Is it permissible to fast on the ninth, tenth, and eleventh days to ensure that one definitely reaches the day of 'Ashura?
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Question:
People experience doubt and confusion regarding the confirmation of the day of 'Ashura. The question is: Is there any blame on one who fasts on the ninth, tenth, and eleventh days to ensure that he definitely reaches the day of 'Ashura? And does he thereby obtain the virtue of fasting three days of every month?
Answer:
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, in *Zad al-Ma'ad*, when he spoke about fasting 'Ashura, said that its fasting is of three types. The first type is to fast the day before it. He fasts the day of 'Ashura and the day before it and the day after it, three days, and he said this is the most complete. And the best is that he fasts the day of 'Ashura and a day before it and a day after it, so the total is three days. The second characteristic is that he fasts the day of 'Ashura and a day before it or a day after it; he fasts two days. And the third characteristic is that he fasts only the day of 'Ashura, one day.
And the most complete of them is to fast three days, then to fast two days. And if he fasts one day, the day of 'Ashura, this is sufficient, but it is contrary to what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded of fasting a day before it or a day after it. But it is sufficient, and he obtains the reward according to what he fasted. The days of 'Ashura are not considered as the three days of every month. Because the three days of every month are independent.
And the best place for them is on the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days, the days of the white moon. This is their best place. And if he fasts them from the beginning of the month or from the end of it or from the middle of it, there is no harm. Fasting three days of the month is other than fasting the days of 'Ashura. This is a sunnah (recommended practice) and this is a sunnah (recommended practice). Just as that is also other than fasting on Monday and Thursday in every week. So the sunnahs (recommended practices), every sunnah (recommended practice) is in its place.
People experience doubt and confusion regarding the confirmation of the day of 'Ashura. The question is: Is there any blame on one who fasts on the ninth, tenth, and eleventh days to ensure that he definitely reaches the day of 'Ashura? And does he thereby obtain the virtue of fasting three days of every month?
Answer:
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, in *Zad al-Ma'ad*, when he spoke about fasting 'Ashura, said that its fasting is of three types. The first type is to fast the day before it. He fasts the day of 'Ashura and the day before it and the day after it, three days, and he said this is the most complete. And the best is that he fasts the day of 'Ashura and a day before it and a day after it, so the total is three days. The second characteristic is that he fasts the day of 'Ashura and a day before it or a day after it; he fasts two days. And the third characteristic is that he fasts only the day of 'Ashura, one day.
And the most complete of them is to fast three days, then to fast two days. And if he fasts one day, the day of 'Ashura, this is sufficient, but it is contrary to what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded of fasting a day before it or a day after it. But it is sufficient, and he obtains the reward according to what he fasted. The days of 'Ashura are not considered as the three days of every month. Because the three days of every month are independent.
And the best place for them is on the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days, the days of the white moon. This is their best place. And if he fasts them from the beginning of the month or from the end of it or from the middle of it, there is no harm. Fasting three days of the month is other than fasting the days of 'Ashura. This is a sunnah (recommended practice) and this is a sunnah (recommended practice). Just as that is also other than fasting on Monday and Thursday in every week. So the sunnahs (recommended practices), every sunnah (recommended practice) is in its place.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، هل يجوز صيام اليوم التاسع والعاشر والحادي عشر ليدرك بالتأكيد يوم عاشوراء؟ — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.