Voluntary Fasting Days in Islam You Should Know

Many Muslims treat fasting as a Ramadan-only practice — and miss an entire year of extraordinary rewards. Voluntary fasting days in Islam are one of the most spiritually powerful yet consistently overlooked acts of worship, offering forgiveness, closeness to Allah, and rewards that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, described in vivid and specific terms.

This guide covers every established category of voluntary fasting in Islam — the days, the hadith evidence behind each, the rewards, and the days when fasting is completely forbidden. Every Muslim who wants to maintain the spiritual momentum of Ramadan throughout the year will find exactly what they need here.

1- Voluntary Fasting Builds on Ramadan’s Foundation

Ramadan is the obligatory pillar, but voluntary fasting days in Islam serve as the bridge that keeps its spiritual momentum alive throughout the year. Classical scholars have consistently described nafl fasting as the act that prevents the heart from reverting to its pre-Ramadan state. 

Without it, the discipline, consciousness of Allah, and control over the nafs built in Ramadan diminish steadily within weeks of Eid. The theological basis for voluntary worship is rooted in a well-known sacred hadith that the Prophet, peace be upon him, conveyed from Allah:

“«مَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي بِشَىْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَىَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ»” 

 “My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him.” 

Sahih Al-Bukhari: 6502

Voluntary fasting is among the most intimate of all nafl acts because it is the only worship Allah described as belonging exclusively to Him. This alone sets it apart from every other voluntary deed a Muslim can perform.

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2- Mondays and Thursdays Are the Most Consistent Sunnah Fast

The most established weekly voluntary fasting days in Islam are Monday and Thursday. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, observed these fasts with remarkable consistency — and when asked about them, he gave two distinct and complementary reasons that make these the most well-supported voluntary fasts in the entire Sunnah.

The fasting on Monday and Thursday hadith that explains the first reason is:

“”«تُعْرَضُ الأَعْمَالُ يَوْمَ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَالْخَمِيسِ فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُعْرَضَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ ‏»”

“Tu’radu al-a’malu yawma al-ithnayn wal-khamis, fa uhibbu an yu’rada amali wa ana sa’im.” 

“Deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting”

 Jami` at-Tirmidhi: 747

The second reason connects Monday specifically to the Prophet’s own birth and the beginning of revelation — making it a day of special significance in Islamic history. When asked about fasting on Monday, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I received revelations.” This is recorded in Sahih Muslim.

The fasting on Monday and Thursday hadith tradition also establishes that Allah forgives every Muslim on these two days of presentation — with the only exception being those who are in a state of mutual boycott and estrangement. 

This divine forgiveness is tied directly to the day itself, making these fasts an opportunity for spiritual cleansing that repeats every single week.

3- Fasting Six Days of Shawwal Completes the Year’s Reward

Among all voluntary fasting days in Islam, fasting 6 days of Shawwal stands out for the magnitude of its reward relative to the effort required. Observed in the month immediately following Ramadan, these six days combine with the thirty days of Ramadan to produce a reward equivalent to fasting an entire year — based on the principle that each good deed is multiplied tenfold. 

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, confirmed this reward in an authentic hadith:

“مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ سِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ كَانَ كَصِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ” .

“He who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal. it would be as if he fasted perpetually. 

Sahih Muslim: 1164

The following table compares the three main approaches scholars discuss for fasting 6 days of Shawwal:

Approach	Method	Scholarly Ruling
Consecutive days	Fast six days back-to-back starting from the 2nd of Shawwal	Preferred by Hanafi and Shafi’i scholars
Spread across the month	Fast any six days throughout Shawwal	Valid and permissible by scholarly consensus
Combined with makeup days	Fast makeup days first, then Shawwal days	Required if a person has outstanding Ramadan makeup days

One important ruling scholars emphasize: a person who has outstanding makeup fasts from Ramadan must complete those first before fasting 6 days of Shawwal voluntarily. The obligation takes priority over the recommended act.

