in sharee'ah and what makes sense is to
start with the obligatory fasts and then do the naafil
ones, because the obligatory fast is a debt which must
be paid, whereas the naafil fast is voluntary and is
to be done if one can manage it, otherwise there is no
sin on one. Based on this, we say to the one who owes
a missed Ramadaan fast: make up what you owe before
you observe a voluntary fast. If he observes a
voluntary fast before making up what he owes then the
correct view is that his voluntary fast is valid so
long as there is still enough time to make up the
missed fasts, because a person may make up missed
Ramadaan fasts so long as there is still enough time
for him to do so before the next Ramadaan comes. So
long as there is still plenty of time, it is
permissible for him to observe voluntary fasts. This
is similar to the case of obligatory prayers, such as
if a person offers a naafil prayer before an
obligatory prayer when there is still plenty of time,
this is permissible. Whoever fasts on the day of
‘Arafah or ‘Ashoora', and still owes some days from
Ramadaan, his fast is valid. But if he has the
intention of fasting this day to make up for a missed
Ramadaan fast, he will have two rewards – one for the
day of ‘Arafah or ‘Ashoora' and another for making up
the missed fast. This applies to all voluntary fasts
that are not connected to Ramadaan. With regard to
fasting the six days of Shawwaal, these are connected
to Ramadaan and can only be done after making up
missed Ramadaan fasts. If a person fasts these days
before making up his missed Ramadaan fasts, he will
not get the reward for them, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days
of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a
lifetime." It is known that the one who still has some
days to make up is not regarded as having fasted
Ramadaan until he makes up those days. Some people
think that if they fear Shawwaal is going to end soon
and they fast the six days even though they still owe
some days from Ramadaan, that this is acceptable. This
is a mistake, because these six days cannot be fasted
until a person has made up the days that he owes from
Ramadaan.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 20/438.
Based on this, it is permissible for you to fast the
first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah as a naafil fast, but
it is better for you to fast them with the intention
of making up what you owe of Ramadaan, and you will
have two rewards in sha Allaah.
See also question no. 23429.
And Allaah knows best.
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