The Ruling on Singling Out Saturday for Fasting
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What is the ruling on fasting on a Saturday alone? And what is your guidance regarding the hadith that prohibits this?
What is the hadith?The questioner: The meaning of the hadith is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited fasting on a Saturday alone, except for what is obligatory.
The Shaykh: The hadith is: “Do not fast on a Saturday except for what is obligatory upon you, and even if one of you finds nothing but a grape skin—Meaning: the grape stems.
Let him eat it.” But this hadith is not in the two Sahihs, nor in either of them,And the hadith established in the two Sahihs is: “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon one of the Mothers of the Believers and found her fasting,So he said to her: Did you fast yesterday?She said: No.
He said: Will you fast tomorrow?She said: No.
He said: So, break your fast) This hadith indicates that fasting on Saturday is permissible. The hadith you referred to was narrated by Abu Dawud and others among the compilers of the Sunan, but it does not match this one in authenticity. And if it does not match it in authenticity, then among the established principles in the terminology of hadith is that it is considered anomalous; because it contradicts what is stronger than it, and an anomalous narration is not acted upon. This is one perspective, and some scholars have followed it.And he said: stating that this hadith is anomalous and not acted upon.
And some of them weakened it in its chain,Meaning: those who say it is anomalous weakened it in its text, and some of them weakened it in its chain,And he said: it is not authentic, and they criticized some of its narrators,And some of them said: that it is abrogated. And some of them reconciled it with the hadith of the permissibility of fasting on a Saturday, saying: If he fasts it alone because it is a Saturday, then that is what is prohibited. But if he fasts it following another day, or for a reason that necessitates specifying this day, then there is no harm. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) held this view, and this is undoubtedly a good reconciliation between the two hadiths.
So we say: Do not fast on a Saturday alone, but if you fast it along with another day, there is no harm. Or if you fast it because it is a day on which fasting is recommended, such as if it coincides with the Day of 'Arafah, or if it coincides with the fifteenth of the month and you are fasting the white days, or if it coincides with the Day of 'Ashura, then there is no harm. And this is the best of the opinions you have heard, so let it be the one relied upon.Meaning: It is disliked to fast on a Saturday because it is a Saturday. But if he fasts it for another reason, there is no harm. Likewise, if he does not fast it alone by fasting a day before it or a day after it, then there is no harm.
What is the hadith?The questioner: The meaning of the hadith is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited fasting on a Saturday alone, except for what is obligatory.
The Shaykh: The hadith is: “Do not fast on a Saturday except for what is obligatory upon you, and even if one of you finds nothing but a grape skin—Meaning: the grape stems.
Let him eat it.” But this hadith is not in the two Sahihs, nor in either of them,And the hadith established in the two Sahihs is: “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon one of the Mothers of the Believers and found her fasting,So he said to her: Did you fast yesterday?She said: No.
He said: Will you fast tomorrow?She said: No.
He said: So, break your fast) This hadith indicates that fasting on Saturday is permissible. The hadith you referred to was narrated by Abu Dawud and others among the compilers of the Sunan, but it does not match this one in authenticity. And if it does not match it in authenticity, then among the established principles in the terminology of hadith is that it is considered anomalous; because it contradicts what is stronger than it, and an anomalous narration is not acted upon. This is one perspective, and some scholars have followed it.And he said: stating that this hadith is anomalous and not acted upon.
And some of them weakened it in its chain,Meaning: those who say it is anomalous weakened it in its text, and some of them weakened it in its chain,And he said: it is not authentic, and they criticized some of its narrators,And some of them said: that it is abrogated. And some of them reconciled it with the hadith of the permissibility of fasting on a Saturday, saying: If he fasts it alone because it is a Saturday, then that is what is prohibited. But if he fasts it following another day, or for a reason that necessitates specifying this day, then there is no harm. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) held this view, and this is undoubtedly a good reconciliation between the two hadiths.
So we say: Do not fast on a Saturday alone, but if you fast it along with another day, there is no harm. Or if you fast it because it is a day on which fasting is recommended, such as if it coincides with the Day of 'Arafah, or if it coincides with the fifteenth of the month and you are fasting the white days, or if it coincides with the Day of 'Ashura, then there is no harm. And this is the best of the opinions you have heard, so let it be the one relied upon.Meaning: It is disliked to fast on a Saturday because it is a Saturday. But if he fasts it for another reason, there is no harm. Likewise, if he does not fast it alone by fasting a day before it or a day after it, then there is no harm.