❖ Is It Permissible to Observe More Than One Voluntary Fast?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
❖ Question:
Is it permissible to observe only one voluntary fast, or must it be combined with a second or third?
❖ Answer:
It is permissible to observe a single voluntary fast.
However, it is not allowed to specifically single out Friday for fasting. This has been prohibited.
If one wants to fast on a Friday, they should combine it with Thursday or Saturday.
❀ Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لَا يَصُومَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَصُومَ يَوْمًا قَبْلَهُ أَوْ يَوْمًا بَعْدَهُ
“None of you should fast on Friday unless he fasts a day before it or a day after it.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1985 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1144
Summary:
① It is permissible to fast a single day as a voluntary fast.
② Friday should not be singled out for fasting.
③ If one fasts on Friday, they should also fast on Thursday or Saturday.
④ This guidance is based on authentic hadith and reflects the balance taught by the Prophet ﷺ.
