Voluntary Fasting in Islam: The Sunnah Fasts That Transform You

Ramadan is the beginning, not the destination. The greatest Islamic scholars — those who spent their lives closest to the deen — treated voluntary fasting not as an extra burden but as one of the most effective tools they had.

Effective at what? At training the nafs. At disrupting the comfortable patterns of desire. At putting the body in a state where the soul gets to lead.

If Ramadan gave you a taste of that, voluntary fasting is how you keep it going the rest of the year.

What Voluntary Fasting Actually Does

Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi:

وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ

Wa ma yazalu 'abdi yataqarrabu ilayya bin-nawafili hatta uhibbahu

"My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts until I love him."

— (Sahih Bukhari 6502)

Fasting is specifically mentioned in the Sunnah as a shield — a word that implies active, ongoing protection. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Fasting is a shield, and whoever of you is fasting should not behave obscenely or ignorantly." (Sahih Bukhari 1894)

A shield is not passive. It is something you actively hold up. And like any skill, holding it consistently requires practice beyond the one obligatory month.

Why Modern Muslims Struggle With This

The challenge with voluntary fasting is that it asks something of you when nothing external is asking. During Ramadan, the environment helps — everyone around you is fasting, the atmosphere shifts, the schedule adjusts. On a random Monday in February, you are the only one in your office not eating lunch.

This is precisely where the nafs operates. "One day will not make a difference." "I am already tired." "I will start next week." These are not lies exactly — they are the nafs doing exactly what it does: finding the path of least resistance.

The believers who built the voluntary fasting habit did so by refusing to negotiate with that voice. They decided in advance, not in the moment.

The Major Voluntary Fasts and Their Rewards

Mondays and Thursdays

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Deeds are presented to Allah on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting." (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 747)

He also noted that Monday is the day he was born and the day revelation began — making it a day of special significance. These two days are perhaps the easiest entry point into voluntary fasting: they come every week, they create a regular rhythm, and the reward is directly tied to how your actions appear before Allah.

See fasting on Monday and Thursday for a dedicated guide.

The Three White Days

The Prophet ﷺ advised: "If you fast any part of the month, then fast the 13th, 14th, and 15th." (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 761)

These are the nights of the full moon. Three consecutive days every lunar month — twelve times a year — is the equivalent of fasting the entire year, because a good deed is multiplied by ten. This is the mathematical shortcut the Prophet ﷺ was offering. See white days fasting for the full guide.

The Day of Arafah

"It expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year." (Sahih Muslim 1162)

For those not performing Hajj, fasting the 9th of Dhul Hijjah is one of the most powerful single-day acts of worship available. Two years of sins expiated by one day of hunger and devotion. See day of arafah fasting for context and preparation.

The Day of Ashura

Fasting on the 10th of Muharram, with the 9th or 11th added to distinguish from Jewish practice, expiates the sins of the previous year. The Prophet ﷺ himself fasted this day when he arrived in Madinah and found the Jews fasting it to commemorate Musa's rescue from Pharaoh. He said: "We have more right to Musa than you." (Sahih Bukhari 2004)

Six Days of Shawwal

"Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted the entire year." (Sahih Muslim 1164)

These six days, any time in the month after Eid, complete the full-year reward. See six fasts of Shawwal for the full breakdown.

How to Make Voluntary Fasting a Daily Life Habit

The biggest mistake people make with voluntary fasting is treating it as an emergency measure — something they pull out when they feel spiritually low. That approach means you fast once, feel good, and then do not return for months.

Here is how to actually build the habit:

Start with one day per week, not two. Monday fasting consistently for a month is better than Monday-Thursday fasting for one week and then stopping. The habit must be stable before it expands.

Make the decision the night before. Do not decide to fast on a Monday morning when you smell coffee. Decide Sunday evening. Form the intention then. Wake up for suhoor if you can — even a glass of water counts as suhoor and receives the Prophetic blessing: "Eat suhoor, for in it there is blessing." (Sahih Bukhari 1923)

Tell your nafs you are not negotiating. The moment you start reasoning with the nafs about whether this particular Monday is a good day, you have already lost. The Sunnah days are decided in advance. The nafs does not get a vote.

Track your fasts. When you can see a streak of Monday fasts on paper or a screen, breaking it has a cost your nafs can feel. Use this psychology in your favor.

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Signs of Progress

Progress in voluntary fasting is not dramatic. You will not suddenly feel like a saint. But over months you will notice:

• Hunger becomes familiar, not an emergency
• You begin to associate discomfort with reward rather than suffering
• The days you fast become days of unusual clarity and ease in worship
• You feel the difference between days you fasted and days you did not — and you prefer the fasted days

This is the nafs learning to cooperate with the soul, rather than fighting it.

Common Questions

Do I have to tell people I am fasting?

No. The Prophet ﷺ specifically praised the person who fasts quietly, as it protects the sincerity of the intention. You can decline food without announcing your fast if you prefer.

Can I fast if I am traveling?

You are permitted to break your voluntary fast during travel without any obligation to make it up. But if the journey is easy and you choose to fast, you may. It is your choice.

What is the difference between voluntary fasting and the white days fasting?

The white days are a specific type of voluntary fasting on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of each lunar month. All voluntary fasting falls under the broader category of sawm nafl. The white days, Mondays and Thursdays, Arafah, and Ashura are all different types with their own specific evidence and rewards.

Closing — The Nafs You Train in Private

Nobody is watching when you skip lunch on a Monday. No social pressure, no community reinforcement, no schedule that forces it. That is exactly why it matters so much.

Every voluntary fast is a private declaration between you and Allah: I am choosing Him over the comfort my nafs wants right now. Repeated enough times, that choice becomes character.

And character is what carries you when everything else fails.

Start Your First Voluntary Fast This Monday

Join thousands of Muslims using DeenBack to track their voluntary fasts, build consistent Islamic habits, and deepen their connection with Allah.

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