An elderly woman who used to fast the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, then was told that fasting these ten days is not from the Sunnah, but rather the Sunnah is fasting the white days and the Day of 'Arafah

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The questioner : He says: An elderly woman used to fast the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, but this year someone came to her and said: It is not prescribed for you to fast the ten days, because fasting all of the ten days is not from the Sunnah; rather, fast only the white days and the Day of 'Arafah, as in the other months. She is now asking about this, wanting you, O honorable Shaykh, to clarify her matter in detail?

The Shaykh : Clarifying her matter in detail is that she should fast the ten days, as long as she is able and it does not burden her, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

There are no days during which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days,” meaning the (first) ten days of Dhul- Hijjah. They said: “O Messenger of Allah! Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah?” He said: “Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah, unless a man goes out with himself and his wealth and does not bring anything back.”

ما من أيام العمل الصالح فيهن أحب إلى الله من هذه الأيام العشر، قالوا : ولا الجهاد في سبيل الله ؟ قال : ولا الجهاد في سبيل الله، إلا رجل خرج بنفسه وماله فلم يرجع من ذلك بشيء

Sunan Ibn Majah 1727Sahih (Darussalam)

And let us ask: Is fasting among the righteous deeds? The answer is: Yes, without doubt, for this reason Allah made it one of the pillars of Islam. So fasting is without doubt among the righteous deeds, until Allah the Exalted said in the Holy Hadith:

the fast is for Me, so I will give the reward for it

الصوم لي وأنا أجزي به

Sahih al-Bukhari 7538

And if that is the case, then fasting is prescribed, and whoever claims that they are not to be fasted, let him bring evidence for excluding fasting from this generality:

There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than those ten days.

ما من أيامٍ العمل الصالح فيهن أحب إلى الله من هذه الأيام العشر

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 757Sahih (Darussalam)

And if it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not fast them, this is a specific case; perhaps he did not fast because he was occupied with what is more beneficial and more important. But we have the word of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):

There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than those ten days.

ما من أيامٍ العمل الصالح فيهن أحب إلى الله من هذه الأيام العشر

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 757Sahih (Darussalam)

However, it has been narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he did not leave off fasting them, and Imam Ahmad preferred this, meaning: that he did not leave off fasting them, based on the narration of negation, and he said: The affirming is preferred over the negating. But even on the assumption that there is nothing indicating that he fasted, he falls within the generality of

There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than those ten days.

ما من أيام العمل الصالح فيهن أحب إلى الله من هذه الأيام العشر

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 757Sahih (Darussalam)

As for fasting the white days, it is not possible to fast them in the month of Dhul Hijjah on the thirteenth day, because the thirteenth day is one of the days of Tashreeq, in which fasting is forbidden. Yes.

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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