And because fasting weakens him and prevents him from supplication on this momentous day, in which supplication is answered in that noble station, which is sought from every deep valley in hopes of Allah's grace therein and the answering of one's supplication through it, thus abandoning it is better.
Section: It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The best fasting after the month of Ramadan is the month of Allah, al-Muharram." Recorded by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi (5), who said: It is a Hasan hadith.
Section: The best fasting is to fast one day and break the fast for one day, for it was narrated that 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him: "Fast one day, [and break your fast for one day], (6) for that is the fasting of Dawud (David), and it is the best fasting." I said: I am capable of better than that. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: "There is no fasting better than that." Muttafaq 'alayh (agreed upon) (7).
Section: Abu Dawud (8) narrated with his chain of transmission from Usamah ibn Zayd that the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. He was asked about that, and he said: "The deeds of the people are presented on Monday and Thursday."
525 - Issue: He said: (And the Ayyam al-Bid (the bright days), which the Messenger of Allah - peace and blessings of Allah be upon him - encouraged fasting, are the thirteenth, the fourteenth, and the fifteenth.)
The general ruling is that fasting three days of every month is recommended; we know of no disagreement regarding this.
(5) Recorded by Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on Fasting al-Muharram, from the Book of Fasting. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/566. And al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter on what has been said regarding the virtue of night prayer, from the Chapters on Prayer, and in: The Chapter on what has been said regarding fasting al-Muharram, from the Chapters on Fasting. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/227, 3/276. It was also recorded by Muslim, in: The Chapter on the Virtue of Fasting al-Muharram, from the Book of Fasting. Sahih Muslim 2/821. And al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter on the Virtue of Night Prayer, from the Book of Night Vigil. Al-Mujtaba 3/168. And al-Darimi, in: The Chapter on Fasting al-Muharram, from the Book of Fasting. Sunan al-Darimi 2/21. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 2/342, 344, 535. (6) Omitted from: the original, M. (7) Its documentation was previously provided on page 431. (8) In: The Chapter on Fasting on Monday and Thursday, from the Book of Fasting. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/568. It was also narrated by Imam Ahmad, in: 5/200, 205, 206, 208, 209.
