Am I Allowed to Fast Continuously to Help Deal with My Sexual Thoughts?

Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi

Question

I’ve been struggling with intense sexual thoughts, and fasting helps. Am I allowed to fast every day of the year, except on prohibited days like Eid?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

I pray this finds you in the best of states.

Fasting is indeed a very efficient way to deal with overwhelming sexual thoughts. [Ghazali, Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din]

Here are the days you are not allowed to fast in Islam: the two days of the festival (Eid days), which are the first of Shawwal and the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja. You are also not allowed to fast during the three days of Tashriq, which are the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhu al-Hijja. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said: “O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty, and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power.” [Bukhari]

And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found. Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani. He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others. He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.