Combining: “Fasting the Day of 'Arafah expiates the previous year” with the fact that he did not fast it

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Question:
A question about the hadith

Fasting the Day of 'Arafah expiates the previous year and the year that follows

صيام يوم عرفة يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية

and it is established that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not fast it, so I hope you will clarify that so that the virtue of fasting the Day of 'Arafah is not missed?

Answer:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about fasting the Day of 'Arafah, so he said:

Allah expiates with it the year before it and the year after it

يكفر الله به السنة التي قبلها والتي بعدها

And he was asked about fasting the Day of 'Ashura, so he said:

Allah expiates with it the year before it

يكفر الله به السنة التي قبلها

This is from his saying (peace and blessings be upon him), whether he fasted it or did not fast it, he taught the Ummah. And the meaning of “expiates it” is: if one avoids major sins, it expiates the minor sins; due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):

The five [daily] prayers, Friday to Friday and Ramadan to Ramadan make atonement for what has happened since the previous one when major sins have been avoided.

الصلوات الخمس والجمعة إلى الجمعة ورمضان إلى رمضان كفارات لما بينهن إذا اجتنبت الكبائر

Mishkat al-Masabih 564

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And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), if he informs about something and prescribes it for the Ummah, that is sufficient, even if he did not do it (peace and blessings be upon him); the saying is stronger than the action.

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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