Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 346

Prohibition of Extending Fast beyond one Day

باب تحريم الوصال في الصوم وهو أن يصوم يومين أو أكثر، ولا يأكل ولا يشرب بينهما

This chapter addresses al-wisal, the practice of joining one fast to the next without eating or drinking in between. The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade it for his community, not to make worship lighter, but out of mercy for the body that the soul is meant to travel in.

The lesson here is about the spirit of sustainable devotion. Islam asks for steady, lifelong worship rather than feats of endurance that wear a person down. Notice in the second hadith how the Prophet (peace be upon him) sets his own state apart from ours, a reminder that he was sustained in a way no one else can claim.

Hadith 1764

Abu Hurairah and 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with them) said:

Aisha bint Abu Bakr's story

عن أبي هريرة وعائشة رضي الله عنهما أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن الوصال‏.‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited observing continuous voluntary fasts beyond one day. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

The Prophet forbade joining voluntary fasts together without breaking them, going beyond a single day. It is a mercy that spares the body and favours steady worship.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1764 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 254

Hadith 1765

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said:

Abdullah ibn Umar's story

وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال‏:‏ نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الوصال‏.‏ قالوا ‏:‏إنك تواصل‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ ‏ "‏إني لست مثلكم، إني أُطعم وأُسقى‏" ‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏ ، وهذا لفظ البخاري‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited observing continuous fasts beyond one day. The Companions submitted: "But you do it." He replied, "I am not like you. I am given to eat and to drink (from Allah)." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

When the Companions noted that the Prophet himself fasted continuously, he replied that he was not like them, for he was sustained by his Lord in a way they were not. He set his own state apart from what he asked of them.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1765 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 255