Question # 545: I have the habit of fasting every Mondays and Thursdays and Eid Ul-Adha will be on Wednesday this year InshaAllah; however, I heard that it is not permissible to fast on the Days of al-Tashreeq and that Thursday will the first of the days of al-Tashreeq. Is there any sin on me if I fasted that day? Is it true that it is not permissible to fast on the days of al-Tashreeq?

bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,

Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

Dear questioner,

First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.

Shorter Answer: The eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah are known as the days of al-Tashreeq. The word al-tashreeq was derived from the Arabic word which means sunrise or sunshine – the people used to dry (yusharriqoon) the meat in the sun so that it would not turn rotten when they stored it. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forbade fasting (either a voluntary fast or an obligatory fast) on these days (and is considered haraam) except for those pilgrims performing tamattu’ or qiraan who could not find an animal to sacrifice. Hence, these pilgrims become obligated to fast for three days during the Hajj and seven days when they return home. Based on the above, whoever fasts on the days of al-Tashreeq and is not a pilgrim performing tamattu’ or qiraan who could not find a sacrificial animal must ask for Allah’s for doing something that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forbade.

Long Answer: The strongest opinion on why they are called Ayyam-ut-tashreeq or the days of al-Tashreeq is because prior to the invention of the refrigeration system, the pilgrims used to slice the meat they acquired from the udhiyah [(sacrifice)], season it with salt and then let it dry in the sun in an early and traditional style of food preservation. The dehydrating of the meat allowed the pilgrims to preserve it and carry it with them on their long journey back from wherever they came. This process in itself is called tashreeq, and it was derived from the Arabic word which means sunrise or sunshine.  The process entails the exposure of the meat to the sun for a long time. And although most of the pilgrims don’t practice this anymore, …perhaps some people still practice the tradition.

The eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah are known as the days of al-Tashreeq. It is proven that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forbade fasting on these days, and he did not give any concession allowing fasting on these days except to those pilgrims doing tamattu’ or qiraan who could not find an animal to sacrifice. [The wisdom behind these days is to allow the pilgrims to celebrate the season and encourage them to eat from the meat they have offered for the sake of Allah.]

The following ahadith indicate that it is forbidden to fast on the days of al-Tashreeq:

  • Al-Bukhari narrated that ‘Aa’ishah and Ibn ‘Umar (ra) said: “No concession was granted allowing anyone to fast on the days of al-Tashreeq, except for the (pilgrim) who could not find a sacrificial animal.”
  • Muslim narrated that Nubayshah al-Hudhali (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “The days of al-Tashreeq are the days of eating, drinking, and remembering Allah.”
  • Ahmad narrated from Hamzah ibn ‘Amr al-Aslami (ra) that he saw a man on a camel following the people in Mina, and the Prophet of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) was present, and the man was saying, “Do not fast on these days for they are the days of eating and drinking.” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’)
  • Ahmad and Abu Dawood narrated from Abu Murrah, the freed slave of Umm Haani’ that he entered with ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr upon his father ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas. He offered them food and said, “Eat.” He said: “I am fasting.” ‘Amr said: “Eat, for these are the days on which the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) commanded us not to fast, and he forbade fasting on these days.” Maalik said: “Those are the days of al-Tashreeq.” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood)
  • [Ibn Ka’b b. Malik reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) sent him and Aus bin Hadathan during the days of Tashreeq to make this announcement: “None but the believer would be admitted into Paradise, and the days of Mina’ are the days meant for eating and drinking.” (Sahih Muslim)]
  • Ahmad narrated that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) commanded me to call out on the days of Mina: “These are the days of eating and drinking, and there is no fasting on these days,” meaning the days of al-Tashreeq. The editor of the Musnad said it is saheeh li ghayrihi.

Hence most scholars are of the view that it is not valid to observe voluntary fasts on these days.

But if one is fasting to make up a missed Ramadan fast, some scholars are of the view that that is permissible, but the correct view is that it is not permissible.

Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni: “It is not permissible to observe a voluntary fast on these days, according to the majority of scholars. It was narrated from Ibn al-Zubayr that he used to fast on these days, and something similar was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar and al-Aswad ibn Yazeed. It was narrated from Abu Talhah that he used not to break his fast except on the two Eid days. It seems that these people had not heard that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forbade fasting on these days, and if they had heard of that, they would not have done that again.

As for observing an obligatory fast on those days, there are two views. One is that it is not permitted because it is forbidden to fast on those days, and they are likened to the day of Eid.

The other view is that an obligatory fast observed on those days is valid because it was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Aa’ishah said: “No concession was granted allowing anyone to fast on the days of al-Tashreeq, except for the (pilgrim) who could not find a sacrificial animal” – i.e., for pilgrims doing tamattu’ if they cannot find a sacrificial animal. This is a saheeh hadith which was narrated by al-Bukhari and is applied by analogy to all obligatory fasts.”

The view adopted by the Hanbali madhhab is that fasts observed on these days to make up for missed Ramadan fasts are not valid. (Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’)

With regard to pilgrims doing qiraan and tamattu’ on these days, if they cannot find a sacrificial animal, the evidence for that is the hadith of ‘Aa’ishah and Ibn ‘Umar quoted above. This is also the view of the Maalikis, Hanbalis, and the older Shafa’i madhhab. The Hanafis and Shaafa’is are of the view that it is not permissible to fast on these days. (al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah)

The most correct view is the first view, which is that it is permissible to fast these days for the (pilgrim) who cannot find a sacrificial animal.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz said: It is not permissible to fast on the thirteenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, whether that is a voluntary fast or an obligatory fast because these are the days of eating and drinking and remembering Allah.  The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forbade fasting on these days and did not grant a concession to anyone except for pilgrims doing tamattu’ who could not find a sacrificial animal. (Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz)

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “The days of al-Tashreeq are the three days after Eid al-Adha. They are called the days of al-Tashreeq because the people used to dry (yusharriqoon) the meat in the sun so that it would not turn rotten when they stored it. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said concerning these three days: “The days of al-Tashreeq are the days of eating, drinking, and remembering Allah.” As that is the case, i.e., their prescribed purpose in shari’ah is for eating and drinking and remembering Allah, then this is not a time for fasting. Hence Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Aa’ishah (رضي الله عنهما) said: “No concession was granted allowing anyone to fast on the days of al-Tashreeq, except for the (pilgrim) who could not find a sacrificial animal” – i.e., those pilgrims who are doing tamattu’ and qiraan; they should fast for three days during Hajj and seven days when they go back home. If the pilgrim doing qiraan or tamattu’ cannot find a sacrificial animal, it is permissible for him to fast on these three days so that the Hajj season will not end before he can fast them. Apart from that, it is not permissible to fast on these days; even if a person is obliged to fast for two consecutive months, he must break his fast on the day of Eid, and the three days after that, then he must resume his fast.” (Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen)

Based on the above, whoever fasted on the days of al-Tashreeq, all or some of them, and was not a pilgrim doing tamattu or qiraan who could not find a sacrificial animal, must ask Allah (swt) for forgiveness for doing something that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forbade. If he fasted on those days to make up for missed Ramadan fasts, that does not count, and he must make it up again.

(The above reply is based on various answers on similar topics provided by:

  • Islamqa.info; and
  • Article “What is Special About the Days of Tashreeq?” by Yasir Birjas on AboutIslam.net)

Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.

Wassalaam