Making-up a fast or voluntarily fasting on a Saturday

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Question: Is it permissible to fast on a Saturday – [to] make-up [an obligatory fast] or [just] a voluntary fast?

Response: Yes, there is nothing wrong with fasting on a Saturday, whether [to] make-up [an obligatory fast] or [just] a voluntary fast.

That is because the hadeeth that forbids fasting on a Saturday is a weak and contradictory hadeeth[1], conflicting with an authentic ahaadeeth.

Because [the hadeeth] which forbids fasting on a Saturday, [then] this hadeeth is not authentic, rather it is contradictory according to the people of knowledge, and it is not authentic.

So there is nothing wrong with a person fasting on a Saturday itself, or [along] with a Friday, or [along] with a Sunday; there is no harm [in doing so], it’s fine, and all Praise is due to Allaah [alone].

Yes.


[1] A شاذ hadeeth is that which is reported by a reliable narrator in contradiction to someone more reliable.

Translation originally published on 13 June, 2024.

Graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having completed the Arabic Language programme at the Institute of Arabic Language before progressing to the Faculty of Sharee'ah, from which he graduated in 2004. He currently resides in Birmingham, UK.

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