And Allah commanded the pilgrims to fulfill their vows: “Let them fufill their vows and go round the Ancient House.” (22:29)The messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever makes a vow to obey Allah should do so, but whoever makes a vow concerning disobedience of Allah should not fulfill it.”

Fasting for Expiation (Kaffarah)

There are some sins that once committed obligate a fast of a definite period. They are: Accidentally killing of a believer, someone who does this will be required to fast two months consequently. Allah Almighty said: “It is not for a believer to slay a believer, except it be by error. If any slays a believer by error, then let him set free a believing slave, and blood wit is to be paid to his family unless they forgo it as a charity (…) but if he finds not the means, let him fast two consecutive months by way of repentance to Allah” (4:92);

The practice of zihar, that is, a man declaring his wife unlawful to him as his mother is unlawful to him. Whoever does this will have to pay kaffarah (expiation), which is to free a slave. If he has not got the means to do this, then he will have to fast two consecutive months before resuming normal relationship with his wife.

Allah, the Most High says: “As for those who (henceforth) separate themselves from their wives by saying, “you are as unlawful to me as my mother,” (let them bear in mind that) they can never be (as) their mothers; none are their mothers save those who gave them birth: and so, behold, they but utter as saying that runs counter to reason, and is (therefore) false”.

Failing to fulfill an oath one has made. The penalty for doing so is to fast three days. Allah, the Exalted says: “Allah will not take you to task for slip in your oaths; but He will take you to task for such bonds as you have made by oaths, for which the expiation is to feed ten poor persons with the average of the food you would serve to your families, or to cloth them, or to set free a slave; or if any finds not the means, let him fast for three days. That is the expiation of your oath when you have sworn” (5.92)

Killing game while being in state of ihram during Hajj or Umarah, whoever does this has to fast for a number of days fixed by judges, if he does not have them means to make an offering or feed the poor. Allah says in the Quran: “O you who believe! Slay not the game while you are in pilgrim sanctity (ihram); whosoever of you slay it willfully, there shall be recompense – the like of what he has slain, in of locks as shall be judged by two just men among you, an offering to reach the kaba; or expiation – food for poor persons or the evuivalent of that in fasting, so that he may taste the mischief of his action (5:98).

Deliberate sexual intercourse with one’s wife during the daylight hours of the fast. Whoever does this will have to fast for two consecutive months if he is not able to free a slave. Shaving or removing hair while in a state of ihram, fasting is prescribed for a person who, for some valid reason, has to shave his head or remove the hair of his body during the state of ihram.

Combining hajj and umrah together in tamatu or qiran. Tamttu’ is the act of performing umrah until its completion, and then performing the hajj as a separate ceremony, thus reaping the advantages of both. Qiran is the act of performing hajj and umrah simultaneously. Pilgrims who do either will be required to offer a sacrifice. If one has not got the means to do this, then he will have to fast three days during the days of pilgrimage and seven days when he returns home.

Nafl (Supererogatory) fasting

Fast is a mode of worship, hence a Muslim is required to observe it as much as he can. In addition to the obligatory fast, voluntary fast is highly recommended. Voluntary fast can be observed at any time of any time of the year with exception of five days on which fasting is prohibited. They are: Id al-fibr, Id al-adha and three days after Id al-adha that are known as ayyam al-tashriq.

Voluntary fasting should not exceed half of the days of a year, equivalent to a person fasting every alternate day of the year. The messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) recommended fasting the following days:

The day of Arafah: This is the 9th day of the month of Dlus al-Hijjah when the pilgrims go to the plain of mount Arafat and stay there engaged in remembrance of Allah until the evening. However, the pilgrims themselves are not allowed to fast as it will result in hardship for them. Abu Qartadah reported that Allah’s messenger (peace be upon him) was asked about fasting on the day of Arafat and he replied: “it wipes away sins committed during the preceding and the following years’.

The 10th day of Muharram: The first month in Islamic calendar. The messenger of Allah said: ‘This is Ashura (i.e. the tenth of Muharram). Fasting on this day is not obligatory, but I am fasting. So, whoever wishes, let him fast and whoever wished, let him leave it.”

Six days of the month of Shawwal: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan then follows it with six days of fasting in the month of Ramadan of Shawwal, it will be as thought he has fasted the whole year.” One can fast these six days at any time in the month of Shawwal, in succession or separately as the person chooses.

There days from the middle of every month: Namely the 13th, 14th and 15th day, when the moon is full. Abu Hurayrah relates: “My friend (the prophet) advised me to fast three days every month, to perform two rakahs of prayer at forenoon, and to perform with prayer (three rakahs) before sleeping.”

Mondays and Thursdays: Abu Hurayrah relates that the prophet (peace be upon him) very often fasted on Monday and Thursday. He was asked about it and he replied: “The acts of people are presented to Allah on every Monday, and Allah forgives every Muslim except the two who have broken their relations. Allah says: “put them off.”