Fasting the Three Holy Months

Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh, Auzu Billahi Minashaytanir Rajeem. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, Wassalatu Wassalamu ala Rasulina Muhammadin Sayyidul Awwalin wal Akhirin, Madad Ya Rasulallah, Madad Ya As’habi RasuLillah, Madad Ya Mashayikhina, Sheykh Abdullah Daghestani, Sheykh Nazim al-Haqqani. Dastur. Tariqatunas sohba, wal khayru fil jamiyya.

The Three Months are approaching and some brothers and sisters are asking us whether they can fast these upcoming Three Months. There is permission for those who want to fast, it is a good and beautiful custom, it is a Sunnah of our Holy Prophet ﷺ. Some fast it all, some fast some of it, but those who want to fast may do it. Days are neither too long nor too short, they’re of medium length. The weather is neither too hot nor too cold so it is appropriate and good times to fast.

However, what is more of an important matter is that those who are born as Muslims then reach puberty and do not fast in Ramadan, there are some who do not, need to make it up (Qada'). But before they make it up (Qada'), there’s the Kaffarah (penance) fasting that is done one time. Even if a person hasn’t fasted all their life, the Kaffarah (penance) fasting is for two months straight, without a gap, for men. For ladies it’s different, they have their own excuses, and out of necessity they have to give a break.

So the Kaffarah (penance) fasting is 60 days without giving a break. Some months are 29 days while others are 30 days. But after the 60th day [of the the Kaffarah (penance) fasting] is done, you start the Qada' (makeup) fasting. You could do the the Qada' (makeup) fasting slowly, you don’t have to do it all at once. People can make the Qada' (makeup) fasting all together or one by one whenever they like, but what’s important is the Kaffarah (penance) fasting that needs to be done in two months straight. And one can do that within these upcoming Three Holy Months, that is more important. If you make the intention for the Kaffarah (penance) fasting, then you gain more rewards for it.

For those who would like to start, Rajab enters on Saturday, and it might be 59 or 60 days until Ramadan, we’re not exactly sure. So if they’re going to do the Kaffarah (penance) fasting, it is best to start either Tomorrow (Thursday 11) or the day after (Friday 12) so they can complete the 60 days before Ramadan. Ramadan is Fard (obligatory), it doesn’t count as Kaffarah (penance) or Qada' (makeup).

This is all for those who are Muslim by birth. But for those who became Muslim later, there’s no Kaffarah (penance) fasting for them because when they become Muslim all of their past sins are forgiven and they are responsible for their worships from that point on; they’re not responsible for anything before that. Yet if after becoming Muslim they also don’t fast a day of Ramadan, then they have to do the Kaffarah (penance) as well. So whatever they don’t fast in Ramadan after becoming Muslim, they’re responsible for it with the Kaffarah (penance) fasting. But whatever is before that [before becoming Muslim], there’s no Kaffarah (penance) for it. Even if a person didn’t fast for one day there’s a Kaffarah (penance) fasting for it, and if he didn’t fast for 100 days, again the Kaffarah (penance) fasting is the same (60 days). But following the Kaffarah (penance) fasting, if they don’t fast the obligatory again, they have to do the Kaffarah (penance) fasting again.

So these Three Months are an opportunity for those who would like to fast. You can make the intention to fast the upcoming Three Holy Months as the Kaffarah (penance) and so you would be gaining the reward for that [Kaffarah] and the reward of these Three Months. Also it would be counted as having obeyed the law and made it up (Qada'), and that is the great reward. May Allah ﷻ accept it. May we be successful and may it be blessed and with Barakah insha’Allah.

Wa Minallah at-Tawfeeq. Al-Fatiha.

Hazrat Shaykh Muhammad Mehmet ar-Rabbani 10 February 2021/28 Jumada al-Akhir 1442 Sabah Namaz, Akbaba Dargah