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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Fast of the Month of Ramadhan: Philosophy and Ahkam Optional Fast Islam encourages the faithful to fast during other months.

The author of Thawab al-A’mal traces the isnad of one tradition of the Holy Prophet (S) to Ibn ‘Abbas who cites the Prophet (S) saying, "Whoever fasts three days during the month of Sha’ban will be elevated seventy thousand degrees in Paradise of jewels and diamonds, and whoever fasts nineteen days during the month of Sha’ban will be granted seventy thousand mansions of jewels and diamonds in Paradise.

And whoever fasts twenty-two days of the month of Sha’ban will be clothed with seventy outfits of silk and silk brocades." How do the faithful earn mansions in Paradise and marry those lovely huris besides fasting? The Messenger of Allah (S) is quoted on p. 177, Vol. 8, of Bihar al-Anwar saying, "When I entered Paradise during my ascension trip ( israa ), I saw angels building mansions, using one brick of gold and another of silver. From time to time they would stop.

‘Why do you stop?' I asked them. ‘We stop till we get paid,' they answered. I asked them, ‘How do you get paid?' ‘We get paid,' they answered, ‘when the believer (for whom we are building this mansion) says: Subhan-Allah wal-Hamdu Lillah wa Allahu Akbar (Glory to Allah; all Praise is due to Allah, and Allah is Great).'" Types of optional fast are recorded and explained in detail in Vol.

94 of al-Majlisi's Bihar al-Anwar ; refer to this valuable reference for the number of pages, as well as the isnad , of the traditions cited in the following paragraphs which deal with other types of fast: Fast of Eid al-Ghadir One who fasts during the 18th of Thul-Hijjah will be regarded as though he had fasted sixty months.

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) has quoted his forefathers (as) citing the Messenger of Allah (S) saying about Eid al-Ghadir, "The Day (Eid) of the Ghadir is the greatest of my nation's Eids; it is the Day on which Allah, the Most Exalted One, ordered me to nominate my brother Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) as the leader of my nation so that they may through him receive guidance after me, and it is the Day when Allah perfected the (Islamic) creed and completed the blessing upon my nation and accepted Islam as their religion." This tradition is also stated in al-Saduq's Amali .

Abu Abdullah Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (as) is quoted on p. 32, Vol.