Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
Yes, it is part of the Sunnah (legally Nafl) to fast three days every month. It is best if you fast on the three middle days (bright days or white days) of the month. Namely, the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month.
وَإِنَّ بِحَسْبِكَ أَنْ تَصُومَ كُلَّ شَهْرٍ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنَّ لَكَ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ عَشْرَ أَمْثَالِهَا، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ كُلِّهِ
(Sayidina) Abdullah bin Amr bin al-Aas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘It is sufficient for you to fast three days every month. For indeed you have tenfold reward for every good deed. So indeed, that will be like fasting all the time.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1975).
Fasting three days every lunar month is recommended and the reward has been mentioned and explained in the authentic Hadith above. Since a good deed has a tenfold reward, fasting three days every month will be equivalent to 360 days fasting over twelve months, which is more than a lunar year.
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ يَقُولُ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ، إِذَا صُمْتَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَصُمْ ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ، وَأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ، وَخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ
(Sayidina) Abu Dharr (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, ‘O Abu Dharr, if you fast three days of the month, then fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.’ (Tirmidhi 761, Hasan Lighayrihi).
It is further recommended to specify the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month when fasting the three days. Therefore, a person who fasts three days in a lunar month has fulfilled one recommendation. However, the person who manages to fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth specifically has succeeded in fulfilling two recommendations.
وَهِيَ أَيَّامُ اللَّيَالِيِ الْبِيضِ، وَفِيهِ دَلَالَةٌ عَلَى مُتَابَعَةِ الْأَفْضَلِ، فَإِنَّ الْجَمْعَ بَيْنَ كَوْنِهَا ثَلَاثَةً وَكَوْنِهَا الْبِيضَ أَكْمَلُ. (مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح)
They are the days after the white (or bright) nights. In it (the Hadith) is an indication that one should pursue that which is best. Since, combining between the fact that they are three days and (more specifically) the white (or bright days) is superior. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh).
The days of the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month are often referred to as the white or bright days (Ayaam al-Beed). This is because the moon is at its fullest during these days of the month.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (22.02.2023)
See also:
Why is fasting special?
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