7/53. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 1761 — Voluntary Fasting with Permission
A woman who fasts without the permission of her husband
Hadith About Fasting Without Husband Permission
Sunan Ibn Majah : 1761
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 1761
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " لاَ تَصُومُ الْمَرْأَةُ وَزَوْجُهَا شَاهِدٌ يَوْمًا مِنْ غَيْرِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “When her husband is present, no woman should fast any day apart from the month of Ramadan without his permission.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 1761In-book reference : Book 7, Hadith 124English translation : Vol. 1, Book 7, Hadith 1761
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 1761
This hadith about fasting without husband permission teaches a clear point about voluntary fasting outside Ramadan. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that when a woman’s husband is present, she should not fast any day apart from Ramadan without his permission. The text focuses on non-Ramadan fasting, so the main lesson is about voluntary fasts, not the required fasts of Ramadan. It shows that worship should be practiced with awareness of family rights and responsibilities. The hadith does not lower the value of fasting. Rather, it places voluntary fasting within the balance of married life. A believer should love worship, but also avoid causing avoidable difficulty in the home.
What we learn from this hadith
- Voluntary fasting outside Ramadan should be done with care for family rights.
- The hadith specifically mentions the case when the husband is present.
- Ramadan fasting is treated separately from optional fasting in this narration.
- Worship should be balanced with duties toward people close to us.
