for his offence. Abū Hurairah was, however, of opinion that the act of not fasting for one day in Ramadzān cannot be expiated, even if the man fasts all his life; others (Sha‘bī, Ibn Jubair, Qatāda, etc.) have held that the expiation for not fasting for one day is simply one day’s fast to be kept afterwards (Bu. 30:29).

Compensatory fasts

Fasting is also mentioned as being resorted to by way of effecting redemption (fidya), that is to say, as a compensation for not being able to do some act. Thus in the case of pilgrims who, for some reason, cannot observe fully the requirements of iḥrām, compensatory fasting (for three days) is mentioned as an alternative to giving away something in charity and sacrificing an animal (2:196); and in the case of pilgrims who may in combining ‘umra with ḥajj (tamattu‘) get out of the condition of iḥrām in the interval between the two, three days’ fasting during the pilgrimage and seven days’ after returning from the pilgrimage (2:196).

Fasting in fulfilment of a vow

An instance of a vow to take a fast is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān where Mary the mother of Jesus says: “Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent God, so I shall not speak to any man today” (19:26). This however appears to be only a fast to keep silent and not talk with any person; a similar fast of silence is spoken of in the case of Zacharias: “Thy sign is that thou shouldst not speak to men for three days except by signs, and remember thy Lord much and glorify Him in the evening and the morning” (3:41). The case of Zacharias shows that the object of the fast of silence was the remembrance of God. From certain ḥadīth it appears that if one has vowed to keep a fast, the vow must be fulfilled (Bu. 30:42), while in one report it is stated that a woman came to the Holy Prophet and spoke of her mother who died; and she had taken a vow to fast for a certain number of days and the Holy Prophet told her to fulfil the vow (ibid.). But there is no ḥadīth recommending the taking of such vows.

Limits of the fast

The limits of a fast are clearly laid down in the Holy Qur’ān: “And