Fatwa ID: 02412

Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

Can we fast on Friday and Saturday? I heard that it is not liked by Prophet (SAAW).

Answer

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

According to Imam Abu Hanifa there is nothing wrong in fasting on just Fridays and Saturdays. (Badaius Sanai p.79 v.2 & Fatawa Hindiyyah)

The ahadiths where it says that one should not single out Fridays and Saturdays for fasting, our response is that initially at the beginning of Islam the Prophet of Allah prohibited it as there was a danger people may add extra virtues on this day by fasting or in the case of fasting on Saturdays there was the danger of imitation. However, the Prophet of Allah later on abrogated the initial ruling allowed the permissibility of fasting on those days. (Dars Tirmizi p.584 v.2)

Below are the references to the two hadiths.

Abdullah Ibn Busr, from his sister, narrates that the Prophet of Allah 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.” (Sunan Tirmizi, Sunan Abu Dawud & Sunan Ibn Majah)

Saaiduna Abu Hurairah  narrates I heard the Prophet of Allah  say: “No one of you should fast on Friday, unless he fasts (a day) before it or after it.” (Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim) 

Only Allah Knows Best

Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham