What is the ruling on fasting on Saturday?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : The well-known opinion among the scholars is that it is permissible.
The student : This is Hani.
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The student : ... .
The Shaykh : The first opinion.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : The first opinion is that it is permissible, and the second opinion is that one should not fast on Saturday at all, except in what Allah has made obligatory, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 1726Hasan (Darussalam), As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 13:357; therefore, the pious course is to leave what is prohibited in accordance with the Shari'ah, and whoever does so is better than the one who fasts in violation of the Shari'ah; because it is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: , so if you leave fasting on the Day of 'Ashura or the Day of 'Arafah because it coincides with Saturday, you have not lost anything; rather, you are the gainer, because you left that fast in order to conform to what the Messenger prohibited, and you stopped, and whoever stops is better for him than the one who does not stop, as is self-evident. And what brings this issue closer to many people who, if we delayed the rain now until we finish, would not gather, my brother.
The student : 'Abdullah stopped.
The Shaykh : To clarify the issue, I say.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : There is no difference between a Muslim leaving the fast of the Day of 'Ashura or the Day of 'Arafah because it coincides with Saturday, and leaving the fast of Monday or Thursday because it coincides with a day on which fasting is prohibited, such as the festival day, the Day of 'Id al-Fitr, which is one day. If the festival day coincides with Monday, does the Muslim fast? The answer is no. How is this violation permissible on Monday, where there are hadiths encouraging fasting, while on the festival day there is a prohibition against fasting? So what does the Muslim do when the prohibition conflicts with the virtue? The answer is that there is a jurisprudential rule which states: "When the prohibitive and the permissive conflict, the prohibitive is given precedence over the permissive." Just as you leave Monday and Thursday because they coincide with the festival day, on which fasting is prohibited, so too, without any difference whatsoever, if you leave the fast of the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura because it coincides with Saturday, there is no difference between this and that, were it not for the customs that have prevailed among many people, and especially since these customs are based on the opinion of many scholars. But Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as you all know, says:[An-Nisa 4:59].
In conclusion, I say: Whoever leaves the fast of the festival day on Monday, Allah will compensate him with something better than it, and whoever leaves the fast of the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura because it coincides with Saturday, Allah will compensate him with something better than it. This is a reality that we live and experience within ourselves, and we do not grieve or regret at all that we did not fast on the Day of 'Ashura or did not fast on the Day of 'Arafah when it coincided with Saturday. And that is enough now, if you want... is that what it means?
The student : O Shaykh, a violation... a violation that was lost on us.
The questioner :Sahih al-Bukhari 3433 .
The Shaykh : You opened the door for him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : You closed it and then opened it for the coffee, my brother. Be patient, may Allah guide you.
The questioner : ... O Shaykh.
The student : This is Hani.
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The student : ... .
The Shaykh : The first opinion.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : The first opinion is that it is permissible, and the second opinion is that one should not fast on Saturday at all, except in what Allah has made obligatory, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
Do not fast on Saturdays apart from days when you are obliged to fast
لا تصوموا يوم السبت إلا فيما افترض عليكمexcept in what is obligatory upon you; and if one of you finds nothing but the bark of a tree, let him chew it
إلا فيما افترض عليكم ؛ ولو لم يجد أحدكم إلا لحاء شجرة فليمضَغْهWhoever leaves something for the sake of Allah, Allah will compensate him with something better than it
مَن تَرَكَ شيئًا لله عوَّضَه الله خيرًا منهThe student : 'Abdullah stopped.
The Shaykh : To clarify the issue, I say.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : There is no difference between a Muslim leaving the fast of the Day of 'Ashura or the Day of 'Arafah because it coincides with Saturday, and leaving the fast of Monday or Thursday because it coincides with a day on which fasting is prohibited, such as the festival day, the Day of 'Id al-Fitr, which is one day. If the festival day coincides with Monday, does the Muslim fast? The answer is no. How is this violation permissible on Monday, where there are hadiths encouraging fasting, while on the festival day there is a prohibition against fasting? So what does the Muslim do when the prohibition conflicts with the virtue? The answer is that there is a jurisprudential rule which states: "When the prohibitive and the permissive conflict, the prohibitive is given precedence over the permissive." Just as you leave Monday and Thursday because they coincide with the festival day, on which fasting is prohibited, so too, without any difference whatsoever, if you leave the fast of the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura because it coincides with Saturday, there is no difference between this and that, were it not for the customs that have prevailed among many people, and especially since these customs are based on the opinion of many scholars. But Allah (Mighty and Majestic), as you all know, says:
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًاIn conclusion, I say: Whoever leaves the fast of the festival day on Monday, Allah will compensate him with something better than it, and whoever leaves the fast of the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura because it coincides with Saturday, Allah will compensate him with something better than it. This is a reality that we live and experience within ourselves, and we do not grieve or regret at all that we did not fast on the Day of 'Ashura or did not fast on the Day of 'Arafah when it coincided with Saturday. And that is enough now, if you want... is that what it means?
The student : O Shaykh, a violation... a violation that was lost on us.
The questioner :
Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman
كمل من الرجال كثير ، ولم يكمُلْ من النساءThe Shaykh : You opened the door for him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : You closed it and then opened it for the coffee, my brother. Be patient, may Allah guide you.
The questioner : ... O Shaykh.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.