What Are the Types of Fasting?
ما أنواع الصيام؟
Fasting is obligatory, and it can be voluntary.
Obligatory fasting is:
Fasting of Ramadan
Fasting of atonement
Fasting to make up for days that someone broke his fast in Ramadan
Fasting after making a vow
Desirable Fasting: fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, fasting six days of Shawwal, fasting the white days. (Three days of every month, which are the 13th, 14th and 15th of the lunar month)
الصيام قد يكون واجبًا وقد يكون تطوعًا.
الصوم الواجب هو:
صوم رمضان
صوم الكفارة
صوم قضاء رمضان
صوم النذر
الصوم المستحب:
صيام الاثنين والخميس
صيام ست من شوال
صيام الأيام البيض
1. The Fast of Expiation | فمن لم يجد فصيام ثلاثة أيام
The penalty for a broken oath is to feed ten poor people from what you normally feed your own family, or to clothe them, or to free a bondsperson. But if none of this is affordable, then you must fast three days (5:89). Ibn Kathir explains that whoever is unable to do any of these three expiates by fasting three days. For intercourse during a day of Ramadan the expiation is freeing a slave; if one cannot, fasting two consecutive months; if one cannot, feeding sixty poor people, as explained in the ruling on intercourse during the day in Ramadan.
فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ (سورة المائدة: 89)
قال تعالى: (فمن لم يجد فصيام ثلاثة أيام) (المائدة 5: 89)، قال ابن كثير: فإن لم يقدر المكلف على واحدة من هذه الخصال الثلاث كفر بصيام ثلاثة أيام.
2. The Fast of a Vow | من نذر أن يطيع الله فليطعه
The Prophet said: Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him; and whoever vows to disobey Him, let him not disobey Him (Sahih al-Bukhari 6696). A vow to fast is a vow of obedience, so it must be kept. And he said: Whoever dies owing fasts, his heir fasts on his behalf (Sahih al-Bukhari 1952). Who must fast Ramadan is explained in who is obligated to fast.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من نذر أن يطيع الله فليطعه، ومن نذر أن يعصيه فلا يعصه" (صحيح البخاري 6696)، وقال صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من مات وعليه صيام صام عنه وليه" (صحيح البخاري 1952).
3. Mondays and Thursdays | تعرض الأعمال يوم الاثنين والخميس
Asked about fasting on Monday, the Prophet said: That is the day I was born, and the day I was sent, or revelation came down to me (Sahih Muslim 1162). And he said: Deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 747, graded sahih by al-Albani).
سئل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عن صوم يوم الاثنين فقال: "ذاك يوم ولدت فيه ويوم بعثت أو أنزل علي فيه" (صحيح مسلم 1162)، وقال صلى الله عليه وسلم: "تعرض الأعمال يوم الاثنين والخميس فأحب أن يعرض عملي وأنا صائم" (جامع الترمذي 747، وصححه الألباني).
4. Six Days of Shawwal and the White Days | ستا من شوال والأيام البيض
The Prophet said: Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted the whole year (Sahih Muslim 1164). And he told Abu Dharr: If you fast three days of a month, fast the thirteenth, the fourteenth and the fifteenth (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 761, graded hasan sahih by al-Albani). These are the white days the scholar names.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستا من شوال كان كصيام الدهر" (صحيح مسلم 1164)، وقال لأبي ذر: "يا أبا ذر إذا صمت من الشهر ثلاثة أيام فصم ثلاث عشرة وأربع عشرة وخمس عشرة" (جامع الترمذي 761، وحسنه الألباني).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What are the types of fasting?
Fasting is either obligatory or voluntary. The obligatory fasts are Ramadan, expiation, making up missed days of Ramadan, and a vow.
Which voluntary fasts are recommended?
Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, six days of Shawwal, and the white days, the 13th, 14th and 15th of each lunar month.
Why fast on Mondays and Thursdays?
The Prophet said: Deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 747, graded sahih by al-Albani).
What is the reward of fasting six days of Shawwal?
Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted the whole year (Sahih Muslim 1164).