Nasai

Urdu marginal note:
“He neither observed it nor abandoned it.” In reality, he did not abandon it, and he did not observe it because he disobeyed the Shari‘ah; he did not receive any reward, so it is as if he did not observe it.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ It is prohibited to exceed the prescribed limits in worship.

➋ Fasting continuously (without breaks) is prohibited.

➌ “Neither did he fast nor did he break the fast”—this means that he neither attained the reward of fasting nor enjoyed the comfort of not fasting; in other words, he gained neither spiritual nor worldly benefit, neither hereafter nor bodily benefit. Rather, by disobeying the command of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), the situation could arise where good deeds are wasted and sin becomes incumbent.

➍ Some scholars have stated that if a person does not fast on the two Eids and the days of Tashreeq, but fasts for the remaining eleven months and twenty-five days, then such a person will be considered as one who fasts continuously, because he did not fast for only five days in the year. However, upon reflection, the very purpose of this prohibition is lost by such an action. When Abdullah ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) began to fast continuously, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade him from it. Upon his repeated requests, the most that was permitted to him was the fast of Dawud (alayhis salam), that is, to fast one day and not fast the next. When Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) said, “I have the strength for a better deed than this,” meaning he could fast more than this, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: (لَا أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ) “There is nothing better than this.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Fasting, Chapter: Fasting for a Lifetime, Hadith: 1967)

From this it is understood that even one who fasts eleven months and twenty-five days in a year cannot attain the reward that is given to one who observes the fast of Dawud (alayhis salam). Therefore, even if it is considered permissible to fast the whole year except for the two Eids and the days of Tashreeq, it is still better to attain more reward with less effort, rather than to exert more effort and gain less reward.