Types of Fasting

Imam Khamenei

Ruling 01: There are four types of fasting: obligatory, forbidden, recommended (mustaḥab), and undesirable [repugnant or repulsive] (makrūh).

1. Obligatory fasts include:

i. Fasting in the holy month of Ramadan.
ii. Redressing a missed (qaḍā’) fast.
iii. Penalty (Kaffārah) fast.
iv. Fasting on the third day of a retreat of ritual seclusion (I’tikāf);
v. Fasting instead of offering sacrifice in the first obligatory pilgrimage (hajj tamattu’). If a pilgrim (hajji) cannot afford to pay for a sacrifice, they must fast for ten days – three days at Mecca, and the rest in their hometown.
vi. A recommended (mustaḥab) fast that has become obligatory through a vow (nathr), a special commitment to the Divine (‘ahd), or by swearing (In fact, vow makes it binding for him to fast);
vii. Redressing a father’s missed (qaḍā’) fasts, and those of the mother by way of obligatory precaution, for which the eldest son is obligated.

2. Some forbidden fasts are:

i. Fasting on the Feast of Breaking Fast (‘Īd al-Fitṛ) [after Ramadhan] during a ritual festive day [marking breaking the fasting of Ramadhan];
ii. Fasting on the Feast of Sacrifice (‘Īd al-Aḍḥā) [after pilgrimage] during a ritual festive day [marking the culmination of Muslims’ pilgrimage].
iii. Fasting on a day when it is not certain whether it is the end of Sha’bān or the first of Ramadhan, while one intends a Ramadhan fast.
iv. The recommended (mustaḥab) fasting of a wife in case the right of the husband is violated.
v. The fasting of a person for whom fasting is harmful.
vi. A traveler’s fast, except for cases that are excluded.

3. Fasting is recommended (mustaḥab) on all days of the year (except for the forbidden and undesirable [repugnant or repulsive] (makrūh) fasts). Fasting on some days, however, is strongly recommended (mustaḥab), such as:

i. The first and last Thursday of every lunar month, and the first Wednesday after the 10th day of every lunar month.
ii. The 13th, 14th and 15th of every lunar month.
iii. During the months of Rajab and Sha’bān [7th and 8th month of the lunar calendar, respectively] (all or a part of them, even one day).
iv. The anniversary of the birth of the holy Prophet (sawas) (17 Rabī’ al-Awwal) [3d month of lunar calendar];
v. The anniversary of the official appointment for prophethood of the holy prophet (sawas) (‘Īd al-Mab’ath, 27th Rajab) [7th month of lunar calendar];
vi. The ritual festive day of al-Ghadīr (‘Īd al-Ghadīr, 18th Dhul Hijjah) [12th month of lunar calendar] vii. Day of accomplishment of the creation of Earth (Dahwul Arḍ) [(11th Dhul Qa’dah) (7th month of lunar calendar].

Ruling 02: Undesirable [repugnant or repulsive] (makrūh) fasts are as follows:

i. Recommended (mustaḥab) fasting of a guest without the permission of the host or against the host’s prohibition.
ii. Fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah (9th day of the month Dhul-Hijjah) if it causes weakness that prevents one from performing the ritual deeds that are recommended to be observed on that day.
Conclusion: Etiquettes of Fasting. When a person starts a recommended (mustaḥab) fast, they are not obligated to complete it, and they can break it whenever they want. If a believer invites them to a meal, it is good for them to accept the invitation and break the fast.

Ruling 03: It is recommended (mustaḥab) for a fasting person to perform the evening (maghrib) prayer before breaking the fast. However, if someone is waiting for them or if they are so hungry that they cannot perform the prayer with concentration, it is better to break the fast first, but, if possible, to perform his prayer at its specified time.

Ruling 04: In order to observe the etiquette and respect the blessed month of Ramadhan, it is recommended (mustaḥab) for the following people to refrain from acts that invalidate the fast, even if they are not fasting:

i. A traveller who has done something during their trip to invalidate their fast and reaches their hometown or the place where they intend to stay for ten days before midday (dhuhr).
ii. A traveller who arrives at their hometown or a place where they intend to stay for ten days after midday (dhuhr).
iii. A patient who breaks fast and recovers before midday (dhuhr).
iv. A patient who recovers after midday (dhuhr).
v. A woman who is free from menstruation or post-childbirth bleeding during the day.
vi. Any non-Muslim who becomes a Muslim during the day in the month of Ramadhan.
vii. A child who matures during the day in the month of Ramadhan.

Ayatollah Sistani

Haraam and Makrooh Fasts

Ruling 01: It is haraam to fast on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. It is also haraam to fast with the Niyyat of first fast of Ramadhan on a day about which he is not sure whether it is the last day of Sha’ban or the first of Ramadhan.

Ruling 05: If a person knows that fasting is not harmful to him, he should fast even if his doctor advises that it is harmful. And if a person is certain or has a feeling that fasting is harmful to him, he should not fast even if the doctor advises for it, and if he fasts in these circumstances, his fast will not be valid if it turns out that the fast was actually harmful, or if it was not kept with the Niiyyat of Qurbat.

Ruling 06: If a person has a strong feeling that it is harmful for him to fast, and owing to that feeling, fear is created in his mind, and if that feeling is commonly acceptable, he should not observe fast, and if he does, it will not be valid in the way described in the foregoing rule.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi

The forbidden Fasts

Ruling 01: Two days in the year, fasting is forbidden: Eidul-Fitr (the beginning of the month of Shawwal) and Eidul-Qurbaani (the tenth of the month of Zil-Hijjah).

Ruling 02: A person who knows that fasting is injurious for him, it is necessary to abandon the fast. If he fasts, it is not correct. Likewise, if he does not have certainty. Regarding having probability that the fast is injurious, whether this probability is obtained from the experience of persons or from the statement of a doctor.