The Ruling on Fasting Two Consecutive Months to Discipline the Self
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The questioner:
In the section of questions, the questioner asks: Is it permissible to fast two consecutive months for the sake of self-discipline and punishing the soul, in accordance with the hadith regarding expiation?
The Shaykh:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes continue fasting from Sha'ban into the end of Ramadan. It is a recommended practice (sunnah) for the believer, if it is necessary, to fast one day and then rest, and this is the sunnah. So, if he continues fasting for one month other than Ramadan, this is the lowest level, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did, for one month. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not continue fasting for more than one month, so he opposed that. As for increasing beyond that, it is not disliked.
Another questioner:
When fasting, there is a tendency toward fatigue. Fasting the entire month of Sha'ban, is this...
The Shaykh:
Yes.
The questioner:
For the sake of discipline and punishing the self.
The Shaykh:
No, it is not advised. Glorified and Exalted is He, He is more merciful to His servants than they are to themselves. One does not punish oneself except with what is prescribed; one does not punish oneself with what is not prescribed. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked the one who... and the one who... and said: "Do not fast, do not break the fast, do not fast, do not fast ever." When Abdullah ibn Amr asked, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am better than that," meaning better than the one who... He said: "No, there is nothing better than that." Yes.
In the section of questions, the questioner asks: Is it permissible to fast two consecutive months for the sake of self-discipline and punishing the soul, in accordance with the hadith regarding expiation?
The Shaykh:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes continue fasting from Sha'ban into the end of Ramadan. It is a recommended practice (sunnah) for the believer, if it is necessary, to fast one day and then rest, and this is the sunnah. So, if he continues fasting for one month other than Ramadan, this is the lowest level, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did, for one month. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not continue fasting for more than one month, so he opposed that. As for increasing beyond that, it is not disliked.
Another questioner:
When fasting, there is a tendency toward fatigue. Fasting the entire month of Sha'ban, is this...
The Shaykh:
Yes.
The questioner:
For the sake of discipline and punishing the self.
The Shaykh:
No, it is not advised. Glorified and Exalted is He, He is more merciful to His servants than they are to themselves. One does not punish oneself except with what is prescribed; one does not punish oneself with what is not prescribed. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked the one who... and the one who... and said: "Do not fast, do not break the fast, do not fast, do not fast ever." When Abdullah ibn Amr asked, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am better than that," meaning better than the one who... He said: "No, there is nothing better than that." Yes.
Source
شرح بلوغ المرام [ ابن باز ] [ الشرح الجديد ]، كتاب الصيام — islamhouse.com (36:45)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.