The Prophet's Guidance in Fasting (Sawm)

Ibn al-Qayyim opens this chapter by establishing that the Prophet's ﷺ guidance in fasting represents the most complete and balanced approach to this act of worship. Fasting was enjoined upon this nation as it was enjoined upon those before them, yet the Shari'ah of Islam perfected it in a manner befitting the final and universal religion.

The Prophet ﷺ would begin fasting Ramadan at the confirmed sighting of the new moon, and he commanded his companions to do likewise. If the sky was overcast, he would complete thirty days of Sha'ban. He never fasted Ramadan based on astronomical calculation, nor did he accept the testimony of a single person except on the day of breaking the fast in some narrations — a matter over which the scholars have differed.

His guidance at suhur (the pre-dawn meal) was to delay it close to the time of Fajr, for he ﷺ said: 'Have suhur, for verily in suhur there is blessing.' He encouraged it even if one only drinks a sip of water, and he described the interval between his suhur and the Fajr prayer as equivalent to the recitation of fifty verses of the Quran.

At iftar (breaking the fast), his guidance was to hasten it as soon as the sun had set, before performing the Maghrib prayer. He would break his fast with fresh dates, and if those were unavailable, with dried dates, and if those were unavailable, with a few sips of water. He said: 'The people will remain in goodness as long as they hasten the iftar.' This contradicts the practice of those who delay iftar until the stars appear or until a specified time after sunset beyond what the Shari'ah requires.

During Ramadan, the Prophet ﷺ would increase in generosity, Quran recitation, and all acts of worship. Jibril would review the Quran with him every night of Ramadan, and in the year he passed away, they reviewed it twice. He engaged in i'tikaf during the last ten nights and sought Laylat al-Qadr within them, particularly the odd nights.

Regarding voluntary fasting, he ﷺ was most consistent in fasting Mondays and Thursdays, saying: 'Deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love for my deeds to be presented while I am fasting.' He also fasted three days of every month — and in some narrations these were the white days (13th, 14th, and 15th). He would fast six days of Shawwal, saying: 'Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with six of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted the entire year.' He fasted the Day of Ashura and commanded fasting it, intending to oppose the Jews by also fasting the ninth. He fasted the Day of Arafah and recommended it for those not performing Hajj, saying it expiates the sins of two years.

He prohibited fasting on the two Eids unconditionally, and prohibited singling out Friday or Saturday for fasting without a reason. He disapproved of fasting every single day (sawm al-dahr) as it weakens the body and removes the special character of fasting itself.