A student from Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, asking, “What is the wisdom behind voluntary fasting on Mondays and Thursdays? Can supererogatory fasts be observed on other days as well?” Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 9 April 2022, provided the following reply to this question:
“Various reasons for observing supererogatory fasts on Mondays and Thursdays have been stated in the ahadith. As such, the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘On Mondays and Thursdays, the deeds [of mankind] are presented [before Allah the Exalted], and I wish that my deeds be presented while I am fasting.’ (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab as-sawm, Bab ma ja’a fi sawmi yawmi l-ithnayni wa l-khamis)
“Similarly, in another hadith, the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘The gates of Paradise are opened on Mondays and Thursdays, and every person who does not associate anything with Allah the Exalted is forgiven.’ (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-birri wa s-silah, Bab ma ja’a fi l-mutahajirayn)
“In yet another hadith, when asked about fasting on Mondays, the Holy Prophetsa replied that he was born on this day and it was on this day as well that he started receiving revelation. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab as-siyam, Bab istihbabi siyami thalathati ayyamin min kulli shahrin wa sawmi yawmi ‘arafata wa ‘ashura’a wa l-ithnayni wa l-khamis)
“Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays was a common practice of the Holy Prophetsa. (Sunan an-Nasa’i, Kitab as-siyam, Bab sawmi n-nabiyyi(sa) bi ’abi huwa wa ummi wa dhikru ikhtilafi n-naqilina li l-khabari fi dhalik)
“Likewise, the Holy Prophetsa regularly fasted on Ayyam al-Beed [lit. ‘The White Days’], namely the 13th, 14th, and 15th of each lunar month. (Ibid.)
“Furthermore, the Holy Prophetsa emphasised the merit of fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah) and the Day of ‘Ashura’ (10th of Muharram). (Sahih Muslim, Kitab as-siyam, Bab istihbabi siyami thalathati ayyamin min kulli shahrin wa sawmi yawmi ‘arafata wa ‘ashura’a wa l-ithnayni wa l-khamis) However, those present at Hajj are prohibited from fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah. (Sunan ibn Majah, Kitab as-siyam, Bab siyami yawmi ‘arafah)
“Thus, apart from the days of both Eids and the Days of Tashreeq (i.e., the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah), which are days of celebration, eating and drinking for Muslims (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab as-sawm, Bab ma ja’a fi karahiyati s-sawmi fi ’ayyami t-tashriq), one can observe voluntary fasts on any day. However, singling out Fridays for fasting voluntarily is not permissible. (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab as-sawm, Bab ma ja’a fi karahiyati s-sawmi yawmi l-jumu‘ati wahdah) Furthermore, a person who is on hajj and has taken advantage of performing ‘umrah along with hajj, but does not have the ability to offer a sacrifice, will fast three days during the days of hajj. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab as-sawm, Bab siyami ’ayyami t-tashriq)
“Comprehensive guidance of the Holy Prophetsa regarding voluntary fasts is found in the following hadith:
“‘Hazrat Abu Qatadah al-Ansarira reported, ‘Allah’s Messengersa was asked about perpetual fasting [sawmu d-dahr], whereupon he replied, ‘Such a person neither fasted nor did he break it’, [i.e., he did not like it…]. He was then asked about fasting for two days and breaking for one day. He replied, ‘And who has strength enough to do it?’ He was then asked about fasting for a day and breaking for two days, whereupon he said, ‘May Allah bestow upon us strength to do so.’ He was then asked about fasting for a day and breaking on the other, whereupon he said, ‘That is the fasting of my brother Davidas.’ He was then asked about fasting on Mondays, whereupon he said, ‘It was the day on which I was born, on which I was commissioned with prophethood and revelation [of the Holy Quran] was sent to me.’ He [further] said, ‘Three days’ of fasting every month and the whole of Ramadan every year is a perpetual fast.’ He was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah [9 Dhu’I-Hijja], whereupon he said, ‘It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year.’ He was then asked about fasting on the day of ‘Ashura’ [10 Muharram], whereupon he said, ‘It expiates the sins of the preceding year.’ (Sahih Muslim, Kitab as-siyam, Bab istihbabi siyami thalathati ayyamin min kulli shahrin wa sawmi yawmi ‘arafata wa ‘ashura’a wa l-ithnayni wa l-khamis)”