—joy and the open display of happiness. It is a public declaration of gratitude to Allah for His blessings and a plea for further grace. For that reason it is more fitting on this day to be eating, so that one has the strength to perform these acts.
Thus refraining from fasting on Friday was legislated. The dislike of fasting it is removed, however, and it becomes permissible, when one pairs it with a fast on the preceding or following day, or when it falls within a person’s regular fasting routine. This also keeps ordinary people from imagining that Friday must be singled out for extra worship and, because of the day’s virtue, treating such fasting as obligatory.
Points derived from the two ḥadiths
1- The prohibition of fasting on Friday.
2- It is permissible to fast it when it is joined to a fast on the day before or after, or when it coincides with a habitual fast.
3- The prohibition is understood as discouragement (makrūh tanziyan), for the Prophet ﷺ used to fast Friday as part of his normal pattern. He granted a concession for fasting it when coupled with another day; had it been truly forbidden, it would never be observed—just as no one fasts on the Festivals of Fitr and ʿAdḥā.
Hadith Seven
Abu ʿUbayd, the freedman of Ibn Azhar—his name was Saʿd ibn ʿUbayd—reported:
“I attended the ʿId prayer with ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, and he said: ‘These are two days (1) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade us to fast: the day on which you break your fast after your month of fasting, and the other day on which you eat from your sacrificial animals (2).’”
Overall meaning
The Festival of Fitr and the Festival of Sacrifice are the two Islamic celebrations that the Wise and Generous Lawgiver has appointed as days of rejoicing, delight, gladness, and jubilation. On them Muslims enjoy every lawful pleasure of food, drink, clothing, adornment, and the like.
Fasting has been prohibited on those two days: Fitr is the very act of ending the fast, just as the salutation of peace ends the prayer, and ʿAdḥā is the day for eating from the sacrificial animals and offerings that Allah, Exalted be He, has commanded.
On these two days people are the guests of Allah; let them accept His hospitality and break their fast.