Book of Fasting
Chapter on the Recommended Fasts of the Year
وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «صَامَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ حَتَّى قِيلَ مَا يُفْطِرُ ثُمَّ أَفْطَرَ حَتَّى قِيلَ مَا يَصُومُ ثُمَّ صَامَ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَوْماً وَ يَوْماً ثُمَّ قُبِضَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَى صِيَامِ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي اَلشَّهْرِ وَ قَالَ «يَعْدِلْنَ صَوْمَ اَلدَّهْرِ وَ يَذْهَبْنَ بِوَحَرِ اَلصَّدْرِ» » وَ قَالَ حَمَّادٌ اَلْوَحَرُ اَلْوَسْوَسَةُ فَقَالَ حَمَّادٌ فَقُلْتُ وَ أَيُّ اَلْأَيَّامِ هِيَ قَالَ « أَوَّلُ خَمِيسٍ فِي اَلشَّهْرِ وَ أَوَّلُ أَرْبِعَاءَ بَعْدَ اَلْعَشْرِ مِنْهُ وَ آخِرُ خَمِيسٍ فِيهِ » فَقُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ صَارَتْ هَذِهِ اَلْأَيَّامُ اَلَّتِي تُصَامُ فَقَالَ «لِأَنَّ مَنْ قَبْلَنَا مِنَ اَلْأُمَمِ كَانُوا إِذَا نَزَلَ عَلَى أَحَدِهِمُ اَلْعَذَابُ نَزَلَ فِي هَذِهِ اَلْأَيَّامِ فَصَامَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ هَذِهِ اَلْأَيَّامَ لِأَنَّهَا اَلْأَيَّامُ اَلْمَخُوفَةُ».
In the narration of Hammad ibn Uthman, from Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)), he said: "The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) fasted so much that it was said he would never break his fast. Then he broke his fast so much that it was said he would never fast. Then he adopted the fasting of Dawud (a.s), fasting one day and breaking his fast the next. Finally, He (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) settled on fasting three days a month and said: 'They are equivalent to fasting for a lifetime and remove the whispers (waswasah) from the chest.'" Hammad added: 'The whispers mean doubts or anxiety.' Hammad said: 'I asked, "Which days are they?" Imam (a.s) said: "The first Thursday of the month, the first Wednesday after the tenth of the month, and the last Thursday of the month."' I asked: 'Why were these particular days chosen for fasting?' Imam (a.s) said: 'Because among the nations before us, whenever punishment descended on one of them, it would occur on these days. So, the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) fasted on these days because they are fearful days.'"
وَ رَوَى اَلْفُضَيْلُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «إِذَا صَامَ أَحَدُكُمُ اَلثَّلاَثَةَ اَلْأَيَّامَ مِنَ اَلشَّهْرِ فَلاَ يُجَادِلَنَّ أَحَداً وَ لاَ يَجْهَلْ وَ لاَ يُسْرِعْ إِلَى اَلْحَلْفِ وَ اَلْأَيْمَانِ بِاللَّهِ فَإِنْ جَهِلَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ فَلْيَحْتَمِلْ ».
It is narrated by al-Fudhayl ibn Yasar from Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)) who said: "When one of you fasts the three days of the month, let him not dispute with anyone, act ignorantly, or hasten to take oaths by Allah (swt). If someone acts ignorantly toward him, let him endure it."
وَ رَوَى عَبْدُ اَللَّهِ بْنُ اَلْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ حَبِيبٍ اَلْخَثْعَمِيِّ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اَلتَّطَوُّعِ وَ عَنْ هَذِهِ اَلثَّلاَثَةِ اَلْأَيَّامِ إِذَا أَجْنَبْتُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اَللَّيْلِ فَأَعْلَمُ أَنِّي قَدْ أَجْنَبْتُ فَأَنَامُ مُتَعَمِّداً حَتَّى يَنْفَجِرَ اَلْفَجْرُ أَصُومُ أَوْ لاَ أَصُومُ قَالَ «صُمْ ».
It is narrated by Abdullah ibn al-Mughira from Habib al-Khath'ami, who said: "I said to Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)): 'Inform me about optional fasting and about fasting on these three days. If I become in a state of janabah (major ritual impurity) at the beginning of the night and I know that I am in such a state but I deliberately sleep until dawn breaks, should I fast or not?' Imam (a.s) said: 'Fast.'"
وَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «صِيَامُ شَهْرِ اَلصَّبْرِ وَ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ يَذْهَبْنَ بِبَلاَبِلِ اَلصَّدْرِ وَ صِيَامُ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ صِيَامُ اَلدَّهْرِ إِنَّ اَللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ جٰاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثٰالِهٰا» »
Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) said: "Fasting the month of patience (Month of Ramadan) and three days of every month removes the anxieties of the chest. Fasting three days in every month is equivalent to fasting for a lifetime. Indeed, Allah (swt), the Almighty, says: 'Whoever comes with a good deed will have ten times the like of it.'"
وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «إِنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ سُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ خَمِيسَيْنِ بَيْنَهُمَا أَرْبِعَاءُ فَقَالَ «أَمَّا اَلْخَمِيسُ فَيَوْمٌ تُعْرَضُ فِيهِ اَلْأَعْمَالُ وَ أَمَّا اَلْأَرْبِعَاءُ فَيَوْمٌ خُلِقَتْ فِيهِ اَلنَّارُ وَ أَمَّا اَلصَّوْمُ فَجُنَّةٌ ».
In the narration of Abdullah ibn Sinan from Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)), he said: "The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was asked about fasting on two Thursdays with a Wednesday in between. Imam (a.s) said: 'As for Thursday, it is the day on which deeds are presented. As for Wednesday, it is the day on which the Fire was created. And fasting is a shield.'"
وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: «إِنَّمَا يُصَامُ فِي يَوْمِ اَلْأَرْبِعَاءِ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ تُعَذَّبْ أُمَّةٌ فِيمَا مَضَى إِلاَّ يَوْمَ اَلْأَرْبِعَاءِ وَسَطَ اَلشَّهْرِ فَيُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يُصَامَ ذَلِكَ اَلْيَوْمُ ».
In the narration of Ishaq ibn Ammar from Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)), Imam (a.s) said: "Fasting on Wednesday is prescribed because no nation in the past was punished except on a Wednesday in the middle of the month. Therefore, it is recommended to fast on that day."
وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِذَا كَانَ فِي أَوَّلِ اَلشَّهْرِ خَمِيسَانِ فَصُمْ أَوَّلَهُمَا فَإِنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ وَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي آخِرِ اَلشَّهْرِ خَمِيسَانِ فَصُمْ آخِرَهُمَا فَإِنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ.
In the narration of Abdullah ibn Sinan, he said: "Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)) said to me: 'If there are two Thursdays at the beginning of the month, fast the first of them, for it is better. And if there are two Thursdays at the end of the month, fast the last of them, for it is better.'"
وَ سَأَلَ عِيصُ بْنُ اَلْقَاسِمِ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَمَّنْ لَمْ يَصُمِ اَلثَّلاَثَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَ هُوَ يَشْتَدُّ عَلَيْهِ اَلصِّيَامُ هَلْ فِيهِ فِدَاءٌ فَقَالَ «مُدٌّ مِنْ طَعَامٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ ».
Iys ibn al-Qasim asked Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)) about someone who does not fast the three days of every month and finds fasting difficult. Is there a compensation for this? Imam (a.s) said: "A mudd (a measure) of food for each day."
وَ رَوَى اِبْنُ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ اَلْمُثَنَّى قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ إِنِّي قَدِ اِشْتَدَّ عَلَيَّ صَوْمُ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ فَمَا يُجْزِي عَنِّي أَنْ أَتَصَدَّقَ مَكَانَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِدِرْهَمٍ فَقَالَ «صَدَقَةُ دِرْهَمٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صِيَامِ يَوْمٍ ».
It is narrated by Ibn Muskan from Ibrahim ibn al-Muthanna, who said: "I said to Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)): 'Fasting three days every month has become difficult for me. What would suffice for me? Can I give charity in place of each day, a dirham?' Imam (a.s) said: 'Giving charity of a dirham is better than fasting a day.'"
وَ رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ أَوْ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ صَوْمُ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي اَلشَّهْرِ أُؤَخِّرُهُ فِي اَلصَّيْفِ إِلَى اَلشِّتَاءِ فَإِنِّي أَجِدُهُ أَهْوَنَ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ «نَعَمْ فَاحْفَظْهَا ».
It is narrated by al-Hasan ibn Mahbub from al-Hasan ibn Abi Hamzah, who said: "I said to Abu Ja‘far or Abu Abdullah (a.s): 'Can I delay fasting the three days of the month in the summer until the winter, as I find it easier for me then?' Imam (a.s) said: 'Yes, but make sure to observe it.'"
