Source: Urdu Sharh ‘Umdah al-Aḥkām, translated by Ḥāfiẓ Fayzullah Nāṣir
He said:
"I asked Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh (رضي الله عنه) whether the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ forbade fasting on Friday, and he said: ‘Yes, by the Lord of the Kaʿbah!’"
References:
He said:
"I heard the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ say: ‘None of you should fast on Friday unless he fasts a day before it or a day after it.’"
References:
These narrations emphasize that fasting on Friday alone (without pairing it with Thursday or Saturday) is discouraged. This is to prevent singling out a special day (Friday, which is like a weekly ‘Eid’ for Muslims) with acts of worship not legislated specifically for it.
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
"Do not single out the night of Friday for night prayer among the nights, nor its day for fasting among the days, unless it is part of your regular fasts."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1144]
Umm al-Mu’minīn ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:
When the Prophet ﷺ visited his wife Juwairiyah on a Friday while she was fasting, he asked:
“Did you fast yesterday?”
She replied, “No.”
He asked, “Do you intend to fast tomorrow?”
She replied, “No.”
He said, “Then break your fast.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1885, Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 2422]
Hadīth No. 4: Narrated by Muḥammad ibn ʿAbbād ibn Jaʿfar
He said:"I asked Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh (رضي الله عنه) whether the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ forbade fasting on Friday, and he said: ‘Yes, by the Lord of the Kaʿbah!’"
References:
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Book of Fasting, Chapter on Fasting on Friday – Ḥadīth 1984, 1985
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Book of Fasting, Chapter on Disliking Fasting Friday Alone – Ḥadīth 1143, 1144
Ḥadīth No. 5: Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه)
He said:"I heard the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ say: ‘None of you should fast on Friday unless he fasts a day before it or a day after it.’"
References:
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Ḥadīth 1985
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Ḥadīth 1144
Explanation of the Ḥadīth:
These narrations emphasize that fasting on Friday alone (without pairing it with Thursday or Saturday) is discouraged. This is to prevent singling out a special day (Friday, which is like a weekly ‘Eid’ for Muslims) with acts of worship not legislated specifically for it.The Prophet ﷺ also said:
"Do not single out the night of Friday for night prayer among the nights, nor its day for fasting among the days, unless it is part of your regular fasts."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1144]
Supporting Narration:
Umm al-Mu’minīn ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated:When the Prophet ﷺ visited his wife Juwairiyah on a Friday while she was fasting, he asked:
“Did you fast yesterday?”
She replied, “No.”
He asked, “Do you intend to fast tomorrow?”
She replied, “No.”
He said, “Then break your fast.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1885, Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 2422]
Summary:
- Fasting only on Friday is makrūh (discouraged) unless paired with Thursday or Saturday.
- Friday is considered an Eid day, hence exclusive fasting is discouraged.
- This ruling maintains the sanctity and unique nature of Friday without innovating ritual worship.