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4- White Days Fasting Islam Recommends Every Single Month

White days fasting Islam refers to the practice of fasting on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every lunar month — the days during which the full moon illuminates the night sky. These three days carry a consistent monthly reward that scholars have placed among the most reliable and sustainable voluntary fasting routines in the entire Sunnah.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, commanded this practice directly:

“إِذَا صُمْتَ شَيْئًا مِنَ الشَّهْرِ فَصُمْ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ وَأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ وَخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ”. 

“if you want to fast at any time during the monthm then fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.” 

Sunan Al-Nasa’i: 2424

Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet gave him three personal recommendations he committed to maintaining until death — and white days fasting was one of them, alongside two units of duha prayer and sleeping after witr. This narration in Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim demonstrates that white days fasting was not a casual recommendation but a consistent personal practice the Prophet valued enough to personally counsel his companions to maintain for life.

The reward of white days fasting Islam grants — equivalent to fasting the entire month — is based on the multiplication of each good deed tenfold. Three days multiplied by ten gives thirty, which equals a complete lunar month. 

Repeated every month, this practice produces the reward of year-round fasting without the physical difficulty of actual continuous abstention.

5- The Day of Arafah Earns the Greatest Single-Day Reward

Among all individual voluntary fasting days in Islam, the Day of Arafah — the 9th of Dhul Hijjah — produces the single greatest reward available to Muslims who are not performing Hajj that year. Its reward is not just expiation for the current year but extends backward and forward simultaneously, covering two full years of sins.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, established this reward explicitly:

“صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ وَالسَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَعْدَهُ”  

“Fasting on the Day of Arafah, I hope that Allah will expiate thereby the sins of the year before it and the year after it.” 

An important ruling scholars have established: the Day of Arafah fast is specifically recommended for those who are not performing Hajj that year. A pilgrim standing at Arafah on that day should not fast, because the Prophet, peace be upon him, was not fasting when he performed the farewell Hajj, and because fasting might weaken the pilgrim for the essential acts of worship required at Arafah itself.

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6- Ashura and Tasu’a Carry Their Own Distinct Category of Expiation

The 10th of Muharram, known as Ashura, is among the most historically significant voluntary fasting days in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, found the People of the Book fasting this day when he arrived in Madinah — and was told they were honoring the day Allah saved Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, and his people from Pharaoh. The Prophet responded by having an even greater right to honor Musa, and he fasted and commanded the Muslims to fast.

The reward for fasting Ashura is established in a direct prophetic statement:

“صِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ”  

“Fasting on the Day of Ashura, I hope that Allah will expiate thereby the sins of the year before it.” 

To distinguish Muslim practice from that of the Jews who also fasted on this day, the Prophet, peace be upon him, intended to add the 9th of Muharram — known as Tasu’a — to the fast. His death came before the following year, but scholars unanimously recommend fasting both the 9th and 10th together. The three levels of observing Ashura fasting that scholars have established are:

• Fasting the 9th, 10th, and 11th of Muharram together.
• Fasting the 9th and 10th together — the most strongly recommended combination.
• Fasting only the 10th — valid but less complete than the above.

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7- The First Nine Days of Dhul Hijjah Are Among the Best for Fasting

The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are described in an authentic hadith as the days most beloved to Allah for righteous deeds. Fasting during the first nine of these days — since the 10th is Eid al-Adha when fasting is forbidden — is a practice scholars strongly recommend, particularly for Muslims who are not performing Hajj that year.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, identified these days as uniquely beloved:

“«مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ الْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ فِيهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَيَّامِ»” 

“There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days.”

The companions asked whether even jihad in the path of Allah does not compare, and the Prophet confirmed that even jihad does not surpass the value of righteous deeds performed in these specific days — with the sole exception of a man who gives his life and his wealth entirely in the path of Allah. Fasting during these days is therefore among the most highly rewarded acts a Muslim can perform for the spiritual value of the time itself.

