Chapter VI: Secrets of Fasting
Know, O dear readers that additional fasts are sunnat if observed in the days of good and excellence. Some of these days occur every year, some every month and some every week. Those which occur every year are the days of Arafat, the days of Ashura, the first ten days of the month of Zilhaj, the.first ten days of the month of Muharram and all holy months. The Prophst used to fast most in the month of Shaban. There is in one Hadis:
Of all the fasts after the fast of the month of Ramzan, the best fast is in the month of Muharram as it is the beginning of the year and founded on good and most dear for blessing. The Prophet said:
One day's fast in the holy month is better than the fast for thirty other days. The Prophet said: If a man fasts for three days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the holy month God writes for him divine service of seven hundred years in lieu of every day.
There is in Hadis: When half of Shaban passes, there is no fast up to Ramzan. It is not lawful to keep fast for two or three days before Ramzan. Zil-haj, Muharram, Rajab and Shaban -are the months of excellence and Jil Qaedah, Zil-Haj, Muharram and Rajab are the holy months, Zil-Haj is the best among them as there is therein the day of Haj and fixed days. There is in Hadis:
Divine service for the first ten days of Zil-haj is dearer to God than that in other months. Fast of one day during these days is equal to fast of one year and one nighf s prayer is equal to the prayer of the Blessed night. They asked: Is the reward better than that of Jihad? He said: Not that of even Jihad in the way of God, but the reward is equal to that of the Jihad of a man in which his horse is wounded and he himself is martyred.
MONTHLY FAST: The days of month in which fast are to be kept are the first day, middle day and the last day of every month.
In addition, there is the fast of Ayyam Biz on the 13th, 14th and 15th of the moon.
WEEKLY FAST: In every week, Thursday, Friday and Monday are good. These are the days of excellence.
ANNUAL FAST: The best way is to keep fast for one day and break it on the following day; The Prophet said: The treasures of the world were presented to me. I rejected them and said: I shall remain hungry for one day and take food on another. When I
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shall take food, I shall praise thee and when I shall remain hungry I shall seek humility from Thee. The Prophet said: The best fast is that of my brother Daud. He fasted for are day and broke it on the following day. The Prophet instructed Abdullah-b-Amr to fast thus. He said: I shall be able to fast more.
The Prophet said: Fast for one day and break fast on the following day. He said: I wish to keep better fast than this. Then the Prophet 'said: There is no better fast than this. It is reported that the Prophet did not fast any full month except Ramzan.