and Mujahid, the people of Medina, al-Hasan, Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab, and Ubayd Allah ibn Abd Allah ibn Utbah. This is the view held by Malik, Abu Hanifah, al-Thawri, al-Awza'i, al-Shafi'i, and Ishaq. The obligation of consecutive fasting was narrated from Ali, Ibn Umar, al-Nakha'i, and al-Sha'bi. Dawud said: It is obligatory, but not a condition [for the validity of the fast]; this is based on what Ibn al-Mundhir reported with his chain of narration from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever has the fast of Ramadan as a debt, let him fast it consecutively and not interrupt it" (1). Our evidence is the unrestricted statement of Allah the Exalted: "...then an equal number of other days" (2), without being restricted to consecutive days. If it is said: It was reported from Aisha that she said: "It was revealed as 'an equal number of other days consecutively,' then 'consecutively' was dropped" (3). We say: The authenticity of this has not been established for us, and even if it were authentic, the word relied upon [in the argument] has been dropped. Furthermore, there is the statement of the Companions. Ibn Umar said: If he is traveling, then if he wishes he may separate them, and if he wishes he may perform them consecutively. This has also been reported as marfu' (attributed to the Prophet) (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (4). Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah said regarding the makeup of Ramadan: "Allah did not grant you a concession in breaking the fast during it, yet He intends to make it difficult for you in making it up." Al-Athram reported with his chain of narration from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir that he said: It reached me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about breaking up the makeup of Ramadan? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If one of you had a debt, and he paid it off with a dirham or two, until he had paid off what he owed of the debt, would that be fulfilling his debt?" They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: "Then Allah is more deserving of pardon and overlooking than you" (5). Also, it is a fast that is not tied to a specific time (6), therefore, performing it consecutively is not obligatory, like an absolute vow. Their report has not been proven authentic, for the authors of the Sunan did not mention it, and if it were authentic, we would interpret it as being recommended; for performing it consecutively is better, due to the adherence to the report, the avoidance of disagreement, and its resemblance to the performance of the original act. And Allah knows best.

510 - Issue: He said: (Whoever enters into a voluntary fast, then breaks it, has no obligation to make it up, although if he does make it up, it is good.)

The sum of this is that whoever enters into a voluntary fast, it is recommended for him to complete it, but it is not obligatory. If he exits it, he is not required to make it up. It was reported from Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbas that they both started the day fasting, then broke their fast. Ibn Umar said: "There is no harm in it, as long as it is not a vow or the makeup of Ramadan." Ibn Abbas said: "If a man fasts voluntarily, then if he wishes to interrupt it, he may interrupt it; and if he enters into a voluntary prayer, then if he wishes to interrupt it, he may interrupt it" (1). Ibn Mas'ud said: "Whenever you wake up intending to fast, you are in one of two states: if you wish, you fast, and if you wish, you break your fast" (2). This is the school of Ahmad, al-Thawri, al-Shafi'i, and Ishaq. Hanbal has reported from Ahmad that if he resolves to fast and makes it binding upon himself, then breaks his fast without an excuse, he must repeat a day in place of that day. This is interpreted as meaning he recommended it, or that he had made a vow, to be consistent with the rest of the narrations from him. Al-Nakha'i, Abu Hanifah, and Malik said: It becomes binding upon starting it (3) and one cannot exit it except with an excuse; if he exits it, he must make it up. From Malik, it is reported: He has no obligation to make it up. Those who required making it up argued based on what was reported from Aisha, that she said: "I and Hafsah woke up fasting as volunteers, then a hayys (4) was gifted to us, so we broke our fast. Then we asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he said: 'Make up a day in its place'" (5). And because it is an act of worship that becomes binding upon a vow, therefore it becomes binding...