8- Certain Days Are Completely Forbidden for Fasting

Every Muslim who observes voluntary fasting days in Islam must also know the days on which fasting is absolutely prohibited. Fasting on these days is not merely discouraged — it is haram, and a fast observed on any of them is invalid regardless of the intention behind it.

The five days forbidden for fasting are:

• Eid al-Fitr — the 1st of Shawwal, the day of breaking the Ramadan fast.
• Eid al-Adha — the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, the day of the sacrifice.
• The three days of Tashreeq — the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul Hijjah.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, prohibited fasting on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha explicitly, as narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri and recorded in both Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. The days of Tashreeq are days of eating, drinking, and remembering Allah — and the Prophet described them this way explicitly. The only exception for fasting on Tashreeq days applies to a Hajj pilgrim performing Hajj Tamattu’ who cannot find an animal to sacrifice and has no other option.

The following table summarizes all established voluntary fasting days alongside the forbidden days for clarity:

Category	Days	Reward
Mondays and Thursdays	Weekly	Deeds presented to Allah while fasting
White Days	13th, 14th, 15th of every lunar month	Equivalent to fasting the full month
Six days of Shawwal	Any 6 days in Shawwal	Equivalent to fasting the full year
Day of Arafah	9th of Dhul Hijjah	Expiation of two years of sins
Ashura	9th and 10th of Muharram	Expiation of one year of sins
First nine of Dhul Hijjah	1st to 9th of Dhul Hijjah	Most beloved days for all righteous deeds
Eid al-Fitr	1st of Shawwal	Forbidden — fasting is haram
Eid al-Adha	10th of Dhul Hijjah	Forbidden — fasting is haram
Days of Tashreeq	11th, 12th, 13th of Dhul Hijjah	Forbidden — except Hajj Tamattu’ exception

9- The Alternating Day Fast Carries the Highest Daily Status

Among all voluntary fasting days in Islam, the alternating day fast — fasting one day and breaking the fast the next — holds the highest status in the hadith literature. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, described it as the most beloved fast to Allah among all voluntary fasting patterns.

This fast is known as the fast of Prophet Dawud, peace be upon him, and its superiority is recorded in an authentic statement:

“أَحَبُّ الصَّلاَةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صَلاَةُ دَاوُدَ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ وَأَحَبُّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ، وَكَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ، وَيَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا” 

 “The most beloved prayer to Allah is that of David and the most beloved fasts to Allah are those of David. He used to sleep for half of the night and then pray for one third of the night and again sleep for its sixth part and used to fast on alternate days.” 

Sahih Al-Bukhari: 1131

The Prophet explicitly warned that this fast should not be taken on by those whose health, family responsibilities, or work cannot accommodate it. The companion who declared he would fast every single day without break was corrected by the Prophet — “There is no fast for one who fasts forever.” Sustainability in voluntary fasting is a principle the Sunnah has built directly into its guidance on this topic.

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10- Sha’ban Is the Most Overlooked Month for Voluntary Fasting

Among all voluntary fasting days in Islam, the month of Sha’ban stands out as the most consistently overlooked. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, fasted more in Sha’ban than in any month other than Ramadan — yet he specifically noted that people tend to neglect this month precisely because it falls between the sacred month of Rajab and the obligatory fasting of Ramadan.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, observed this pattern directly and reported it:

“فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ‏” 

I never saw Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan, and did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha’ban.

 Sahih Al-Bukhari: 1969

The Prophet explained this practice by noting that Sha’ban is the month in which deeds are raised to Allah — and he loved that his deeds be raised while he was fasting. Sha’ban therefore serves a dual function: it is both a period of elevated spiritual presentation before Allah and a natural ramp-up for the body and soul before the obligatory fasting of Ramadan begins.

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Conclusion

Voluntary fasting days in Islam offer every Muslim an extraordinary opportunity to earn rewards, seek forgiveness, and maintain the spiritual state of Ramadan across the entire year. From weekly Mondays and Thursdays to the annual Day of Arafah, each category is supported by authentic hadith and carries rewards the Prophet described in specific and powerful terms. Begin with one day this week — and build from there.

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