The Virtue of Fasting Monday Thursday and Its Benefits – In Islam, there is a pillar of Islam which is a requirement for a Muslim to be perfect in religion. There are five pillars of Islam, including the creed, prayer, fasting, zakat and pilgrimage. Fasting is a pillar of Islam which ranks number three.
There are two types of fasting, namely obligatory fasting and sunnah fasting. Compulsory fasting is fasting that must be carried out by all Muslims, but there is a note for a Muslim who is allowed not to fast. Obligatory fasting in Islam is fasting in the month of Ramadan.
A. Understanding the Meaning of Fasting
Meanwhile, sunnah fasting is fasting which if carried out by a Muslim will get a reward, but if he does not carry it out it will not have any impact. There are many sunnah fasts in Islam, the fasts that the Prophet Muhammad had done except the month of Ramadan are counted as sunnah fasts.
Some of the sunnah fasts that have been agreed upon by the majority of Islamic scholars are the fasting of David, the fasting of Shawwal, the fasting of the month of Rajab, and the fasting of Monday and Thursday. Well, usually a Muslim is more likely to fast on Mondays and Thursdays because of the convenience and many benefits. Apart from that, fasting every week is a form of devotion to Allah SWT.
Fasting is worship that is directly related to Allah. The following is a hadith about the privilege of fasting, a hadith that reads:
“Every good deed done by humans will be multiplied by ten similar good deeds up to seven hundred times. Allah Ta’ala says (which means), “Except the practice of fasting. The practice of fasting is for Me. I’ll personally respond. Because he has left lust and food for My sake. For people who fast will get two happiness namely happiness when he breaks his fast and happiness when he meets his Lord. Indeed, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is more fragrant in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk oil.” (HR. Muslim)
According to the hadith above, it can be taken to mean that this practice of fasting is a special practice. That is because the reward of the fasting person is rewarded directly by Allah. As the hadith explained above, there are many benefits of fasting, one of which is the practice of sunnah fasting. Monday-Thursday fasting is included in the sunnah fasting practices that the Prophet Muhammad liked. That is what makes many Muslims carry out fasting on Mondays and Thursdays in their daily life.
As the name suggests, Monday-Thursday fasting is a sunnah fasting practice that can be carried out on Mondays and Thursdays. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is almost the same as fasting in general. Monday-Thursday fasting can be carried out from sunrise or the time of imsak’ until sunset or the evening call to prayer. The difference between Monday and Thursday fasting with other fasts is the intention, privileges and spiritual and physical benefits given.
B. The Virtue of Fasting Monday Thursday
Monday and Thursday fasting and other sunnah fasts have their own virtues. However, more specifically for Monday and Thursday fasting, there are several hadiths indicating the virtue of fasting two days in one week.
From Abu Qatadah ra, Rasulullah SAW was asked about fasting on Monday. Then the Apostle replied: “Monday is my birthday, the day I was sent or the day the revelation began.” (HR. Muslim)
Furthermore, in another hadith also explains: “From Abi Hurairah ra, Rasulullah SAW said: “All charities are paid on Mondays and Thursdays, so I prefer when depositing these charities in a state of fasting.” (HR. Turmudzi)
Based on the two hadiths mentioned above, one can understand the meaning of the priority of fasting on Monday and Thursday. Therefore, these two days have such extraordinary features that the Prophet fasted so that he would be pleased and blessed by Allah.
Apart from that, there are also several privileges and abundant rewards given by Allah directly to Muslims or Muslim women who are able to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. The following are the virtues of fasting Monday and Thursday, including:
1. The Opening of Heaven’s Doors
In a hadith which explains the virtues of fasting on Monday and Thursday, it reads: “The gates of Heaven are opened on Monday and Thursday. So all the servants who do not associate partners with Allah with anything will have their sins forgiven, except for someone who has enmity between him and his brother. Then it was said, ‘Delay the forgiveness of these two people until the two reconcile, postpone the forgiveness of these two until the two reconcile, postpone the forgiveness of these two until the two reconcile.” (HR. Muslim)
According to the hadith above, the intention can be taken regarding the explanation of several things, first, Allah has opened the doors of heaven on Mondays and Thursdays. Therefore, whoever of his servants does not associate partners with Allah, his sins will be forgiven.
But also, Allah will not grant forgiveness of sins to Muslims or Muslim women who are at enmity with their brothers until the two of them can reconcile. Because according to the previous explanation that Monday and Thursday are the days when Heaven’s doors are opened. Therefore, it is appropriate for a Muslim or Muslimah to use this moment to do good deeds so as to avoid actions and feelings that have the potential to associate partners with Allah.
2. Collecting Human Practices
It is God’s decree that as long as humans are alive they will be examined. Where the day of calculating human deeds will be carried out on Mondays and Thursdays. This has the intention that as long as humans live on Earth, there are angels Munkar and Nakir who will record all human actions and will deposit the results of these notes to Allah on these two special days.
In the inspection process, a Muslim and a Muslim woman will record their good deeds. As long as they do good, all their sins will be erased or forgiven. However, such forgiveness does not apply to a hostile servant.
