Credits: Why do we fast on Mondays and Thursdays?

Why the Prophet ﷺ made a point of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays: his own two answers when he was asked (Sahih Muslim 1162; Sunan al-Nasa'i 2358), what the scholars said they mean, and the two people held back until they reconcile (Sahih Muslim 2565). A hand-made-style paper-collage animation, rendered live in your browser with plain JavaScript and canvas.

Sources for the story

Sahih al-Bukhari 1969 and Sahih Muslim 1156 (sahih): Aisha (ra): he would fast until we said he will not break his fast, and break it until we said he will not fast.
Jami' al-Tirmidhi 745 (Sahih, Darussalam): Aisha (ra): the Prophet ﷺ used to make a point of (yataharra) fasting Monday and Thursday. Meaning of yataharra: al-Sindi, Hashiya on al-Tirmidhi; Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi 3/374-375.
Sunan al-Nasa'i 2358 (Hasan, Darussalam): Usama ibn Zayd (ra): 'you fast them anyway'; 'Which two days?' 'Those are two days on which deeds are presented to the Lord of the worlds, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting.' https://sunnah.com/nasai:2358
Jami' al-Tirmidhi 747 (Hasan, Darussalam): Abu Hurayra (ra): deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting. https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:747
Sahih al-Bukhari 1987 (sahih): Aisha (ra), asked whether he singled out any days: 'No. His deeds were constant.' Reconciled by Ibn Battal (Sharh 4/132), al-'Ayni ('Umdat al-Qari 11/107-108) and Ibn Hajar (Fath al-Bari 4/235-236).
Sahih Muslim 1162b (sahih, narrated by Abu Qatada al-Ansari (ra)): the Prophet ﷺ was asked about his fasting; Umar's words; the questions one by one; 'That is a day on which I was born, and a day on which I was sent, or on which revelation came down to me'; Imam Muslim's note leaving out Thursday as a mistake. The 'or' as the narrator's doubt: al-Athyubi, al-Bahr al-Muhit al-Thajjaj 21/512. Muslim's text does not name the asker; other reports differ. https://sunnah.com/muslim:1162b
Sahih Muslim 1162e (sahih): 'On it I was born, and on it [revelation] was sent down to me.' https://sunnah.com/muslim:1162e
al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 8/51-52 (quoting al-Qadi 'Iyad): the birth-and-revelation description belongs to Monday alone; Thursday may belong only to the question.
Ibn Rajab, Lata'if al-Ma'arif 1/95-96 and 1/166: born on a Monday is almost agreed; fasting the days when Allah's blessings are renewed; the sending of the Prophet ﷺ as the greatest blessing (Q 3:164); the comparison with Ashura. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Isti'ab 1/58-59: born in the Year of the Elephant (historians' agreement). The day of the month is disputed (Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya 2/319-320).
Sahih al-Bukhari 3 (sahih): seclusion in Hira, 'Read!', 'I am not a reader', pressed three times, Q 96:1, 'Cover me, cover me!' (names no weekday). Revelation on a Monday: Sahih Muslim 1162; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma'ad 1/76-77. Ramadan as the best-known month: Ibn Kathir.
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Tamhid 21/262-263: four Mondays (birth, prophethood, entering Medina, death).
