Ruling on Fasting on the Day of Arafah

حكم صيام يوم عرفة

Ruling on Fasting on the Day of Arafah

Translated by: Reza Ervani bin Asmanu

This article, “Ruling on Fasting on the Day of Arafah,” is included in the English Article Category

عندنا شيخ يقول : إن صيام يوم عرفة ليس بسنة، ولا يجوز صيامه، أرجو الرد من سماحتكم على هذا السؤال، لأن هذا الشيخ يوزع منشورات تنهي عن صيام يوم عرفة. أرجو الرد من سماحتكم

We have a Shaykh who says that fasting on the Day of Arafah is not a Sunnah and it is not permissible to fast on it. I hope for a response from Your Eminence regarding this question, because this Shaykh is distributing leaflets forbidding fasting on the Day of Arafah. I kindly request a response from Your Eminence.

ملخص الجواب

Summary of the Answer

صيام يوم عرفة سنة مؤكدة لغير الحاج، يكفر ذنوب سنتين وفق حديث النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: (يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية). أما الحاج فلا يُستحب له الصيام ليتقوى على الدعاء في عرفات.

Fasting on the Day of Arafah is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah Mu’akkadah) for non-pilgrims. It expiates the sins of two years, according to the Hadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: “It expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year.” As for the pilgrim, it is not recommended for him to fast so that he may maintain strength for supplication (du’a) at Arafah.

الجواب

Answer:

الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، وبعد:

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:

حكم صوم يوم عرفة لغير الحاج

Ruling on Fasting on the Day of Arafah for Non-Pilgrims

صوم يوم عرفة سنة مؤكدة لغير الحاج، فقد ورد عن أبي قتادة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سئل عن صوم يوم عرفة فقال:

Fasting on the Day of Arafah is a confirmed Sunnah for non-pilgrims. It was narrated from Abu Qatadah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah, and he replied:

يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية رواه مسلم (1162) وفي رواية له: أحتسب على الله أن يكفر السنة التي قبله والسنة التي بعده.

“It expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year.” (Narrated by Muslim no. 1162). In another narration by Muslim: “I seek from Allah that it expiates the sins of the year before it and the year after it.”

قال النووي رحمه الله في “المجموع” (6/428) ـ من كتب الشافعية ـ:

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in Al-Majmu’ (6/428) — from the Shafi’i literature:

” أما حكم المسألة فقال الشافعي والأصحاب: يستحب صوم يوم عرفة لغير من هو بعرفة.

“As for the ruling on this matter, Al-Shafi’i and his companions said: It is recommended to fast on the Day of Arafah for those who are not present at Arafah.

وأما الحاج الحاضر في عرفة فقال الشافعي في المختصر والأصحاب: يستحب له فطره لحديث أم الفضل. وقال جماعة من أصحابنا: يكره له صومه , وممن صرح بكراهته الدارمي والبندنيجي والمحاملي في المجموع والمصنف في التنبيه وآخرون” انتهى.

As for the pilgrim present at Arafah, Al-Shafi’i stated in Al-Mukhtasar, as well as his companions: It is recommended for him not to fast, based on the Hadith of Umm al-Fadl. A group of our companions said: It is disliked for him to fast it. Among those who explicitly stated its makruh (disliked) nature are Ad-Darimi, Al-Bandaniji, Al-Mahamili in Al-Majmu’, the author in At-Tanbih, and others.” End quote.

وقال ابن قدامة رحمه الله في المغني (4/443) ـ من كتب الحنابلة ـ:

Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in Al-Mughni (4/443) — from the Hanbali literature:

” وهو يوم شريف عظيم، وعيد كريم، وفضله كبير، وقد صح عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن صيامه يكفر سنتين.” انتهى.

“It is a noble and great day, a honorable occasion, and its virtues are vast. It has been authentically reported from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that fasting on it expiates two years of sins.” End quote.

وقال ابن مفلح رحمه الله في الفروع (3/108) ـ من كتب الحنابلة أيضا ـ:

Ibn Muflih (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in Al-Furu’ (3/108) — also from the Hanbali works:

” ويستحب صوم عشر ذي الحجة، وآكده التاسع، وهو يوم عرفة، إجماعا. ” انتهى.

“It is recommended to fast the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and the most emphasized is the ninth day, which is the Day of Arafah, by scholarly consensus (ijma’).” End quote.

وقال الكاساني رحمه الله في بدائع الصنائع (2/76) ـ من كتب الأحناف ـ:

Al-Kasani (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in Bada’i’ al-Sana’i’ (2/76) — from the Hanafi literature:

” وَأَمَّا صَوْمُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ: فَفِي حَقِّ غَيْرِ الْحَاجِّ مُسْتَحَبٌّ، لِكَثْرَةِ الْأَحَادِيثِ الْوَارِدَةِ بِالنَّدْبِ إلَى صَوْمِهِ، وَلِأَنَّ لَهُ فَضِيلَةً عَلَى غَيْرِهِ مِنْ الْأَيَّامِ، وَكَذَلِك فِي حَقِّ الْحَاجِّ إنْ كَانَ لَا يُضْعِفُهُ عَنْ الْوُقُوفِ وَالدُّعَاءِ لِمَا فِيهِ مِنْ الْجَمْعِ بَيْنَ الْقُرْبَتَيْنِ وَإِنْ كَانَ يُضْعِفُهُ عَنْ ذَلِك يُكْرَهُ لِأَنَّ فَضِيلَةَ صَوْمِ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ مِمَّا يُمْكِنُ اسْتِدْرَاكُهَا فِي غَيْرِ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، وَيُسْتَدْرَكُ عَادَةً، فَأَمَّا فَضِيلَةُ الْوُقُوفِ، وَالدُّعَاءِ فِيهِ لَا يُسْتَدْرَكُ فِي حَقِّ عَامَّةِ النَّاسِ عَادَةً إلَّا فِي الْعُمُرِ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً، فَكَانَ إحْرَازُهَا أَوْلَى “.

