On the prohibition of fasting on Saturday: Is there a specific restriction?
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The questioner : The hadith regarding the prohibition of fasting on Saturday?
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : Is it to be understood in its literal sense?
The Shaykh : And what takes us from the literal sense to the figurative?
The questioner : Or do we say it applies to the one who fasts on Saturday believing in that?
The Shaykh : Believing in what?
The questioner : By honoring it, or by magnifying it, or by sanctifying it? Yes, sanctifying it?
The Shaykh : I did not understand much of what you said about believing in the honor of Saturday. What does "honor" mean? A man fasts, for example, just as he fasts on Sunday, fasting for Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). What does "honor" have to do with the matter? And the intention of "honor" in your words—do I know how to answer you?
Another questioner : No, he wants to single out Saturday only.
The Shaykh : You mean he singles out Saturday only. Well, the scholars who say it is permissible to fast on Saturday do not permit singling it out. Of course, they permit the difference of opinion. The disagreement is not about the issue of singling it out, but about fasting on it. Whether he fasted the day before it, Friday, as mentioned in some authentic hadiths, or did not fast on Friday and it occurred to him to fast on Saturday—what is the ruling on this fasting? The answer is in this prohibiting hadith:As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 13:357.
Another questioner : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. I do not know if I clarified your question, and thereby clarified my answer to you, or not?
The questioner : Yes, it was clarified.
The Shaykh : Okay.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : Is it to be understood in its literal sense?
The Shaykh : And what takes us from the literal sense to the figurative?
The questioner : Or do we say it applies to the one who fasts on Saturday believing in that?
The Shaykh : Believing in what?
The questioner : By honoring it, or by magnifying it, or by sanctifying it? Yes, sanctifying it?
The Shaykh : I did not understand much of what you said about believing in the honor of Saturday. What does "honor" mean? A man fasts, for example, just as he fasts on Sunday, fasting for Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). What does "honor" have to do with the matter? And the intention of "honor" in your words—do I know how to answer you?
Another questioner : No, he wants to single out Saturday only.
The Shaykh : You mean he singles out Saturday only. Well, the scholars who say it is permissible to fast on Saturday do not permit singling it out. Of course, they permit the difference of opinion. The disagreement is not about the issue of singling it out, but about fasting on it. Whether he fasted the day before it, Friday, as mentioned in some authentic hadiths, or did not fast on Friday and it occurred to him to fast on Saturday—what is the ruling on this fasting? The answer is in this prohibiting hadith:
Do not fast on the day of Saturday except in what is obligatory upon you. And if one of you finds nothing but the bark of a tree, let him chew it.
لا تصوموا يوم السّبت إلاّ في ما افترض عليكم ولو لم يجد أحدكم إلاّ لحاء الشّجرة فليمضغهAnother questioner : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. I do not know if I clarified your question, and thereby clarified my answer to you, or not?
The questioner : Yes, it was clarified.
The Shaykh : Okay.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.