Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (6/438)

by the fasting person” (1) means that his fast is deemed broken in legal terms, even if he has not physically broken it. Nevertheless, it is sunnah for him to hasten to break his fast. This interpretation is not far-fetched, but it is weakened by the fact that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, permitted them to continue fasting until dawn. (2)

The author did not discuss continuous fasting here, but its ruling may perhaps be inferred from his statement, “It is sunnah to hasten to break the fast,” since continuous fasting involves no haste in breaking the fast and is therefore contrary to what is prescribed.

Continuous fasting means joining two days together as a single fast; that is, not breaking one’s fast between the two days.

It has been said that it is prohibited; it has also been said that it is disliked; and it has further been said that it is permissible for one who is able to bear it. Thus, there are three views concerning it.

What appears more likely is that it is prohibited, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade them from continuous fasting, but they refused to stop. So he left them and continued fasting with them for one day and then another, until the month began—that is, the month of Shawwal. He then said: “Had the crescent been delayed, I would have made you continue, as a punishment for them.” (3) This indicates that it is prohibited, so the view of prohibition is the strongest of the three. Even so, I am not entirely certain of it, for had it been prohibited in the same manner as carrion and pork are prohibited, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would have prevented them from doing it decisively. Rather, he forbade them out of compassion for them. Hence, some of the Companions held

(1) Its documentation has previously been given on p. 435. (2) Narrated by al-Bukhari in the Book of Fasting, chapter: “Continuous Fasting Until Dawn” (1967), on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri. (3) Narrated by al-Bukhari in the Book of Fasting, chapter: “Disciplining Those Who Persist Excessively in Continuous Fasting” (1965); and Muslim in the Book of Fasting, chapter: “The Prohibition of Continuous Fasting” (1103), on the authority of Abu Hurayrah.

الصائم» (١) أن المعنى أفطر حكماً وإن لم يفطر حساً، لكنه يسن له أن يبادر، وليس هذا ببعيد، إلا أنه يضعفه أن الرسول ﷺ: «أذن لهم بالوصال إلى السحر» (٢). ولم يتكلم المؤلف هنا عن الوصال، لكن ربما نأخذ حكمه من قوله: «سن تعجيل فطر»؛ لأن الوصال لا يكون فيه تعجيل للفطر فيكون خلافاً للمسنون. والوصال أن يقرن الإنسان بين يومين في صوم يوم واحد، بمعنى ألا يفطر بين اليومين. وحكمه قيل: إنه حرام، وقيل: إنه مكروه، وقيل: إنه مباح لمن قدر عليه، فالأقوال فيه ثلاثة. والذي يظهر فيه التحريم؛ لأن النبي ﷺ نهاهم عن الوصال فأبوا أن ينتهوا فتركهم، وواصل بهم يوماً ويوماً حتى دخل الشهر، أي: شهر شوال، فقال ﷺ: «لو تأخر الهلال لزدتكم كالمنكل لهم» (٣) وهذا يدل على أنه على سبيل التحريم، فالقول بالتحريم أقواها، ولكن مع ذلك ليس عندي فيه جزم؛ لأنه لو كان حراماً كما تحرم الميتة ولحم الخنزير لمنعهم الرسول ﷺ من فعله منعاً باتاً، لكنه نهاهم عن ذلك رفقاً بهم، ولهذا ذهب بعض الصحابة

(١) سبق تخريجه ص (٤٣٥). (٢) أخرجه البخاري في الصوم/ باب الوصال إلى السحر (١٩٦٧)؛ عن أبي سعيد الخدري ﵁. (٣) أخرجه البخاري في الصوم/ باب التنكيل لمن أكثر الوصال (١٩٦٥)؛ ومسلم في الصيام/ باب النهي عن الوصال (١١٠٣) عن أبي هريرة ﵁.