The Case of One Who Vows to Fast a Certain Day or for Thanksgiving

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنِّي جَعَلْتُ عَلَى نَفْسِي أَنْ أَصُومَ حَتَّى يَقُومَ الْقَائِمُ ع فَقَالَ صُمْ وَ لَا تَصُمْ فِي السَّفَرِ وَ لَا الْعِيدَيْنِ وَ لَا أَيَّامَ التَّشْرِيقِ وَ لَا الْيَوْمَ الَّذِي يُشَكُّ فِيهِ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ‌[2].

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Karram who has said the following: “Once, I said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), that I have placed upon myself to fast until the rise of al-Qa”im, (the one who rises with Divine Authority). He (the Imam) said, ’Fast but do not fast on a journey, or th

كَتَبَ الْحُسَيْنُ‌[3] إِلَى الرِّضَا ع جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ رَجُلٌ نَذَرَ أَنْ يَصُومَ أَيَّاماً مَعْلُومَةً فَصَامَ بَعْضَهَا ثُمَّ اعْتَلَّ فَأَفْطَرَ أَ يَبْتَدِئُ فِي صَوْمِهِ أَمْ يَحْتَسِبُ بِمَا مَضَى فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ يَحْتَسِبُ مَا مَضَى.

‘The days that he had fasted are also counted.’”

قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ عَلَيَّ صِيَامُ شَهْرٍ إِنْ خَرَجَ عَمِّي مِنَ الْحَبْسِ فَخَرَجَ فَأُصْبِحُ وَ أَنَا أُرِيدُ الصِّيَامَ فَيَجِيئُنِي بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا فَأَدْعُو بِالْغَدَاءِ وَ أَتَغَدَّى مَعَهُ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ‌[4].

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), saying, 'May I be sacrificed for you, it is upon me to fast for one month if my uncle is released from jail. He came out from jail and I decided to start the fast, but then someone from our companions came and I invited him for lunch, and I had lunch with him.' He (the Imam) said, ‘I

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ جَعَلَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ صَوْمَ شَهْرٍ بِالْكُوفَةِ وَ شَهْرٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَ شَهْرٍ بِمَكَّةَ مِنْ بَلَاءٍ ابْتُلِيَ بِهِ فَقُضِيَ أَنَّهُ صَامَ بِالْكُوفَةِ شَهْراً وَ دَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَصَامَ بِهَا ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً وَ لَمْ يُقِمْ عَلَيْهِ الْجَمَّالُ قَالَ يَصُومُ مَا بَقِيَ‌ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا انْتَهَى إِلَى بَلَدِهِ.[1]

“I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about a man who has made obligatory upon himself to fast one month in al-Kufah, one month in al-Madinah and one month in Makkah because of an affliction whereby he suffered. He fasted one month in al-Kufah, then he entered al-Madinah and fasted for eighteen days, but then the camel man

فِي رَجُلٍ نَذَرَ أَنْ يَصُومَ زَمَاناً قَالَ الزَّمَانُ خَمْسَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَ الْحِينُ سِتَّةُ أَشْهُرٍ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- تُؤْتِي أُكُلَها كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّها[2].

‘Ali (a.s.), has said about a man, who had vowed to fast for a Zamanan (a certain amount of time), that Zaman is five months, al-Hin is six months; Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, ‘It gives its fruits kulla Hin (every time) by the permission of its Lord.’”

لِلَّهِ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَصُومَ حِيناً وَ ذَلِكَ فِي شُكْرٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَدْ أُتِيَ عَلِيٌّ ع فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا فَقَالَ صُمْ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- تُؤْتِي أُكُلَها كُلَّ حِينٍ‌ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّها يَعْنِي سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who has said, ‘It is from Allah upon me to fast a Hin (a certain amount of time) for thanksgiving.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘A similar case came to Ali (a.s.), and he said, ‘Fast for six months; Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, ‘It gives its fruits kul

فِي الرَّجُلِ يَجْعَلُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَيَّاماً مَعْدُودَةً مُسَمَّاةً فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ ثُمَّ يُسَافِرُ فَتَمُرُّ بِهِ الشُّهُورُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَصُومُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَ لَا يَقْضِيهَا إِذَا شَهِدَ.

’If a man places upon himself fasting of certain known days of every month, then he goes on a journey and many months pass, such person is not required to fast on a journey as well as at home when he comes back.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَصُومُ صَوْماً قَدْ وَقَّتَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَوْ يَصُومُ‌[4] مِنْ أَشْهُرِ الْحُرُمِ فَيَمُرُّ بِهِ الشَّهْرُ وَ الشَّهْرَانِ لَا يَقْضِيهِ فَقَالَ لَا يَصُومُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَ لَا يَقْضِي شَيْئاً مِنْ صَوْمِ التَّطَوُّعِ إِلَّا الثَّلَاثَةَ الْأَيَّامِ الَّتِي كَانَ يَصُومُهَا مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ وَ لَا يَجْعَلُهَا بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْوَاجِبِ إِلَّا أَنِّي أُحِبُّ لَكَ أَنْ

“I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who fasts because of what he has timed upon himself or to fast of the sacred months and then one or two months pass during which he does not fast at all. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is not required to fast on a journey and there is not anything of Qada’ (compensatory fast) f

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَجْعَلُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِ صَوْمَ يَوْمٍ مُسَمًّى قَالَ يَصُومُهُ أَبَداً فِي السَّفَرِ وَ الْحَضَرِ.

‘He is required to fast definitely, regardless of being on a journey or at home.’”

إِنَّ أُمِّي كَانَتْ جَعَلَتْ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا لِلَّهِ عَلَيْهَا نَذْراً إِنْ كَانَ اللَّهُ رَدَّ عَلَيْهَا بَعْضَ وُلْدِهَا مِنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ كَانَتْ تَخَافُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ تَصُومَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ الَّذِي يَقْدَمُ فِيهِ مَا بَقِيَتْ فَخَرَجَتْ مَعَنَا مُسَافِرَةً إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَأَشْكَلَ عَلَيْنَا لَمْ نَدْرِ أَ تَصُومُ أَمْ تُفْطِرُ فَسَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَ أَخْبَرْتُهُ بِمَا جَعَلَتْ عَلَى نَفْسِ

“My mother had placed upon herself from Allah to fast a certain day if Allah returned one of her children safely from the danger of which she was afraid, and she would then fast the day her child came back. She did not stay; instead came out with us for Makkah and it became difficult for us because we did not know whet