| Key Takeaways |
| Voluntary fasting in Islam (Sawm al-Tatawwu’) earns immense reward and includes specific days the Prophet ﷺ observed regularly. |
| Monday and Thursday fasting is among the most emphasized Sunnah fasts, as deeds are presented to Allah on those days. |
| The six fasts of Shawwal, combined with Ramadan, carry a reward equivalent to fasting the entire year according to authentic hadith. |
| Fasting the Day of Arafah (9th Dhul Hijjah) expiates sins of the past year and the coming year for non-pilgrims. |
| Fasting Ashura (10th Muharram), ideally with the 9th or 11th, expiates sins of the previous year. |
Voluntary fasting days in Islam include specific occasions — Mondays and Thursdays, the three White Days, Ashura, Arafah, and the six days of Shawwal — that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ observed and recommended. Unlike obligatory Ramadan fasting, these voluntary fasts (Sawm al-Tatawwu’) are acts of worship that draw a Muslim closer to Allah through discipline, gratitude, and spiritual refinement.
For Muslims worldwide seeking to deepen their practice beyond the obligatory, understanding which voluntary fasting days carry the greatest reward — and why — is an act of sacred knowledge.
What Is Voluntary Fasting in Islam?
Voluntary fasting in Islam refers to any fast performed beyond the obligatory fast of Ramadan, undertaken purely for Allah’s sake without an external religious requirement. Scholars classify this as Sawm al-Tatawwu’ (supererogatory fasting) or Sawm al-Nafl (optional fasting), and it carries significant spiritual merit in Islamic jurisprudence.
The foundation for voluntary fasting is firmly established in authentic texts. The Prophet ﷺ reportedly said about fasting:
“Allah, the Majestic and the Exalted, said: Every act of the son of Adam is for him except fasting. It is done for My sake, and I will give a reward for it. By Allah in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, the breath of the observer of fast is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk..” (Sahih Muslim)
This hadith establishes why voluntary fasting is considered among the most beloved acts of worship — its reward is uniquely assigned to Allah Himself.
At Shaykhi Academy, our Online Islamic Studies Course for Beginners covers the jurisprudence of worship acts like voluntary fasting in detail, guided by instructors with high degrees from Al-Azhar University. Understanding why a practice is rewarded deepens commitment to maintaining it consistently.
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What Are the Types of Voluntary Fasting in Islam?
Scholars of Islamic jurisprudence categorize voluntary fasting into three main types: fasts tied to specific days of the week, fasts tied to specific dates in the Islamic lunar calendar, and fasts tied to personal circumstances such as making up a missed Ramadan day voluntarily.
| Type | Description | Example |
| Weekly voluntary fasts | Observed on recurring days each week | Mondays and Thursdays |
| Monthly voluntary fasts | Observed on specific dates each lunar month | The three White Days (13th, 14th, 15th) |
| Annual voluntary fasts | Tied to specific Islamic dates or months | Ashura, Arafah, Shawwal, Muharram |
Understanding the types of voluntary fasting in Islam clarifies how a Muslim can structure their worship calendar systematically. Each category carries distinct scholarly evidence and distinct levels of emphasis in the Sunnah.
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What Is the Full List of Voluntary Fasting Days in Islam?
The list of voluntary fasting days in Islam includes seven established categories, each supported by authentic hadith. Below is a detailed breakdown of the most important Sunnah fasting days.
1. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays
The Prophet ﷺ fasted on Mondays and Thursdays with great regularity. When asked about this practice, he explained that deeds are presented to Allah on these two days, and he wished his deeds to be presented while he was fasting.
This is reported in Sunan al-Tirmidhi:
“Deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I like my deeds to be presented while I am fasting.”
Mondays also hold the additional significance of being the day the Prophet ﷺ was born and the day the first revelation descended.
2. The Three White Days (Ayyam al-Bid)
Fasting the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every Islamic lunar month is a recommended Sunnah. These are called Ayyam al-Bid (the White Days) because the full moon illuminates the sky on these nights.
Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,
“If you want to observe Saum on three days in a month, then fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the (lunar) month.” ([At-Tirmidhi)
This is understood because a good deed is multiplied tenfold — three days become thirty, covering an entire month.
In Shaykhi Academy‘s experience teaching students across continents, those who combine monthly White Day fasting with weekly Monday-Thursday fasting develop a consistent worship rhythm that extends naturally into other areas of their Islamic learning.
