The Dutch keeper saved his side from a rout as Arsenal spent virtually the whole match on the attack. They managed 22 goal attempts, yet failed to score for the first time in 47 Premiership home matches.
Van der Sar smiled: "I've probably never had a busier 90 minutes. I enjoyed it."
Fulham skipper Lee Clark said: "Edwin was outstanding. He kept us in the game. We didn't buckle under Arsenal's pressure and he inspired us with some fantastic saves."
Cottagers manager Chris Coleman added: "We set out our stall to defend well and our keeper was excellent."
Van der Sar produced his first great stop to deny Freddie Ljungberg in the 16th minute with a left-handed flick, after Dennis Bergkamp split the Fulham defence.
He fisted away a Thierry Henry shot, then saved low from his old Ajax colleague Bergkamp, and Ljungberg, as Arsenal increased the pressure.
Van der Sar foiled Bergkamp again two minutes after the interval with another brilliant dive. He said: "That was my best save, getting a hand to that shot."
He denied the Dutch striker a third time, then saved the follow-up from Ljungberg and also held shots from Henry and Kanu.
Gunners keeper Jens Lehmann was a virtual spectator and hardly had a save to make.
It was a gruelling afternoon for Arsenal whose frustration began to show in the closing minutes. Their left wing triangle of Henry, Robert Pires and Ashley Cole dominated the first half but their threat declined as the game went on.
Arsenal set a Premiership record of 14 games unbeaten from the start of the season - but they will wonder for days how they failed to take three points.