Fatwa ID: 06871
Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Question:
Is 9th zill hijjja fast mustahab or sunna
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
It should be clarified that both are Sunnah. Mustahab actions are those actions which the Prophet ﷺ performed intermittently. Whereas, what we generally understand Sunnah to be, are those actions which the Prophet ﷺ did more frequently and missed out less (i.e., without a pressing need). However, both are Sunnah.
“Fast the Day of Arafah, indeed I anticipate that Allāh will forgive (the sins) of the year after it, and the year before it.” [Sunan at-Tirmizi: Hadith 749; Sunan Ibn Majah: Hadith 1730, 1731] [1]
The Prophet ﷺ would fast on the day of Arafah. This was His habit and His Sunnah. However, the only occasion recorded of Him not fasting on the day of Arafah was during His Hajj. [Sunan Ibn Mājah: Hadith 1732] [2]
Even then, many Sahabah RA thought that He was also fasting that day as well until a bowl of milk was given to Him, which He ﷺ drank. The reason for their doubt was that it was the regular habit of the Prophet ﷺ to fast on the day of Arafah. [Sahih al-Bukhāri: Hadith 1989] [3]
Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.
Written by Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1]حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ، أَنْبَأَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غَيْلاَنُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ الزِّمَّانِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ “ صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ، إِنِّي أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالَّتِي بَعْدَهُ ” .
[2]حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنِي حَوْشَبُ بْنُ عَقِيلٍ، حَدَّثَنِي مَهْدِيٌّ الْعَبْدِيُّ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ بِعَرَفَاتٍ؟ فَقَالَ: أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ بِعَرَفَاتٍ .
[3]حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ ـ أَوْ قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِ ـ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، عَنْ بُكَيْرٍ، عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، عَنْ مَيْمُونَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ النَّاسَ، شَكُّوا فِي صِيَامِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ، فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَيْهِ بِحِلاَبٍ وَهْوَ وَاقِفٌ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ، فَشَرِبَ مِنْهُ، وَالنَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ.
