Chapter on Voluntary Fasting

The heading is “Voluntary Fasting,” although the author discusses in this chapter voluntary fasting, prohibited fasting, disliked fasting, the ruling on discontinuing an obligatory act, and Laylat al-Qadr. Thus, he mentions several matters. It may be said that this is an instance of referring to the whole by mentioning only part of it; a heading need not encompass every topic addressed.

His statement, “Chapter on Voluntary Fasting”: “fasting” is the annexed noun, and “voluntary” is the noun annexed to it. The annexation here indicates the category, for fasting is of two types: obligatory and voluntary. In their broader sense, both may be termed tatawwuʿ (voluntary devotion), since tatawwuʿ means performing an act of obedience. However, among jurists it is generally used for an act of obedience that is not obligatory. There is no objection to terminology; thus, when the jurists use tatawwuʿ in contrast to what is obligatory, this is a technical usage involving no religious prohibition. Accordingly, voluntary fasting is fasting that is not obligatory.

Know that, out of Allah’s mercy and wisdom, He has prescribed voluntary acts corresponding to the obligatory acts: on the one hand, to make up for deficiencies that may occur in an obligatory act; and on the other, to increase the reward and recompense of those who perform them. For had these voluntary acts not been legislated, performing them would have been an innovation and misguidance. It is reported in a hadith that voluntary acts complete the obligatory acts on the Day of Resurrection (1).