of your earlier and later sins.” [48:2]

Likewise for the veterans of Badr, for the Sacred ḥadīth states: “Do whatever you wish, for I have already forgiven you.” The scholars explain this ḥadīth to mean that the person who fasts is divinely aided and protected so that he commits no sin, or that he is guided to good works that erase whatever sins he does commit.

2 – By unanimous agreement, fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah is the most virtuous of all voluntary fasts.

3 – It is recommended for anyone who is not a pilgrim standing at ‘Arafah. The Five compilers report from Abū Hurayrah that “the Prophet ﷺ forbade fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah for one who is at ‘Arafah.” The majority of scholars—including the three Imams, Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, and Aḥmad—therefore deem it disliked to fast while actually at ‘Arafah.

4 – The ḥadīth also demonstrates the desirability of fasting on ‘Āshūrā’, the tenth of Muḥarram. Muslim (1911) records from Ibn ʿAbbās that “the Prophet ﷺ fasted it and ordered that it be fasted.”

5 – Fasting on ‘Āshūrā’ expiates the sins of the preceding year. Its merit is less than that of the Day of ‘Arafah, and likewise the reward for its fast is beneath that of fasting on ‘Arafah.

6 – Muslim (1917) relates that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If I live till next year I shall certainly fast the ninth,” and for this reason the majority of scholars—including Imams al-Shāfiʿī and Aḥmad—advise fasting both the ninth and the tenth together.

On first impression the ḥadīth implies that fasting on ‘Arafah expiates both minor and major sins, and some scholars held that view. The majority, however, say that it does not wipe out major sins. They reason that the fast of ‘Arafah cannot excel the five daily prayers, yet Muslim records from Abū Hurayrah that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The five prayers and from one Friday to the next are an expiation for whatever lies between them, so long as the major sins are avoided.”

Al-Nawawī said: “The sins that are erased by fasting are the minor ones; if there are no minor sins…”