Discussion on the impermissibility of fasting on Saturday, even if it coincides with a virtuous day, such as fasting on the Day of 'Arafah.

The Shaykh : This reminds me of a benefit that people are in great need of. Do you know that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has guided us to revive a hadith that had been neglected over the course of time, from the books of Islamic jurisprudence in general and from the minds of many scholars in particular? It is His saying (peace and blessings be upon him) Much discussion has taken place since people began to return to this hadith and pay attention to it. Some have verified His saying in the Noble Qur'an while others have argued and debated. Then these people are of two types: some submit to the truth once it becomes clear to them, and some insist, at least in their hearts if not in their words, saying, "We found our fathers upon a nation." So I say: Many people assume that if this hadith is applied, it would be the Day of 'Ashura, the Day of 'Arafah, a Monday, or a Thursday—any of the virtuous days. Excuse me, I said Monday and Thursday; that was from the previous discussion. But if the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura happens to fall on a Saturday—and this happens often—they ask themselves: How do we deprive ourselves of the virtue of fasting on the Day of 'Ashura and the virtue of fasting on the Day of 'Arafah just because it coincides with Saturday? Here is the point that fits that question: We say according to the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and remember this hadith This is the answer to that question and to this difficulty. The previous question: Those followers who pray behind an imam who is sitting out of necessity are implementing his previous saying (peace and blessings be upon him) These people, following the ruling of the Wise Lawgiver, sit down. Therefore, they do not lose the virtue of standing. Similarly, the one who leaves fasting on the Day of 'Ashura or the Day of 'Arafah because it coincides with Saturday—why did he leave it? In response to Allah and the Messenger So when He said What is our duty? Is it not to fast? By the way, this issue is close to another issue that many people also overlook. A Monday or a Thursday may coincide with a festival, and 'Id al-Fitr as well. By the way, I remind those present of a common error among people, except those whom Allah protects, and they are few, and they are few. Most people assume that 'Id al-Fitr is three days. 'Id al-Fitr is one day: the day you break your fast, the day of your joy in breaking your fast by the permission of your Lord. This is what? The day of the festival. This day may happen to be a Monday or a Thursday. What do you do? Do you fast, prioritizing the virtue over the prohibition, or do you stop, responding to the prohibition? Without a doubt, all Muslims respond to the prohibition. So here we can take a rule, and this rule is established in the books of the principles of jurisprudence: When a prohibitor and a permitter conflict, the prohibitor is given precedence over the permitter. Now, it is a day of festival and a Thursday, or a day of festival and a Monday. And the virtue of Monday and the virtue of Thursday is a known, agreed-upon matter in the authentic hadiths. But the Messenger prohibited fasting on the day of the festival. What do we do? Do we fast or break the fast? We break the fast, giving precedence to the prohibitor over the permitter. The encouragement to fast on Monday is a permitter for this fasting; the prohibition is a prohibitor that prevents. So the prohibitor is given precedence over the permitter. Similarly, deal with the issue of Saturday. Let it not be a difficulty for any of you, my brother: How do we deprive ourselves of fasting on the Day of 'Ashura or fasting on the Day of 'Arafah when it coincides with Saturday? There is no difficulty. This example is before you: Fasting on Monday or Thursday coinciding with a day of festival is exactly like fasting on 'Ashura or fasting on the Day of 'Arafah coinciding with Saturday. Saturday is forbidden; the day of the festival is forbidden. So we leave the fasting, which is originally virtuous, and thus we submit to the ruling of Allah and the ruling of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), who does not speak from desire, and He writes for us the reward of fasting even if we did not fast, just as He writes for us the reward of standing in prayer even if we did not stand. Why? Because we left this in obedience to the command of Allah and the command of the Messenger of Allah, and we left that also in response to the prohibition of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). This is what I also wanted to remind you of. Please, yes.