Chapter on the Recommended Fasts of the Year

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَصُومُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ لَا يُفْطِرُ وَ يُفْطِرُ حَتَّى يُقَالَ لَا يَصُومُ ثُمَّ صَامَ يَوْماً وَ أَفْطَرَ يَوْماً ثُمَّ صَامَ الْإِثْنَيْنِ وَ الْخَمِيسَ ثُمَّ آلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إِلَى صِيَامِ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الشَّهْرِ- الْخَمِيسِ فِي أَوَّلِ الشَّهْرِ وَ أَرْبِعَاءَ فِي وَسَطِ الشَّهْرِ وَ خَمِيسٍ فِي آخِرِ الشَّهْرِ وَ كَانَ ص يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ صَوْ

"I heard Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)) say: 'The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) would fast so much that it was said he would never break his fast, and he would break his fast so much that it was said he would never fast. Then he began fasting one day and

صَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص حَتَّى قِيلَ مَا يُفْطِرُ ثُمَّ أَفْطَرَ حَتَّى قِيلَ مَا يَصُومُ ثُمَّ صَامَ صَوْمَ دَاوُدَ ع يَوْماً وَ يَوْماً[1] ثُمَّ قُبِضَ ع عَلَى صِيَامِ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الشَّهْرِ وَ قَالَ يَعْدِلْنَ صَوْمَ الدَّهْرِ[2] وَ يَذْهَبْنَ بِوَحَرِ الصَّدْرِ وَ قَالَ حَمَّادٌ الْوَحَرُ الْوَسْوَسَةُ[3] فَقَالَ حَمَّادٌ فَقُلْتُ وَ أَيُّ الْأَيَّامِ هِيَ قَالَ أَوَّلُ خَمِيسٍ فِي الشَّهْرِ وَ أَوَّلُ

Hadith.1786 - In the narration of Hammad ibn Uthman, from Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)), 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

إِذَا صَامَ أَحَدُكُمُ الثَّلَاثَةَ الْأَيَّامَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ فَلَا يُجَادِلَنَّ أَحَداً وَ لَا يَجْهَلْ‌[4] وَ لَا يُسْرِعْ إِلَى الْحَلْفِ وَ الْأَيْمَانِ بِاللَّهِ فَإِنْ جَهِلَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ فَلْيَحْتَمِلْ‌[5].

"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."

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ التَّطَوُّعِ وَ عَنْ هَذِهِ الثَّلَاثَةِ الْأَيَّامِ إِذَا أَجْنَبْتُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ فَأَعْلَمُ أَنِّي قَدْ أَجْنَبْتُ فَأَنَامُ مُتَعَمِّداً حَتَّى يَنْفَجِرَ الْفَجْرُ أَصُومُ أَوْ لَا أَصُومُ قَالَ صُمْ‌[6].

"I said to Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)): '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

وَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ صِيَامُ شَهْرِ الصَّبْرِ[1] وَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ يَذْهَبْنَ بِبَلَابِلِ الصَّدْرِ وَ صِيَامُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ صِيَامُ الدَّهْرِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- مَنْ جاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثالِها

Hadith.1789 - Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) 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

إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص سُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ خَمِيسَيْنِ بَيْنَهُمَا أَرْبِعَاءُ فَقَالَ أَمَّا الْخَمِيسُ فَيَوْمٌ تُعْرَضُ فِيهِ الْأَعْمَالُ وَ أَمَّا الْأَرْبِعَاءُ فَيَوْمٌ خُلِقَتْ فِيهِ النَّارُ وَ أَمَّا الصَّوْمُ فَجُنَّةٌ[2].

Hadith.1790 - In the narration of Abdullah ibn Sinan from Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)), 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 (as) said: 'As for Thursday, it is the day on

إِنَّمَا يُصَامُ فِي يَوْمِ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ تُعَذَّبْ أُمَّةٌ فِيمَا مَضَى إِلَّا يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ وَسَطَ الشَّهْرِ فَيُسْتَحَبُّ أَنْ يُصَامَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ‌[3].

