Question: What is the ruling with regard to a person who keeps optional fasts only on Fridays and not on any other day? Answer: It is learnt from certain Ahadith that Rasulullah sallallahu ‛Alayhi wa Sallam prohibited fasting on Fridays only. This is why the jurists say that it is makruh tanz3h3 to fast on […]

Question: What is the virtue of fasting on the ayyam-e-bid, and what is the ruling in this regard? Answer: The ayyam-e-bid refer to the 13th, 14th and 15th of every lunar month. During these three nights, the moon is full and extremely bright. This is why they are known as ayyam-e-bid, i.e. ayyam layali bid […]

Question: What is the virtue of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays? And what is the ruling in this regard? Answer: The virtue of fasting on a Monday and Thursday is established from the Had3th. It is therefore mustahabb. Hadrat Abu Hurayrah radiyallahu ‛anhu narrates that Rasulullah sallallahu ‛Alayhi wa Sallam said: Man’s actions are presented […]

Question: What if a person kept fast on the 10th of Muharram only? Answer: It is makruh tanzihi to keep fast on the 10th only. Despite this, the person will receive the reward for fasting. ‛Allamah Abu Bakr Kasani rahimahullah says that the scholars, in general, say that it is permissible without any detestability. Fatawa […]

Question: A person did not keep fast on the 9th of Muharram, but on the 10th and 11th. What is the ruling in this regard? Answer: It is makruh to keep just one fast, i.e. the 10th of Muharram. If a person keeps the 9th or 11th with it, it does not remain makruh. Therefore, […]

Question: Imam Malik rahimahullah also says that the six fasts of Shawwal are makruh. What is the explanation for this? Answer: ‛Allamah Ibn ‛Abd al-Barr rahimahullah says that the reason why Imam Malik rahimahullah classified the six fasts of Shawwal as makruh is so that ignorant people do not believe them to be essential and […]

Question: ‛Ālamgiri and other books of jurisprudence use the words la ba’s which is normally used to refer to something which is khilaf-e-aula (not the ideal). We learn from this that khilaf-e-aula is makruh. What is the answer to this? Answer: When ‛Ālamgiri and other books used the words la ba’s, they don’t mean makruh […]

Question: It is said that Imam Abu Hanifah Sahib rahimahullah considers these six fasts to be makruh. We also know as a principle that in acts of worship, the view of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah must be adopted. What is the answer to this? Answer: The erudite jurists refute the view that it is makruh, […]

Question: I require an investigation on the six fasts of Shawwal in the light of Ahadith and juridical texts. Answer: The virtue of the six fasts of Shawwal is established from Ahadith. A few are quoted below: …Ras’lullah sallallahu ‛Alayhi wa Sallam said: The person who fasts the month of Ramadan and follows it with […]

Question: Is there any Had3th in which Rasulullah Sallallahu ‛Alayhi wa Sallam mentions the reward for the six fasts of Shawwal? If there isn’t, how can something which Rasulullah Sallallahu ‛Alayhi wa Sallam did not do become mustahabb for us? Answer: The six fasts of Shawwal are mustahabb according to the Hanafis. In order to […]