Explanation of the Book of Friday Prayer and the Two Festivals-07a
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The reciter: Muhammad ibn 'Urayrah narrated to us, Shu'bah narrated to us from Sulayman from Muslim al-Batin from Sa'id ibn Jubayr from Ibn 'Abbas from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 969.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest. This hadith is general in that all righteous deeds are beloved to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and are better than deeds done on other days. It encompasses all deeds, including prayer, charity, recitation, dhikr, fasting, and others. As for what Aishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), mentioned—that she never saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fasting during the ten days—it is contradicted by the fact that one of the Mothers of the Believers mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) never ceased fasting them. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The affirmative is preferred over the negative." Furthermore, some of them said that the hadith is narrated in two ways: the first way is "I never saw him fasting in the ten days," and the second way is "I never saw him fasting the ten days." According to the first way, she denied that he fasted even on the Day of 'Arafah, because she said she never saw him fasting in the ten days. It is known that the wording with this meaning is anomalous, because the prescribed nature of fasting on the Day of 'Arafah and the encouragement to do so are established.
As for "I never saw him fasting the ten days," the meaning is that she never saw him fasting the entire ten days, and this does not contradict the possibility that he fasted some of them.
On this basis, there is no evidence in it that fasting the ten days is not recommended. Rather, if it is correct to say that it contains evidence, it indicates that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not complete fasting the ten days.
Then, this is a specific case; pay attention to it. We do not know why the Messenger did not fast. He may not have fasted because he was occupied, for example, with delegations or other matters, or he may not have fasted the entire ten days because he was occupied with something on the first day or in the middle of the ten days, or something similar. Specific cases cannot be used to refute the clear indications of words that righteous deeds in these ten days are more beloved to Allah than on any other day of the year. We all know that fasting is a righteous deed, indeed it is the deed that Allah has reserved for Himself, as He said:Sahih al-Bukhari 7538.
This is one of the defects that some students of knowledge commit: they look at hadiths without gathering their various aspects and without referring to the general principles of the Shari'ah. This is a deficiency in argumentation, a great deficiency. When a person speaks, he does not speak except about the Shari'ah, meaning he speaks to say that this is the legislation of Allah. If that is the case, then every text indicates a ruling of the Shari'ah. Therefore, one must be well-versed in all texts and well-versed in the general principles of the Shari'ah so that he can say "this is for such and such" and "that is for such and such." And what I have said, I have repeated many times, and I have said that it is obligatory for the student of knowledge, if he wants to say that this is the ruling of Allah or the ruling of His Messenger, to be well-versed in all aspects of the evidence so that he can make a ruling that is in accordance with the truth.
No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhul Hijja)." Then some companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things.
ما العمل في أيام أفضل منها في هذه قالوا ولا الجهاد قال ولا الجهاد إلا رجل خرج يخاطر بنفسه وماله، فلم يرجع بشيءThe Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest. This hadith is general in that all righteous deeds are beloved to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and are better than deeds done on other days. It encompasses all deeds, including prayer, charity, recitation, dhikr, fasting, and others. As for what Aishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), mentioned—that she never saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fasting during the ten days—it is contradicted by the fact that one of the Mothers of the Believers mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) never ceased fasting them. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The affirmative is preferred over the negative." Furthermore, some of them said that the hadith is narrated in two ways: the first way is "I never saw him fasting in the ten days," and the second way is "I never saw him fasting the ten days." According to the first way, she denied that he fasted even on the Day of 'Arafah, because she said she never saw him fasting in the ten days. It is known that the wording with this meaning is anomalous, because the prescribed nature of fasting on the Day of 'Arafah and the encouragement to do so are established.
As for "I never saw him fasting the ten days," the meaning is that she never saw him fasting the entire ten days, and this does not contradict the possibility that he fasted some of them.
On this basis, there is no evidence in it that fasting the ten days is not recommended. Rather, if it is correct to say that it contains evidence, it indicates that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not complete fasting the ten days.
Then, this is a specific case; pay attention to it. We do not know why the Messenger did not fast. He may not have fasted because he was occupied, for example, with delegations or other matters, or he may not have fasted the entire ten days because he was occupied with something on the first day or in the middle of the ten days, or something similar. Specific cases cannot be used to refute the clear indications of words that righteous deeds in these ten days are more beloved to Allah than on any other day of the year. We all know that fasting is a righteous deed, indeed it is the deed that Allah has reserved for Himself, as He said:
the fast is for Me, so I will give the reward for it
الصوم لي وأنا أجزي بهThis is one of the defects that some students of knowledge commit: they look at hadiths without gathering their various aspects and without referring to the general principles of the Shari'ah. This is a deficiency in argumentation, a great deficiency. When a person speaks, he does not speak except about the Shari'ah, meaning he speaks to say that this is the legislation of Allah. If that is the case, then every text indicates a ruling of the Shari'ah. Therefore, one must be well-versed in all texts and well-versed in the general principles of the Shari'ah so that he can say "this is for such and such" and "that is for such and such." And what I have said, I have repeated many times, and I have said that it is obligatory for the student of knowledge, if he wants to say that this is the ruling of Allah or the ruling of His Messenger, to be well-versed in all aspects of the evidence so that he can make a ruling that is in accordance with the truth.