3. Fasting the Day of Arafah (9th Dhul Hijjah)
The Day of Arafah is the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, the day pilgrims stand at the plain of Arafah during Hajj. For those not performing Hajj, fasting this day carries extraordinary reward.
The Prophet ﷺ said, as in Sahih Muslim:
“Fasting the day of Arafah, I hope Allah will expiate thereby the sins of the year before and the year after.”
This single fast expiates two full years of minor sins — making it the most virtuous single voluntary fast in the Islamic year.
4. Fasting the Day of Ashura (10th Muharram)
Ashura falls on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The Prophet ﷺ discovered upon arriving in Madinah that the Jews fasted this day to commemorate Prophet Musa’s (AS) salvation from Pharaoh. He said Muslims have more right to Musa than they do and fasted this day too.
The Prophet ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih Muslim:
“Fasting the day of Ashura, I hope that Allah will expiate thereby the sins of the year before.”
Scholars recommend adding the 9th (Tasu’a) or the 11th to differ from Jewish practice, based on established scholarly guidance. Fasting only the 10th alone is permissible, but combining it is more praiseworthy.
5. The Six Days of Shawwal
Shawwal is the month immediately following Ramadan. Fasting six days of Shawwal — anytime throughout the month, not necessarily consecutively — combined with Ramadan, carries a reward equivalent to fasting the entire year.
The Prophet ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih Muslim:
“Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted for a lifetime.”
6. Fasting in the Month of Sha’ban
Sha’ban, the month preceding Ramadan, is notable for the Prophet ﷺ fasting frequently within it — more than any other voluntary month. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) observed:
“I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fast a complete month except in Ramadan, and I never saw his fast more in any month than in Sha’ban.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2434)
However, he advised against beginning continuous fasting in the latter half of Sha’ban if one had not established that habit from its beginning, as this is the period to rest before Ramadan.
This wisdom demonstrates the balanced approach Islam takes to voluntary worship: consistent, sustainable practice over exhausting bursts.
7. Fasting One Day and Breaking the Fast One Day:
The ideal case for voluntary fasting days in Islam is that of Prophet David (PBUH). Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) says:
“There is no fasting superior to the fast of my brother Dawūd; fasting half of one’s life by fasting one day and eating one day.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
8. Fasting the First Eight Days of Dhul-Hijjah:
The reward for any good deed–including fasting–in these days is so special.
“There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than on these days,” referring to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
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What are The Rewards of the Voluntary Fasting in Islam?
Voluntary fasting in Islam rewards believers not only in the hereafter but also in this worldly life. It is Allah’s mercy to show His servants part of the reward for their deeds here before granting the full reward in the hereafter. The following is a selection of rewards mentioned for fasting in the Quran and authentic hadiths:
1. Fasting Prevents from Hellfire:
“Fasting is a prevention from hell”
as Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) mentioned in the hadith reported in Sahih Al-Bukhari. Also, in another hadith, he says:
“Whoever fasts one day in the cause of Allah, Allah shall put between him and Hellfire a trench as wide as the distance between the heavens and the earth.” [Sound Hadith: At-Tirmidhi]
Some scholars interpreted the phrase “in the cause of Allah” mentioned in the previous hadith as sincerity in fasting, while others restricted it to Jihad time.