“As for fasting on the Day of Arafah: for non-pilgrims, it is recommended (mustahabb) due to the numerous Hadiths encouraging it, and because it holds virtue over other days. Likewise, for the pilgrim, if fasting does not make him too weak to stand and offer supplications, it is recommended because it combines two acts of worship. However, if it weakens him from doing so, it is disliked, because the virtue of fasting on this day can be made up for in other years, as is customary. But the virtue of standing and supplicating on this day cannot usually be made up for by most people except once in a lifetime; thus, securing it is paramount.”

وفي شرح مختصر خليل، للخرشي (6/488) ـ من كتب المالكية ـ:

In Sharh Mukhtasar Khalil by Al-Kharashi (6/488) — from the Maliki literature:

” وَصَوْمُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ إنْ لَمْ يَحُجَّ وَعَشْرِ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ (ش) يُرِيدُ أَنَّ صَوْمَ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ مُسْتَحَبٌّ فِي حَقِّ غَيْرِ الْحَاجِّ، وَأَمَّا هُوَ فَيُسْتَحَبُّ فِطْرُهُ لِيَتَقَوَّى عَلَى الدُّعَاءِ وَقَدْ أَفْطَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْحَجِّ ” انتهى.

“And fasting on the Day of Arafah for one who is not performing Hajj, and the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah… meaning that fasting on the Day of Arafah is recommended for non-pilgrims. As for the pilgrim, it is recommended for him not to fast so that he may stay strong for supplication. And indeed, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم broke his fast while performing Hajj.” End quote.

وفي حاشية الدسوقي (5/80):

In Hashiyat ad-Dasuqi (5/80):

“ثُمَّ إنَّ قَوْلَهُ وَنُدِبَ صَوْمُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ إلَخْ الْمُرَادُ تَأَكُّدُ النَّدْبِ وَإِلَّا فَالصَّوْمُ مُطْلَقًا مَنْدُوبٌ “.

“Furthermore, the statement that fasting on the Day of Arafah is recommended—means that the recommendation is strongly emphasized. Otherwise, fasting in general is fundamentally recommended.”

وسئل الشيخ ابن عثيمين رحمه الله تعالى: ” ما حكم صيام يوم عرفة لغير الحاج والحاج؟

Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: “What is the ruling on fasting on the Day of Arafah for a non-pilgrim and for a pilgrim?”

فأجاب:

He replied:

صيام يوم عرفة لغير الحاج سنة مؤكدة، فقد سئل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن صوم يوم عرفة فقال: أحتسب على الله أن يكفر السنة التي قبله والسنة التي بعده وفي رواية: يكفر السنة الماضية والباقية.

“Fasting on the Day of Arafah for a non-pilgrim is a confirmed Sunnah. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked about fasting on the Day of Arafah, and he said: ‘I seek from Allah that it expiates the sins of the year before it and the year after it.’ In another narration: ‘It expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year.’”

حكم صوم يوم عرفة للحاج

Ruling on Fasting on the Day of Arafah for Pilgrims

وأما الحاج فإنه لا يسن له صوم يوم عرفة، لأن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان مفطراً يوم عرفة في حجة الوداع، ففي صحيح البخاري عن ميمونة ـ رضي الله عنها ـ أن الناس شكوا في صيام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم عرفة فأرسلت إليه بحلاب وهو واقف في الموقف فشرب منه والناس ينظرون ” انتهى “مجموع فتاوى ابن عثيمين” ج 20 سؤال رقم 404.

As for the pilgrim, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the Day of Arafah, because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was not fasting on the Day of Arafah during the Farewell Pilgrimage. In Sahih al-Bukhari, from Maymunah رضي الله عنها, it is narrated that the people were in doubt concerning the fasting of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on the Day of Arafah. So she sent him a container of milk while he was standing at the site of standing, and he drank from it while the people were watching.” (End quote, Majmu’ Fatawa Ibn Uthaymeen, Vol. 20, Question No. 404).

فصيام عرفة للحاج مكروه، لا يستحب، فإن كان هذا مقصود المتكلم، فقد أصاب، وأما إن كان مراده عدم مشروعية صيام يوم عرفة لغير الحاج، فهذا خطأ بين مخالف لما دلت عليه السنة الصحيحة كما سبق.

Therefore, fasting on Arafah for a pilgrim is disliked (makruh) and not recommended. If this was the speaker’s intention, then he is correct. However, if his intention was that fasting on the Day of Arafah is not prescribed for non-pilgrims, then this is a clear error that contradicts what is proven by authentic Sunnah, as explained above.

والله أعلم.

And Allah knows best.

Source: IslamQA.info