“Human deeds are examined before Allah twice a week, namely on Mondays and Thursdays. Then all the believing servants have their sins forgiven, except for a servant who has enmity between him and his brother…” (HR. Muslim)
3. Monday and Thursday Become the Important Day of the Prophet
Apart from the privileges explained above about Monday and Thursday, there are still many features about these two days which have a strong relationship with the Prophet. The following is a hadith about the privilege of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays for the Prophet:
“From Abu Qatadah ra, who actually said Rasulullah SAW was asked about fasting on Monday. So the Apostle replied: “Monday is my birthday, the day I was sent or the day the revelation began.” (HR. Muslim)
While the privilege that Thursday has is through Ka’ab bin Malik Radhiyallahu anhu who says that:
“The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam went out on Thursday in the battle of Tabuk, and (indeed) he liked to go out (to travel) on Thursday.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Based on the two hadiths about the privileges of Monday and Thursday, it can be concluded that these two days are important days for the Prophet. Where Monday is the day the Apostle was born, the day the Apostle was sent to be a prophet, and the first day when the Apostle received his first revelation.
It is very natural that Monday is very special so that it is sunnah for a Muslim to fast. It’s the same with Thursdays, where the Apostle often travels on Thursdays.
C. Benefits of Fasting Monday and Thursday
The benefits that you can get from fasting every Monday and Thursday are not only that, there are many more benefits that can be felt when a Muslim and Muslim woman are able to fast on Mondays and Thursdays regularly every week.
So, here are the benefits of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays regularly, including:
1. Become Your Self Shield
First, sunnah fasting has benefits that can be a shield or protector for someone who runs it. It is a common thing, that by holding back eating and drinking someone who is fasting becomes more patient and strong to hold back his passions.
Fasting can also be part of training the soul strength of a Muslim and Muslim woman both spiritually and physically. If someone can fast every week on Mondays and Thursdays, he will be trained and used to avoid actions and feelings that could potentially become sins or reduce his charity.
2. Avoid Satan’s Temptations and Lust
Second, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays can be beneficial so that one can avoid the temptations of Satan and lust. Basically, Satan is the main enemy of a human. Satan is a creature created by God who has the duty to tempt humans to associate partners with God and not practice all the true teachings.
In addition, Satan is a creature that makes humans unable to control their passions. As a creature with lust, the duty of a human being is to manage his passions so that he can worship Allah to the fullest and not fall into the abyss of immorality and sin.
Well, one of the benefits for people who fast on Mondays and Thursdays is to ward off all forms of satanic temptations to arouse lust. In fact, when carrying out fasting a Muslim and Muslimah are required to withhold anything that has the potential to break the fast. As a Muslim and Muslimah, we are commanded to be more patient and able to control our passions so that we do not fall into sin and disobedience.
3. Practicing Discipline
Third, carrying out fasting on Mondays and Thursdays can make a Muslim and Muslimah must be accustomed to acting disciplined in acting and always being introspective so as to avoid anything that brings badness. The reason is, Allah knows all forms of human actions, both through actions that are visible to actions that are not visible. Therefore, a Muslim and a Muslim woman need to get used to discipline to avoid immoral acts and avoid all prejudices.
Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is very beneficial for you to get used to the discipline of holding back your passions and cleansing your feelings of envy, jealousy, and so on. In carrying out this fast, a Muslim and Muslim woman will spend their time in worship such as praying on time and in congregation, reading the Koran, listening to Islamic studies, and being disciplined to always carry out all good deeds and be blessed by Allah SWT.
4. Adding Practice
Fourth, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays can encourage a Muslim and Muslim woman to improve the quality of their worship to Allah. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is actually a way to get closer to Allah. That is what makes people who fast have the desire to always add to every good deed, both when fasting and when not fasting.
In fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, Muslims can read more istighfar, recite the Koran in their free time, carry out sunnah prayers such as dhuha, qabla, to ba’da, followed by dhikr and other good deeds. This is done as an effort to increase merit and avoid sins and erase previous sins.
5. Forms of Gratitude
Fifth, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays can make a Muslim or Muslimah more grateful for everything that God has given him. The main attitude of fasting is self-restraint or lust. This is what ultimately makes it easier for a Muslim or Muslim woman who observes fasting to be grateful for the favors that are usually less grateful for. In fact, Allah has given many favors and gifts in life, it’s just that because of human envy and envy, humans often forget the favors and gifts for themselves.
Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is also an expression of gratitude and gratitude to Allah. By fasting, a Muslim or Muslim woman can also realize that there are still many people out there who are hungry every day and are in great distress. Therefore, apart from fasting, a Muslim or Muslim woman can help each other.
6. Good for Health
Finally, the benefit of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays that a Muslim or Muslim woman can get is optimal health. Fasting is a way of treatment for people who experience health problems. By reducing eating and drinking and keeping feelings positive, humans can automatically have good health. Fasting can prevent humans from overeating. Therefore, fasting is a solution for those who have unhealthy bodies to adopt a lifestyle of eating only in moderation.
In addition, the benefits of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays which are good for health can be a natural detox for the human digestive system. When someone is fasting, it makes the human digestive system rest so it can work optimally when used.
Not only that, fasting can also be used to lower high blood pressure. High blood pressure has the potential to be a cause of heart disease. Therefore, fasting keeps emotions and can make emotions more stable.
Actually, the virtues and benefits of fasting Monday and Thursday are very much. What’s more, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is classified as light fasting and of course it’s easier for anyone to do.