2. Fasting reward is beyond the rule of multiplication:
Good deeds in Islam–other than fasting–can be multiplied from ten to seven hundred times. But for fasting the reward is beyond our limited perspective:
“Allah, the Exalted, says: ‘(multiplication is so) except for fasting, for indeed it is for Me, and I will reward it.’” [Sahih Muslim]
3. Fasting guarantees happiness in this life and hereafter:
Fasting, whether obligatory or voluntary, leads to true happiness. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says:
“The one who fasts, experiences two joys: he feels pleasure when he breaks the fast. He is joyful by virtue of his fast when he meets his Lord.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
4. Special gate in Jannah for those used to fast:
One of the eight gates of Jannah is for those known for their fasting habit. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says:
“ In Paradise, there is a gate called Ar’Rayyan, it will be said on the Day of Resurrection: “Where are those who used to fast? Would you like to enter through Ar-Rayyan?” whoever enters through it will never thirst again.” [Sahih Sunan An-Nasa’i]
5. Fasting helps in building Taqwa and self-restriction:
Allah Almighty states in the Quran that the objective of fasting is to achieve Taqwa (fearing Allah):
“O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you—so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of Allah˺.” [Quran, 2: 183]
Also, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) advises those who can’t afford marriage to fast so that fasting helps them in keeping modest:
“Those who cannot [afford marriage] should fast; it controls the sexual desire.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
6. Fasting clears the sins:
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) states that good deeds overwrite bad ones. In the following hadith, he mentions specific types of sins to be cleared by specific good deeds including fasting:
“A man’s trial [i.e., excessive concern or neglect of rights] is in his family, his wealth, his children, and his neighbors. It is atoned for by the Salat, fasting, charity, and by commanding good and forbidding evil.” [Sahih At-Tirmidhi]
7. Fasting helps in answering supplications:
Allah Almighty promises the one fasting to answer their supplications. As Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says,
“There are three whose supplications are not turned back: … and a fasting person until he breaks his fast.” [Sunan Ibn Majah: Hasan Hadith]
It’s important to note that answering supplications has three forms, only one of them is to have what you ask as is. Also, there are barriers hindering supplications sometimes from being answered so we need to avoid them.
Read Also: Allahumma Taqabbal Siyamana Dua
8. Fasting intercedes for the Muslim:
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says that fasting and the Quran have a special relation with their true people in Judgment Day:
“Fasting and the Qur’an intercede for a man. Fasting says, ‘O my Lord, I have kept him away from his food and his passions by day, so accept my intercession for him.’” [Sahih Hadith]
To sum up, knowing the reward of fasting helps the Muslims to keep this worship. Fasting prevents the Muslims from hellfire, guarantees countless balance of good deeds for them, answered supplications, true happiness, and intercession. Fasting also clears the sins and helps the Muslim to achieve self-control and Taqwa, and increases the Muslim’s opportunity to enter Jannah.
For students committed to their Quran studies, exploring our Online Hifz Course alongside a consistent voluntary fasting practice creates a powerful synergy between fasting and Quran retention.
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Read Also: Sunnah Fasting Days in Islam
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Voluntary fasting is one thread in a rich tapestry of Islamic worship — but practicing it correctly requires genuine Islamic education. At Shaykhi Academy, founded by Al-Azhar scholars Mr. Luqman ElKasabany and Dr. Mahmoud Alasaal, students receive authentic guidance backed by the world’s oldest Islamic institution.
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Conclusion
Voluntary fasting in Islam is not a burden — it is a gift. The Prophet ﷺ distributed acts of worship across the Islamic year with extraordinary wisdom: a day in Muharram for Ashura, a day in Dhul Hijjah for Arafah, six days in Shawwal to close Ramadan’s spiritual gains, and weekly anchors on Mondays and Thursdays to keep the heart connected to Allah throughout the year.
Knowing which days carry which reward — and understanding the scholarly basis behind each — transforms voluntary fasting from a vague good intention into a purposeful, structured practice.
The Muslim who fasts with knowledge fasts with sincerity, and that combination, Insha’Allah, is what earns the reward Allah alone measures.
Frequently Asked Questions About Voluntary Fasting Days in Islam
Is There a Specific Order to Observe the Voluntary Fasting Days Throughout the Year?
There is no prescribed order. A Muslim may fast any combination of voluntary days — Mondays, Thursdays, White Days, Arafah, Ashura, and Shawwal — in whichever way fits their capacity. Consistency is more valued in Islamic scholarship than volume; a modest sustainable practice is preferable to intense fasting that cannot be maintained.
Does Missing a Voluntary Fast Require Any Expiation?
No. Missing a voluntary fast does not require expiation (kaffarah) or a makeup (qada), because it was never obligatory. The Muslim simply loses that day’s reward. However, if a voluntary fast was broken intentionally after beginning it, the majority of scholars recommend completing it as a matter of discipline and good manners in worship.
Is Fasting Every Monday and Thursday Too Demanding for a Beginner?
For many beginners, fasting both Monday and Thursday every week may feel demanding initially. Scholars advise starting with one day per week and building gradually. The Prophet ﷺ advised consistency over intensity — fasting one day reliably throughout the year is more beloved to Allah than fasting intensely for a period then stopping. Begin with what is sustainable and increase Insha’Allah.