Hadith.1791 - In the narration of Ishaq ibn Ammar from Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)), Imam (as) 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."

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِذَا كَانَ فِي أَوَّلِ الشَّهْرِ خَمِيسَانِ فَصُمْ أَوَّلَهُمَا فَإِنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ وَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي آخِرِ الشَّهْرِ خَمِيسَانِ فَصُمْ آخِرَهُمَا فَإِنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ.

Hadith.1792 - In the narration of Abdullah ibn Sinan, he said: "Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)) 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 b

مُدٌّ مِنْ طَعَامٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ‌[5].

Hadith.1793 - Iys ibn al-Qasim asked Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)) about someone who does not fast the three days of every month and finds fasting difficult. Is there a compensation for this? Imam (as) said: "A mudd (a measure) of food for each day."

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنِّي قَدِ اشْتَدَّ عَلَيَّ صَوْمُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ فَمَا يُجْزِي عَنِّي أَنْ أَتَصَدَّقَ مَكَانَ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِدِرْهَمٍ فَقَالَ صَدَقَةُ دِرْهَمٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صِيَامِ يَوْمٍ‌[2].

"I said to Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)): '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 (as) said: 'Giving charity of a dirham is better than fasting a day.'"

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ أَوْ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع صَوْمُ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الشَّهْرِ أُؤَخِّرُهُ فِي الصَّيْفِ إِلَى الشِّتَاءِ فَإِنِّي أَجِدُهُ أَهْوَنَ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَاحْفَظْهَا[3].

"I said to Abu Ja‘far or Abu Abdullah (as): '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 (as) said: 'Yes, but make sure to observe it.'"

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِمَ جَرَتِ السُّنَّةُ مِنَ الصَّوْمِ فَقَالَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ- الْخَمِيسِ فِي الْعَشْرِ الْأُوَلِ وَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ فِي الْعَشْرِ الْأَوْسَطِ وَ الْخَمِيسِ فِي الْعَشْرِ الْآخِرِ قَالَ قُلْتُ هَذَا جَمِيعُ مَا جَرَتْ بِهِ السُّنَّةُ فِي الصَّوْمِ‌[4] فَقَالَ نَعَمْ.

"I said to Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)): 'What is the prescribed practice for fasting?' Imam (as) said: 'Three days in every month: the Thursday in the first ten days, the Wednesday in the middle ten days, and the Thursday in the last ten days.' I said: 'Is this all that the prescribed practice

لَإِفْطَارُكَ فِي مَنْزِلِ أَخِيكَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صِيَامِكَ سَبْعِينَ ضِعْفاً أَوْ تِسْعِينَ ضِعْفاً[5].

Hadith.1797 - It is narrated by Dawud al-Raqqi from Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as)), Imam (as) said: "Breaking your fast at your brother's home is better than fasting seventy or even ninety times."

مَنْ دَخَلَ عَلَى أَخِيهِ وَ هُوَ صَائِمٌ فَأَفْطَرَ عِنْدَهُ‌[1] وَ لَمْ يُعْلِمْهُ بِصَوْمِهِ فَيَمُنَّ عَلَيْهِ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ صَوْمَ سَنَةٍ[2].

Hadith.1798 - It is narrated by Jamil ibn Darraj from Abu Abdullah (as) that Imam (as) said: "Whoever visits his brother while fasting, then breaks his fast at his house without informing him of his fasting to gain favor, Allah (swt) will write for him the reward of fasting a full year."

صُمِ الْأَوَّلَ فَلَعَلَّكَ لَا تَلْحَقُ الثَّانِيَ‌[5].

Hadith.1799 - It is narrated that the Scholar, (Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as)), was asked about two Thursdays that occur in the last ten days of the month. Imam (as) said: "Fast the first one, for you may not live to see the second."