Sahih al-Bukhari 3906 (sahih; 'Urwa ibn al-Zubayr's report): the wait on the lava field, the travellers in white out of the mirage, the stop at Quba, 'and that was on a Monday, in the month of Rabi' al-Awwal'.
Sahih al-Bukhari 680 and 4448 (sahih; Anas (ra)): the dawn prayer on Monday, the curtain lifted, 'his face like a page of a mushaf', his smile, his death that same day.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1387 (sahih): Abu Bakr (ra) asks Aisha (ra) on which day the Prophet ﷺ died: 'Monday'; 'What day is today?' 'Monday'; 'I hope between now and the night.' Death year 11 AH / 632 CE; al-'Iraqi, Sharh al-Tabsira 2/299-300.
al-Nawawi, al-Majmu' 6/386, and al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaytiyya 28/94-95: fasting Monday and Thursday is recommended (a sunnah), voluntary. Ibn Rajab, Lata'if al-Ma'arif 1/304-305: a few early scholars disliked fixing days, lest a voluntary fast be taken as a duty.
al-Lahji, Muntaha al-Su'ul 3/80; al-Munawi, al-Taysir: Allah has no need of the presentation; it shows the honour of those who do good.
Sahih Muslim 179a (sahih): the deeds of the night are raised to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night.
Sunan al-Nasa'i 2357 (Hasan, Darussalam): Shaaban, a month in which deeds are raised to the Lord of the worlds, and I love that my deed be raised while I am fasting.
Ibn al-Qayyim, Tahdhib Sunan Abi Dawud 3/199-200: the day's, the week's (Monday and Thursday) and the year's (Shaaban) presentations.
Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi 3/375 and al-Qari, Mirqat 4/1421: fasting then to seek a higher rank; al-Dihlawi, Lama'at (via Mir'at al-Mafatih 7/84-85): perhaps because no one knows the hour, and a fast covers the whole day.
Sahih Muslim 2565a (sahih) and Muwatta Malik 47:17: the gates of Paradise are opened on Monday and Thursday; every servant who associates nothing with Allah is forgiven, except two at enmity: 'Hold back these two until they reconcile' (three times in Malik's wording). Minor sins: al-Munawi, al-Taysir 1/453; al-Rajihi 7/305-306. https://sunnah.com/muslim:2565a
Sunan Ibn Majah 1740 (Hasan, Darussalam): asked about his Monday and Thursday fasting, he answered with this forgiveness. https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:1740
Sahih al-Bukhari 6077 (sahih): it is not lawful for a man to forsake his brother beyond three nights; the better of them begins with the greeting of peace. The two hadiths set side by side: al-Tirmidhi after 2023; Malik's chapter on estrangement. Three days and four between the two days as a lesson: Ahmad Hutayba, Sharh al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Siyam 19/7.
al-San'ani, Subul al-Salam 4/124-126: the birth reason and the deeds reason do not conflict.
al-Nawawi, al-Majmu' 6/386: Monday named as the second day, Thursday as the fifth (al-Ithnayn, al-Khamis).
Qur'an 2:187, 3:164 and 96:1 (Saheeh International translation, quran.com): the white thread of dawn; the sending of a Messenger; 'Recite in the name of your Lord'.
Puasa Senin-Kamis: the Indonesian name of the Monday-Thursday fast (NU Online; KBBI).

