I know that there are several days outside of Ramadan considered good to fast in order to follow Sunnah. In particular I’m interested in the Monday-Thursday fasting.
Could anyone with sources and knowledge please shed some light on the particular focus/purpose of these fasts (if there is one) and any sources that encourage them?
Thanks in advance.
Re: Fasting outside of Ramadan
Sunnah of Nafl Fasts: Due to periodical benefits, it was the Prophet (saw)'s practice to fast on special and fixed days. Besides this, at times for timely benefits he continuously fasted, and at times did not fast. The reason is clear, that when saum (fast) is observed as an antidote or a medical cure the timely benefits, it will be necessary as is the principle of medicine to use less or more. According to the general rules of medicine, at times it is necessary to use medicine continuously, and at times there is no need for it, or if it is casually needed, then due to some timely obstacles it is necessary to abstain from it. This is common among physicians. Who can reach the state of a spirtitual doctor more than Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi wasallam, therefore, Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam many a time fasted continuously for some timely necessities, and at times did not fast. Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam has a few special practices. For example, the fasting on the days of Monday and Thursday; three days in every month; the ayyamul beed (i.e. the 13th 14th 15th day of the Islaamic lunar month); tenth of Muharram and the tenth of Dhul Hijjah etc. Many times because of being on a journey, or due to some obstacles these fasts were not kept. When the obstacles were overcome he kept these missed fast as qadaa, and also to complete his special practices. It was also from the special habit of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam that whenever he began a devotion he continually kept up the practice. Therefore whenever any fast were missed from his special practices, he completed them by observing continuous fasts. O Allah grant us the strength to follow his noble path.
(281) Hadith Number 1.
'Abdullah bin Shaqeeq Radhiyallahu 'Anhu reports: "I inquired from 'Aayeshah Radhiyallahu 'Anha regarding the (nafil) saum of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam. She replied: 'At times Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam fasted countinuously. We used to say, he will keep on fasting (this month). At times he did not fast, till we began thinking he will not fast (that month). Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam did not fast for a month after he came to Madinah, besides the fasts of Ramadhaan’". (In this manner, the passing of the whole month without fasting was not observed. As mentioned in Abu Daawud).
(282) Hadith Number 2.
Anas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports: “Someone was asked about the saum of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam? He replied: 'It was his noble habit to fast on different occasions. In some months he fasted for so many days, that it was thought he would continue fasting. In other months he did not fast, we thought he would not fast now”.
(283) Hadith Number 3.
Ibn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu relates: “Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam fasted the major portion of the month at times, till we thought that he did not intend ending the fasts. In some months he did not fast, we began to think he would not fast now. Besides Ramadaan he did not fast for a full month”.
(284) Hadith Number 4.
Ummi Salaah Radiyallahu 'Anha reports: “I did not observe Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam fast for two consecutive months, besides the month of Sha’baan and Ramadhaan”.
(285) Hadith Number 5.
"Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha says: “I did not observe Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam fast for more days in any month (excluding Ramadaan) other than Sha’baan. He fasted for the major part of the month, and nearly fasted for the full month”.
(286) Hadith Number 6.
'Abdullah bin Mas’ud Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports: “Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam fasted for three days at the beginning of every month, and he very seldom did not fast on Friday”.
(287) Hadith Number 7
Aayeshah Radhiyallahu anha reports: “Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wasallam (often) gave importance to the fasting on Mondays and Thursdays”
**(288) Hadith Number 8 **
Abu Hurayrah Radhiyallahu anhu says: “Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: ‘Deeds are presented (before Allah subhanahu wata’allah) on Mondays and Thursdays. I desire that my deeds be presented whilst I am fasting’”.
(289) Hadith Number 9.
'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha reports: “Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam fasted three days of every month. In some months he fasted on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and in some months he fasted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays”.
(290) Hadith Number 10.
'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha reports: “Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam did not fast in any month more than in the month of Sha’baan”.
291) Hadith Number 11.
Mu’aadhah Radiyallahu 'Anha says. “I inquired from 'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha, did Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam fast for three days of every month?” She replied: “Yes”. I then asked: “On which days of the month did he fast”. She replied. “He did not fast on specific days, but whenever suitable”.
(292) Hadith Number 12.
Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha reports: "The Quraysh observed the fast of 'Aa-shura in the days of jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaarnic period of ignorance). Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam also observed this fast (before the hijrah as a nafl). (After the hijrah) when he came to Madinah Munawwarah he observed these and commanded the ummah also to observe it. When the command to fast in Ramadaan was revealed, it was proclaimed fard, and the fast of 'Aa-shura became nafl. Those who
wished, observed them ('Aa-shura) and those who did not, omitted them.
Focus/Purpose: Beneficence and Sympathy. One who remains hungry, can feel what a hungry person experiences. The difficulties the hungry confront. In such a state one creates a passion to help the hungry, and the feeling to help the poor is also sensed. More than this, it subdues one’s animalistic passions and urges. Many a time when these tendencies irritate a human, it results in degrading a human religiously as well as materially.
Maulana Rumi:
‘This love which the people have today, is not the love which good people have. This is a mischief to fill the stomach. When the stomach is filled, then unlawful deeds come to mind. And when the stomach is empty and full of hunger, then love and its kind are all forgotten’.
Hadith 1 : **“The one who cannot get married, should observe many fasts, for this will subdue his carnal passions”. **
Summarised from the following source. Kindly check the link for more hadiths and detailed commentary: