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مسند اسحاق بن راهويه
Musnad Ishaq
كتاب الاضاحيBook of Sacrificial Animals
Continuous fasting is against the Sunnah
Hadith 661
اُردوEn
أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ لَيْثِ بْنِ أَبِي سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ شَهْرِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ، عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ يَزِيدَ قَالَتْ: كُنَّا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَأُتِيَ بِإِنَاءٍ فِيهِ مَاءٌ فَشَرِبَ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُمْ فَشَرِبُوا، فَمَرَّ الْإِنَاءُ عَلَى قَوْمٍ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ: إِنِّي صَائِمٌ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ: إِنَّهُ يَصُومُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ وَلَا يُفْطِرُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((لَا صَامَ وَلَا آلَ مَنْ صَامَ الْأَبَدَ)) قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ: قَالَ جَرِيرٌ: وَلَا آلَ يَعْنِي: وَلَا رَجَعَ.
Lady Asma bint Yazid (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: One day we were with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), when a vessel of water was presented to him. He (peace be upon him) drank from it, then ordered it to be given to them, so they drank. That vessel was passed to all those present. One of the attendees said: I am fasting. Among them, one person said: He fasts every day and never misses a day. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts continuously, (in the Shari'ah) he neither fasts nor breaks his fast."
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Abdush Shakoor Tirmidhi
Benefits:
From the aforementioned hadith, it is understood that fasting continuously (without break) is against the Sunnah. It is mentioned in the hadith: ((لَا صَامَ وَلَا آلَ مَنْ صَامَ الْاَبَدَ)) ... “Neither does he receive the reward of fasting nor the reward of leaving it.” In another narration, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “I observe (voluntary) fasts and I also leave them, and whoever turns away from my Sunnah has nothing to do with me.” (Bukhari, Book of Marriage, No. 5063)
When Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr (radi Allahu anhuma) began to fast continuously, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade him from this. Upon his repeated requests, the most that was permitted to him was the fast of Sayyiduna Dawud (alayhis salam), that is, to fast one day and not fast the next day. When Sayyiduna Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) said: I have the strength for a better deed than this, meaning I can fast more than this, the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: ((لَا اَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذٰٰلِكَ)) “There is nothing better than this.” (Bukhari, Book of Fasting, No. 1967)
It is thus understood that whoever wishes to observe the maximum number of voluntary fasts should fast one day and leave the next; this is the most virtuous fast. However, when Sayyiduna Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) became weak in old age, he used to say: If only I had accepted the three days (of fasting) as stated by the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), they would have been more beloved to me than my family and wealth. (Muslim, Book of Fasting, No. 1159)
From the aforementioned hadith, it is understood that fasting continuously (without break) is against the Sunnah. It is mentioned in the hadith: ((لَا صَامَ وَلَا آلَ مَنْ صَامَ الْاَبَدَ)) ... “Neither does he receive the reward of fasting nor the reward of leaving it.” In another narration, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “I observe (voluntary) fasts and I also leave them, and whoever turns away from my Sunnah has nothing to do with me.” (Bukhari, Book of Marriage, No. 5063)
When Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Amr (radi Allahu anhuma) began to fast continuously, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade him from this. Upon his repeated requests, the most that was permitted to him was the fast of Sayyiduna Dawud (alayhis salam), that is, to fast one day and not fast the next day. When Sayyiduna Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) said: I have the strength for a better deed than this, meaning I can fast more than this, the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: ((لَا اَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذٰٰلِكَ)) “There is nothing better than this.” (Bukhari, Book of Fasting, No. 1967)
It is thus understood that whoever wishes to observe the maximum number of voluntary fasts should fast one day and leave the next; this is the most virtuous fast. However, when Sayyiduna Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) became weak in old age, he used to say: If only I had accepted the three days (of fasting) as stated by the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), they would have been more beloved to me than my family and wealth. (Muslim, Book of Fasting, No. 1159)
Source: Musnad Ishaq bin Rahwayh, Page: 661