Out of respect, the Prophet ﷺ, the other prophets and angels are never depicted, his household is shown only through places and objects, and people are shown only from behind.

Made with

Narration: Google Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS (voice “Algieba”), directed and edited for this film.
Illustrations: Google Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (backgrounds) and OpenAI GPT Image 2.5 (cut-outs), art-directed and reviewed frame by frame.
Typefaces (SIL Open Font License): Caveat Brush, Caveat, Patrick Hand, Aref Ruqaa.
Animation engine, sound design and mix: written for this series.

Sound

No music is used. All sound effects are CC0 unless noted.

amb_city_dawn_distant: AMB CITY, DAWN, BACKYARD, DISTANT-TRAFFIC, BIRDS (Freesound) by tferrino, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 33.0-57.0 s (after a passing car at 0-5 s and 25-28 s; no voices, horns, sirens, bells or call to prayer in this window, judge + envelope checked); highpass=f=70:poles=2; present-day city at dawn, distant traffic hush and birds; 20 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS; 48k/16-bit
amb_dawn_birds_soft: #210091 "room small night" by Yuval, CC0 1.0; #331511 "5am_voegel_abudhabi_park.flac" by nikitralala, CC0 1.0. Edits: room hush 325-373 s (HPF 50, LPF 9 kHz) + birds 14-62 s (HPF 1.2 kHz, -12 dB under the hush; the source's later distant Athan at 2:40+ is not used); each looped, 45 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_desert_dusk_wind: #666175 "Wind in dry tall grass bulrush type, close recording with muffled air sometimes, gust of wind, far away tree, recorded in Arivaca Road desert in Arizona" by felix.blume, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 92.0-114.5 s; HPF 100 Hz; 20 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_desert_wind_gentle: Looping Gentle Wind Ambience on an Open Desert Plain.wav (Freesound) by dhallcomposer, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 2.0-38.0 s; highpass=f=50:poles=2; gentle dry wind on an open desert plain (Hijaz wadi, dusk); 30 s seamless loop, -24 LUFS; 48k/16-bit
amb_harrah_noon_wind: #457159 "Desert binaural Wind.WAV" by Benbojangles, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 692.00-756.00 s (steadiest stretch); HPF 60 Hz + 130 Hz (removes traffic-like mic rumble); -26 LUFS, 2 s fade-in/3 s fade-out (not a seamless loop)
amb_jm_hollow_wind: #843069 "A light breeze, the rustle of reeds. The rustle of dry grass" by ReflektWave, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 12.0-36.0 s; HPF 120 Hz x2, spike limiter; 22 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_jm_lane_quiet: #653946 "Quiet breeze with bird singing softly, insect noises, a horse neighs far sometimes" by felix.blume, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 25.0-49.0 s (no horse/insect buzz in this window); HPF 150 Hz x2; 22 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_jm_palm_rustle: #423800 "Wind through Palm Trees.wav" by klangfabrik, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 8.0-30.5 s; HPF 100 Hz; 20 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_mt_evening_sill: #835894 "Small Room Open Window Evening Ambience" by Artem_Zaitsev, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 30.0-66.0 s (distant traffic, faint birds; no voices, horns or bells); HPF 50 Hz; 34 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_mt_hira_dusk_wind: #848732 "Wind blowing through canyon" by tedmasterweb, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 6.0-32.0 s; HPF 180 Hz x2, LPF 2.4 kHz (darker, for dusk); 24 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_mt_kampung_predawn: #371880 "161229-Farm-Insects-Sounds-Bali.mp3" by Oxlaey, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 0.5-19.0 s (farm insects in Bali, a distant rooster, a faint far engine hush; no voices); HPF 150 Hz; 16 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS. In the mix it sits with the house amb_night crickets and one far house rooster
amb_mt_mecca_rock_wind: #848732 "Wind blowing through canyon" by tedmasterweb, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 6.0-32.0 s (between two handling bumps); HPF 180 Hz x2 (mic buffeting); 24 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_night: #522299 "Crickets At Night - Raw sound" by Defelozedd94, CC0 1.0; #165526 "Wind singing in the mountain, some night cricket in background" by felix.blume, CC0 1.0. Edits: mixed 55/45 (RMS matched), 20 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
amb_palm_orchard_breeze: #423800 "Wind through Palm Trees.wav" by klangfabrik, CC0 1.0; #517526 "dove calling with out other side noise" by idreesbari, CC0 1.0. Edits: palm wind src 4.0-78.5 s, HPF 120 Hz, LPF ~4.2 kHz, -3 dB high shelf, -4 dB at 560 Hz; 72 s seamless loop (2.5 s crossfade) with slow loop-periodic ±4 dB swells that darken in the lulls; 3 laughing-dove phrases (src 0.60-1.75, 6.15-7.60, 17.50-18.90 s; band-limited 250 Hz-3 kHz, short diffuse echo) placed at 11.0 / 34.5 / 55.0 s; -24 LUFS
amb_palm_wind: #423800 "Wind through Palm Trees.wav" by klangfabrik, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 35-83 s; HPF 120 Hz (removes mic buffeting); 45 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -24 LUFS
amb_predawn_room: #210091 "room small night" by Yuval, CC0 1.0. Edits: source 270-323 s (clean stretch, no footsteps); HPF 50 Hz, LPF 9 kHz; 50 s seamless loop (2 s crossfade), -26 LUFS
sfx_blind_click: #635786 "window residential slide open close click latch various" by kyles, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 1.38-1.66 s (one latch click); HPF 120 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_card_thud: #824385 "Softcover book hitting table" by nyxlitten, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 3.80-4.25 s; HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_cloth_swish_1: #391448 "Shirt Whoosh 1.wav" by saturdaysoundguy, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 6.70-7.40 s; HPF 80 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -72); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_cloth_swish_2: #391448 "Shirt Whoosh 1.wav" by saturdaysoundguy, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 9.60-10.30 s; HPF 80 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -72); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_cloth_swish_3: #320144 "Blanket Movement 6" by OwlStorm, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.16 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_dream_shimmer_short: synthesized for this series: Same engine, 1.6 s dense sparkle sting.
sfx_jm_sparrow: #543827 "FXSaSc Sparrows Close Chirp Exterior Birds.wav" by Profispiesser, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 12.95-14.05 s (two chirps); HPF 300 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_jm_steps_sandals: #637558 "footsteps walking flip flops sandals dirt.flac" by kyles, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 1.75-5.35 s (6 steps); HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_jm_wood_thunk: #669467 "SFX_wood_stone_floor_axe_handling_drop.wav" by EricsSoundschmiede, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.05-1.50 s; HPF 40 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_mt_footstep_tile: #260120 "01-20 Footsteps, Tile, Slippers, Slow Pace.wav" by SpliceSound, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.12-0.70 s (one step); HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_needle_punch_1: #188178 "Sewing/stitching up some fabric" by pfranzen, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.05-0.30 s; HPF 150 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_needle_punch_2: #188178 "Sewing/stitching up some fabric" by pfranzen, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 1.85-2.12 s; HPF 150 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_needle_punch_3: #188178 "Sewing/stitching up some fabric" by pfranzen, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 2.20-2.44 s; HPF 150 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_page_turn_1: #136778 "Page Turn" by davidbain, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.98 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_page_turn_2: #397548 "Page Turn 01" by LilMati, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-0.50 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_1: #181774 "rustling paper.wav" by keweldog, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.30-2.55 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_2: #181774 "rustling paper.wav" by keweldog, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 2.50-4.45 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_3: #449127 "Rustling Paper" by HarpyHarpHarp, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 1.45-2.15 s; HPF 80 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -60); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_4: #449127 "Rustling Paper" by HarpyHarpHarp, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 5.70-6.41 s; HPF 80 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -60); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_rustle_5: #211246 "PageRustle" by Tomoyo Ichijouji, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.10-1.90 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_slide_1: #464302 "PaperSlide.wav" by eyesonlegs, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.64 s; HPF 60 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -55); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_slide_2: #444431 "Sliding Envelope.wav" by MTJohnson, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.20-1.10 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -3 dBFS
sfx_paper_tear_1: #272028 "Ripping Paper" by aldenroth2, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.96 s; HPF 60 Hz,FFT denoise 8 dB (floor -60); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_tear_2: #342541 "Fast Paper Rip" by sgrowe, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-0.89 s; HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_paper_tear_3: #170311 "Tearing paper" by ludde44, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.20-1.52 s; HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_pen_tick_1: #85703 "Pencil_scibble.aif" (via house `sfx_pencil_scribble_2.wav`) by tmkappelt, CC0 1.0. Edits: one tick cut from sfx_pencil_scribble_2 at 0.545-0.785 s; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_pen_tick_2: #85703 "Pencil_scibble.aif" (via house `sfx_pencil_scribble_2.wav`) by tmkappelt, CC0 1.0. Edits: one tick cut from sfx_pencil_scribble_2 at 1.245-1.505 s; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_pencil_scribble_1: #257518 "Scribble_short.wav" by waldram, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-1.27 s; HPF 150 Hz,FFT denoise 12 dB (floor -50); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_pencil_scribble_2: #85703 "Pencil_scibble.aif" by tmkappelt, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-3.20 s; HPF 150 Hz,FFT denoise 12 dB (floor -62); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_roller_thunk: #812363 "Knocking once on wood, single footstep" by CuboRodante, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.35-0.66 s (one dry knock + small settle); HPF 60 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_rooster_crow_1: #435508 "Rooster Crow 1" by BenjaminNelan, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.00-2.16 s; HPF 150 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_rope_creak: #231438 "hamp rope creaks" by 6polnic, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 6.64-7.38 s; HPF 90 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS (true peak about +0.3 dBTP)
sfx_spool_creak: #506665 "Wood Creak Single V10" by Rudmer_Rotteveel, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.03-0.95 s; HPF 80 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_stamp_thump_2: #470710 "traditional stamp.wav" by I.fekry, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 0.40-1.20 s; HPF 40 Hz; trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_thread_pull_1: #646586 "Sewing cloth.wav" by heifabaisi, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 92.55-93.30 s; HPF 100 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -60); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_thread_pull_2: #646586 "Sewing cloth.wav" by heifabaisi, CC0 1.0. Edits: cut 29.15-30.10 s; HPF 100 Hz,FFT denoise 10 dB (floor -60); trim, fades, peak -1 dBFS
sfx_tick: synthesized for this series: A short synthesized key click for typing in the Qaf app screen (made for this series). Non-instrumental.
sfx_whoosh_soft_synth: synthesized for this series: White noise through a time-varying log-Gaussian band-pass sweeping 300 Hz -> 2.2 kHz, swell envelope, slow L->R pan.