16 Syed fasting
Question
As salam u alaikumimaamsaab, In sha Allah hope this mail finds you well. My question is regarding the 16 syed fasting popular in indian subcontinent. The ritual goes as follows, If you need something and you desire that allah accepts your desires, you do 16 syedfasting, one fast each month for 16 months and by the end of 16 months your desire will be fulfilled. Before breaking each fast you are supposed to recite a story and break the fast. Request you to kindly advice on the authenticity of the same in light of Sunnah and the hadith of our beloved prophet Muhammad (pbuh). As salam u alaikum
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Brother,
The ritual of “16 Syed fasting” which you explain has no basis in Shariah.[i]Shariah has outlined ample ways for one to ask Allah to fulfil his needs and desires. Consider the following ayah:
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ} [البقرة: 186]}
Translation: “If My slaves ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me. They should therefore respond to Me and believe in Me so that hopefully they will be rightly guided” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 186)
From the aforementioned verse, it is clear that if one is in need or desires anything, then one should turn to Allah in humility and make sincere Du’a. Another method one may also act upon is to perform Salah Al-Hajah which is to offer two Rak’ats of optional salah (Nafl) with the intention of fulfilling ones needs.He may follow these two Rak’ats with a Du’a, asking Allah for anything he needs.
سنن النسائي – أبو عبد الرحمن أحمد بن شعيب بن علي الخراساني، النسائي (المتوفى: 303هـ) – (188/3) [i]أَخْبَرَنَا عُتْبَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ: يَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَيُثْنِي عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْهُ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، إِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ، وَأَحْسَنَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَشَرُّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا، وَكُلُّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ، وَكُلُّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ»، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «بُعِثْتُ أَنَا وَالسَّاعَةُ كَهَاتَيْنِ»، وَكَانَ إِذَا ذَكَرَ السَّاعَةَ احْمَرَّتْ وَجْنَتَاهُ، وَعَلَا صَوْتُهُ، وَاشْتَدَّ غَضَبُهُ كَأَنَّهُ نَذِيرُ جَيْشٍ يَقُولُ: صَبَّحَكُمْ مَسَّاكُمْ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «مَنْ تَرَكَ مَالًا فَلِأَهْلِهِ، وَمَنْ تَرَكَ دَيْنًا أَوْ ضَيَاعًا فَإِلَيَّ أَوْ عَلَيَّ، وَأَنَا أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ»
Canadian Centre for Islamic Research and Iftaa · This answer is provided for general guidance.