It is permissible to fast at the beginning of the month, in the middle or at the end, on consecutive days or separately…

If we want to discover which is better, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays or fasting three days of each month, we find that fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is better than fasting on three days of each month, because if a person fasts on Mondays and Thursdays each week, that means that he is fasting eight days each month, so he will have done both: fasted on Mondays and Thursdays and fasted three days of the month. 

The three days of each month may be fasted at the beginning of the month, in the middle or at the end, and may be done separately or consecutively, but it is better to fast on the ayaam al-beed, which are the days on which the moon is full, namely the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th of each lunar month. 

There follow a number of ahaadeeth which encourage fasting on Mondays and Thursdays: 

1 – It was narrated from Abu Qataadah al-Ansaari that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said: “On that day I was born, and on it the Revelation came to me.” Narrated by Muslim, 1162.

2 – It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 745; al-Nasaa’i, 2361; Ibn Maajah, 1739; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1044. 

3 – It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Deeds are shown (to Allaah) on Mondays and Thursdays, and I like my deeds to be shown when I am fasting.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 747; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1041. 

The following ahaadeeth encourage fasting on three days of each month: 

1 – It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “My close friend [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] advised me to do three things which I will not give up until I die: fasting three days of each month, praying Duha, and sleeping after Witr”. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1124; Muslim, 721. 

2 – It was narrated from Mu’aadhah al-‘Adawiyyah that she asked ‘Aa’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Did the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fast three days of every month?” She said, “Yes.” She said to her: “Which days of the month did he fast?” She said, “He did not mind which days of the month he would fast.” Narrated by Muslim, 1160. 

3 – It was narrated from Jareer ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting three days of each month is fasting for a lifetime, and ayaam al-beed are the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2420; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1040. 

4 – It was narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to me: “If you fast any part of the month, then fast the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.”  Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 761; al-Nasaa’i, 2424; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1038. 

There is broad scope in the command to fast three days, as it says in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), but the best days of the month for fasting are the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth, as it says in the other saheeh ahaadeeth. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: When fasting three days of every month, is it essential that it be only on the ayyaam al-beed? Or is it permissible to fast any three days of the month? 

He replied that: It is permissible to fast at the beginning of the month, in the middle or at the end, on consecutive days or separately. But it is better if it is done on the three ayyaam al-beed, which are the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on three days of every month, and he did not mind whether he fasted at the beginning or at the end of the month.

Source — Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 20/question no. 376 .

“When does the fasting of Muharram begin or the fasting of ‘Āshūrā begin?”, was the question posed to Shaikh Ibn Baz: “When does the fasting of Muharram begin or the fasting of ‘Aashooraa begin? Does the fasting begin on the first day of Muharram or in the middle of the month or the end of the month? And how many days are to be fasted, because I heard that the fasting begins from the first of Muharram until the tenth? May Allaah grant you success”.

Ibn Baz answered: “The Prophet (salallaahu alaihi wassallam) said: “The best fasts after Ramadaan are in the month of Allah: al-Muharram.” And that is ‘Āshūrā. And the meaning is that he fasted it all, from the first day till the last, from the beginning till the end. This is the meaning of the hadeeth. However, he specified from this month, the 9th and the 10th day, or the 10th and the 11th day for the one who is not able to fast the whole month.

The Messenger (salallaahu alaihi wassallam) would fast ‘Āshūrā in the days of Jaahiliyyah [prior to Revelation], and the people of Quraish would also fast it.

Later on when the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) arrived in Madeenah, he found that the Jews were also fasting it.

So he asked them concerning it, so they replied: “It is the day on which Allah saved Mūsā and his people, and He destroyed the Pharaoh and and his people, so Mūsā fasted it in gratitude to Allaah, so we likewise fast it.” 

Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said: “We have more right with respect to Mūsā and are more deserving of him.” 

So he (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) fasted and he commanded that it be fasted. So it is a Sunnah (recommended) to fast the Day of ‘Āshūrā (10th Muharram) and it is from the Sunnah to fast the day before it or the day after, due to what is narrated from him (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam), “Fast the day before it and the day after it.” 

In a wording there occurs: “A day before it or a day after it.” And in another narration: “If I live till next year, I will surely fast on the ninth,” meaning along with the tenth – and this is best, that a person fasts the tenth because that is a great day, wherein goodness was attained for Mūsā (alaihi salaam) and the Muslims with him, and our Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) fasted that day – so we fast the ninth with our Prophet in acting upon his legislation (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam).

And we can fast along with the tenth, the day before it or the day after in order to differ from the Jews. And the best way is to fast the ninth and the tenth due to the hadeeth: “If I live till next year, I will surely fast the ninth.” 

So if a person was to fast the tenth and the eleventh, or all three days: the ninth, tenth and eleventh, it is all good – and in that there is a differing from the Jews. And if one was was to fast the month, then that is more more virtuous for him.”

Source: BinBaz.Org

Vikrant is not alone as other Hindus also fast during Ramadan, such as fashion designer Ved Amrita from the hilly state of Uttarakhand.

He wakes up before sunrise for sahoor and abstains from food and drink the entire day, breaking his fast at sunset. Nothing unusual there for a Muslim observing the holy month of Ramadan, except Dr. Sachchidanand Vikrant is a Hindu.

“I first started fasting in 2014, when my Muslim colleague and I were conducting a joint raid on illegal drug sellers,” the drug inspector who lives in the eastern state of Bihar told Arab News. “After the operation, he asked (me) to join him in his fasts … That light-hearted talk prompted me to fast that day, and I’ve been observing it ever since.”

Vikrant initially fasted for 11 days during Ramadan, and the remaining 19 days after Eid. It has become a part of his lifestyle six years on.

“For me, this is more than a religion. It is a belief in our culture and the unity of our religions. Muslims are not others, they are a part of us, and we all have to live and coexist together in the same cultural milieu.”

Vikrant is not alone as other Hindus also fast during Ramadan, such as fashion designer Ved Amrita from the hilly state of Uttarakhand.

“It is important to express solidarity with Muslims,” Amrita told Arab News.

“For the past three years I have been observing the fast for two days in the month of Ramadan to demonstrate,” adding that the small act was an “assertion of my faith in India’s syncretic and secular tradition.”

There has been a surge in Islamophobia since the Indian government blamed a missionary group, Tablighi Jamaat, for being responsible for a spike in coronavirus cases and there have also been cases of Muslims being denied access to health care.

New Delhi-based activist Meha Dhondiyal said there was more of a need to connect during such a climate.

“For me, fasting for a few days in the month of Ramadan means connecting with Muslims and showing solidarity with them,” she told Arab News. “At a time when a deliberate attempt is being made to create Islamophobia and push the community into the corner, it becomes all the more important to connect with them. India’s strength is its religious diversity and secularism, and the festival offers an opportunity to reach out to each other.”

New Delhi-based photographer Jayshree Shukla said that the nationwide lockdown had curtailed human interaction during this Ramadan.

“Otherwise I regularly participate in iftar,” he told Arab News. “I feel a great cultural bonding at such events.” Muslims said they appreciated the gesture.

“Cultural interaction between Hindus and Muslims has been a part of the history of India,” Allahabad-based social activist Irshad Ullah told Arab News.

“For us, Hindus participating and organizing iftar for us is a normal thing. At a time when majoritarianism is dominating the political narrative, it restores our faith in the nation. We feel reassured.”