What is the correct ruling regarding the requirement of consecutive fasting in vows?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Vows
Primary text
The correct ruling is that consecutive fasting is obligatory only when indicated by the wording. The absence of wording indicating separation is not evidence for intending continuity. This is supported by the ruling concerning the making up of missed Ramadan fasts, where Allah stated, '{A number of other days}' (Quran 2:184), and continuity was not required by consensus.
Supporting text
Some scholars distinguish between vowing to fast and vowing to perform I'tikaf (seclusion in the mosque). They argue that consecutive fasting is required for vowed I'tikaf because it is inherently continuous without intervening night periods, unlike fasting where night separates the days. This distinction is rejected; the ruling should align with what the explicit wording necessitates, and the common practice cited regarding I'tikaf has no legal weight. Furthermore, for those who mandate continuity in I'tikaf, the nights falling between the vowed days must also be included.