Besides Ramadan, the Prophet ﷺ encouraged several voluntary fasts. Here they are with their references.
| Fast | When | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ayyam al-Bid ("white days") | 13th, 14th and 15th of every Hijri month | Jami' at-Tirmidhi 761 |
| Monday | Every Monday — the day the Prophet ﷺ was born | Sahih Muslim 1162 |
| Monday & Thursday | Deeds are presented to Allah on these days | Jami' at-Tirmidhi 747 |
| Day of Arafah | 9 Dhul Hijjah (for those not on Hajj) — expiates two years | Sahih Muslim 1162 |
| Ashura | 10 Muharram, with the 9th — expiates the past year | Sahih Muslim 1162, 1134 |
| Six days of Shawwal | Any six days after Eid al-Fitr — like fasting the whole year | Sahih Muslim 1164 |
| First 9 days of Dhul Hijjah | The best days for good deeds | Sahih al-Bukhari 969 |
Days you must not fast
- Eid al-Fitr (1 Shawwal) and Eid al-Adha (10 Dhul Hijjah).
- The days of Tashreeq (11, 12, 13 Dhul Hijjah) — "days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah" (Sahih Muslim 1141).
So in Dhul Hijjah the white-day fast is kept on the 14th and 15th only.
The Hijri date and moon sighting
Sunnah fasts follow the Hijri calendar, which starts with the new moon. Calculated calendars can differ by a day from local moon sighting (in India the date is often one day behind Saudi Arabia), so follow your local announcement.
Get reminded
Miftah has a free Islamic calendar that marks all of these days, lets you adjust the Hijri date by ±2 days for your area, and can remind you the evening before so you can make the intention and set a sehri alarm. Monday/Thursday reminders are optional, and a Friday reminder for Surah al-Kahf and durood is included.
