Chapter on Voluntary Fasting and Its Rewards on Different Days

Hadith.1800 - Muhammad ibn Muslim and Zurara ibn A‘yan asked Abu Ja‘far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) about fasting on the Day of Ashura. Imam (as) said: "Its fasting was practiced before the Month of Ramadan, but when the Month of Ramadan was prescribed, it was abandoned."

Hadith.1801 - Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said that the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "Whoever fasts a day voluntarily, Allah (swt), the Almighty, will admit him to Paradise."

"Whoever's life ends while fasting on a day will enter Paradise."

Hadith.1803 - The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah (swt), it is equivalent to fasting a whole year."

Hadith.1804 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Whoever applies perfume in the morning while fasting will not lose his mind."

Hadith.1805 - The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "No fasting person sits among a group of people who are eating except, that his limbs will glorify Allah (swt), the angels will send prayers upon him, and their prayers are acts of seeking forgiveness for him."

"Whoever fasts the first day of the ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, Allah (swt) will record for him the reward of fasting eighty months. And if he fasts all nine days, Allah (swt), the Almighty, will record for him the reward of fasting a lifetime."

Hadith.1807 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Fasting on the Day of Tarwiyah is an expiation for one year, and fasting on the Day of Arafah is an expiation for two years."

Hadith.1808 - It is narrated: "On the first day of Dhu al-Hijjah, Ibrahim, the Friend of the Most Merciful (as), was born. Whoever fasts on that day, it will be an expiation for sixty years. On the ninth of Dhu al-Hijjah, the repentance of Dawud (as) was accepted. Whoever fasts on that day, it will be an expiation for ninety years."

I asked Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)) about fasting on the Day of Arafah. Imam (as) said: 'If you wish, you may fast, and if you wish, you may refrain from fasting.' Imam (as) mentioned: 'A man came to al-Hasan (as) and al-Husayn (as) and found one of them fasting and the other not fasting. He asked them, and they said: "If you fast, it is good, and if you do not fast, it is permissible."’"

"The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) bequeathed solely to Ali (as), and Ali (as) bequeathed jointly to al-Hasan (as) and al-Husayn (as). Al-Hasan (as) was the Imam during his time. A man entered upon al-Hasan (as) on the Day of Arafah and found him having lunch, while al-Husayn (as) was fasting. After al-Hasan (as) passed away, the same man entered upon al-Husayn (as) on the Day of Arafah and found him having lunch, while Ali ibn al-Husayn (as) was fasting. The man said to Imam: 'I came to al-Hasan (as) when he was having lunch, and you were fasting. Then I came to you, and now you are not fasting.' Imam (as) replied: 'Al-Hasan (as) was the Imam, so he broke his fast to ensure his fasting would not be taken as a Sunnah and followed by others. When he passed away, I became the Imam, and I did not want my fasting to be taken as a Sunnah and followed by others.'"

"I asked him about fasting on the Day of Arafah, and I said: 'May I be your ransom, they claim that fasting it equals fasting for a year.' Imam (as) said: 'My father (as) would not fast on that day.' I asked: 'Why? May I be your ransom.' Imam (as) said: 'The Day of Arafah is a day of supplication and asking (from Allah (swt)). I fear that fasting might weaken me from making supplications, and I dislike fasting it as I fear that the Day of Arafah may coincide with the Day of Eid al-Adha, which is not a day of fasting.'"

Hadith.1812 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "When al-Husayn ibn Ali (as) was martyred, Allah (swt), the Almighty, commanded an angel to proclaim: 'O oppressive nation, O killers of the progeny of your Prophet (sw), may Allah (swt) not grant you success in fasting or breaking your fast.'"

Hadith.1813 - In another narration: "May Allah (swt) not grant you success for Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha."

‘I was with my father when I was a boy, and we had dinner with Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha (as) on the night of the 25th of Dhu al-Qa‘dah.’ Imam (as) said to him: 'The 25th night of Dhu al-Qa‘dah is the night on which Ibrahim (as) was born, and on which Isa ibn Maryam (as) was born, and it is the night when the earth was spread out from beneath the Ka‘bah. Whoever fasts on that day, it is as if he has fasted for sixty months.'"

Hadith.1815 - It is narrated: "On the 29th of Dhu al-Qa‘dah, Allah (swt), the Almighty, sent down the Ka‘bah, which was the first mercy to descend. Whoever fasts on that day, it will be an expiation for seventy years."

I said: 'May I be your ransom, is there a festival for Muslims other than the two Eids?' Imam (as) said: 'Yes, O’ Hasan, and it is greater and more noble than them.' I said: 'What day is it?' Imam (as) said: 'It is the day on which Amir al-Mu'minin (as) was appointed as a guide for the people.' I said: 'May I be your ransom, which day is that?' Imam (as) said: 'The days revolve, and it is the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah.' I said: 'May I be your ransom, what should we do on that day?' Imam (as) said: 'You should fast it, O’ Hasan, and increase your prayers upon Muhammad and his family (as). You should also declare your disassociation to Allah (swt), the Almighty, from those who wronged them and usurped their rights. Indeed, the Prophets (as) used to command their successors to designate the day on which the successor was appointed as a festival.' I said: 'What is the reward for fasting it for us?' Imam (as) said: 'The reward of fasting sixty months. Also, do not neglect fasting on the 27th of Rajab, for it is the day on which prophethood was bestowed upon Muhammad (sw) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and its reward for you is like fasting sixty months.'"

"Fasting on the Day of Ghadir Khumm is an expiation for sixty years."

Hadith.1818 - It is narrated: "On the first day of Muharram, Zakariya (as) supplicated to his Lord (azj), the Almighty. Whoever fasts on that day, Allah (swt) will answer their supplication just as He answered Zakariya (as)."

Hadith.1819 - Abu Basir asked Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)) about a person observing an optional fast who encounters a need to break it. Imam (as) said: "He has the choice until the time of Asr. If he waits until Asr and then decides to fast without having made the intention earlier, he may still fast that day if he wishes."