Thread by @Farid_0v

-=[Does fasting the Day of Arafa expiate the sins of two years?]

The origin of this view revolves around the hadith of Abi Qatada below.

In this thread, we will be examining why this hadith is in fact a weak narration and should not be relied upon.

So, who is Abu Qatada in the first place?

Well, the narration clearly states that this is Abu Qatada Al-Ansari, the noble companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

However, there is strong evidence to indicate that this is not the case.

Firstly, Al-Bukhari 5/198, states in the biography of his student Abdullah bin Ma'bad: It is not known that he heard from Abi Qatada.

This indicates that Al-Bukhari weakens this report due to a disconnection.

Ibn Ma'een adds that whatever is narrated by Ibn Sireen and other Basrans, from Abu Qatada, is actually Abu Qatada Al-Adawi, a tabi'i, not the noble companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Tarikh Al-Duri #3954

Hence, the hadith is disconnected.

Furthermore, there are some other indications that the hadith cannot be accepted.

Firstly, notice that Abu Qatada here also narrates that those that fast Ashura (NOT Arafa) gets a year of their sins expiated.

This is a very strange statement.

In the six books alone, we have reports from Abdullah bin Omar, A’isha, Salama bin Al-Akwa, Al-Rabee’ bin Mu’awath, Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan, Ibn Abbas, Abu Musa, Ibn Mas’ud, Jabir bin Samura, Mohammad bin Sayfi, and Qais bin Sa’ad bin U’bada that promote fasting Ashura.

Yet, none of these companions narrate that fasting Ashura expiates the sins of a year!

It is safe to say that Abu Qatada's claim about this merit is a false one. By extension, the same applies to Abu Qatada's claim that the fasting of Arafa expiates the sins of two years.

Another piece of evidence is that Tawus, one of the Imams of the tabi'een, was asked if fasting Arafa expiates the sins of two years.

He said: If this was the case, then why didn't Abu Bakr and Omar do it?!

Tahtheeb Al-Athar 1/364

To summarize:

- Abu Qatada was a tabi'i, who never met the Prophet (peace be upon him)
- Abu Qatada attributes a false merit to fasting Ashura as well
- Tawus denies the authenticity of this merit and claims that Abu Bakr and Omar didn't believe in it

It is very important for the weakness of this report to be known, for this report provides the Muslim with false hope of the expiation of sins of the previous, and even worse, the false hope of the expiation of future sins for a whole year.

As always, I'm open to responses and criticisms.

Inshallah in the coming days, I will be posting more evidence to prove that the fasting of Arafa should NOT be observed from a prophetic hadith and the actions of the companions.

May Allah guide us all to the straight path.