A man has fasts to make up and the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura arrives; what should he do, and may he delay making up the fasts?
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The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O honorable Shaykh, what is your opinion regarding a person who has fasts to make up, and the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura arrives, and he wants to fast that day and delay making up the fasts?
The Shaykh : We see that there is no harm in it; that is, there is no harm in a person fasting the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura while he has fasts to make up, because the time for making up the fasts is extended until there remains in Sha'ban an amount equal to the number of fasts he owes. However, we prefer that he start by making up the fasts and fast the Day of 'Arafah with the intention of making up the fast. Perhaps if he fasts it with the intention of making up the fast, he will obtain two rewards: the reward of fasting the Day of 'Arafah and the reward of making up the fast.
The Shaykh : We see that there is no harm in it; that is, there is no harm in a person fasting the Day of 'Arafah or the Day of 'Ashura while he has fasts to make up, because the time for making up the fasts is extended until there remains in Sha'ban an amount equal to the number of fasts he owes. However, we prefer that he start by making up the fasts and fast the Day of 'Arafah with the intention of making up the fast. Perhaps if he fasts it with the intention of making up the fast, he will obtain two rewards: the reward of fasting the Day of 'Arafah and the reward of making up the fast.