Islamic Duty of Fasting

Q. What is fasting?

A. Fasting means to intentionally leave eating, drinking, and fulfillment of other human desires from subh saadiq (dawn) until sunset. It is called Sawm or Siyaam, and breaking the fast is called Iftaar.

Q. How many types of fasts are there?

A. There are eight types: (1) Fard mu’ayyan, (2) Fard ghayr mu’ayyan, (3) Waajib mu’ayyan, (4) Waajib ghayr mu’ayyan, (5) Sunnah, (6) Nafl, (7) Makrooh, (8) Haraam.

Q. Which fasts are fard mu’ayyan?

A. Fasting for one month during Ramadaan is fard mu’ayyan (time-specific obligation).

Q. What fasts are fard ghayr mu’ayyan?

A. Making up missed fasts of Ramadaan later is fard ghayr mu’ayyan (non-time-specific obligation).

Q. What fasts are waajib mu’ayyan?

A. Fixed pledges (nadhr mu’ayyan) to fast on a specific date, e.g., promising to fast for success in an exam.

Q. What fasts are waajib ghayr mu’ayyan?

A. Compensatory fasts for wrongdoing or nadhr ghayr mu’ayyan, e.g., promising 3 fasts without specific days.

Q. What fasts are sunnah?

A. Fasts the Prophet ﷺ kept or encouraged: ‘Ashoora (9th & 10th Muharram), ‘Arafah (9th Dhul-Hijjah), Ayyaam abiaad (13th–15th every month).

Q. What fasts are mustahab?

A. After fard, waajib, and sunnah, all fasts are mustahab. Especially six days of Shawwaal, 15th of Sha’baan, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays.

Q. Which fasts are makrooh?

A. Fasting only on Saturday, only on ‘Ashoora, New Year’s day, or a wife’s nafl fast without husband’s permission.

Q. Which fasts are haraam?

A. Five fasts are haraam: ‘Eid-ul-Fitr, ‘Eid-ul-Adha, and the three ayyaam-ut-tashreeq (11th–13th Dhul-Hijjah).