Fasting the Six Days of Shawwaal (www.islaam.org.uk)

Fasting the Six Days of Shawwaal

Compiled from Questions at islam-qa.com

Shawwaal is the Islamic month that is immediately after Ramadhân, the first day being Eid al-Fitr.

What is the ruling on fasting six days of Shawwaal? Is it waajib (obligatory)?

Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of Ramadhân is Sunnah Mustahabbah, not waajib. It is recommended for the Muslim to fast six days of Shawwaal, and in this there is great virtue and an immense reward. Whoever fasts these six days will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole year, as was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him). Abu Ayyoob (may Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadhân and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime." (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa'i and Ibn Maajah).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him) explained this when he said: "Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it)." According to another report: "Allâh has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year." (al-Nisaa'i and Ibn Maajah. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb wa'l-Tarheeb, 1/421). It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: "Fasting for the month of Ramadhân brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year."

The Hanbali and Shaafa'i fuqaha' explained that fasting six days of Shawwaal after fasting Ramadhân makes it as if one has fasted for an entire year of obligatory fasts, because the multiplication of the reward applies even to naafil fasts, because each hasanah brings the reward of ten like it.

Another of the important benefits of fasting six days of Shawwaal is that is makes up for any shortfall in a person's obligatory Ramadhân fasts, because no one is free of shortcomings or sins that have a negative effect on his fasting. On the Day of Resurrection, some of his naafil deeds will be taken to make up the shortcomings in his obligatory deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him) said: "The first thing for which people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be their salaah (prayer). Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels - although He knows best - 'Look at the salaah of My slave, whether it is complete or incomplete.' If it is perfect, it will be recorded as perfect, and if something is lacking, He will say, 'Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.' If he did some voluntary prayers, [Allâh] will say, Complete the obligatory actions of My slave from his voluntary actions.' Then all his actions will be dealt with in a similar manner." (Narrated by Abu Dawood).

When should a Muslim start fasting six days of Shawwaal?

When can I start fasting six days of Shawwal, since we have annual leave right now?

You can start fasting six days of Shawwaal from the second day of Shawwaal, because it is haraam to fast on the day of Eid. You can fast the six days at any time during Shawwaal, although the best of good deeds are those which are done soonest.

Should fasting the six days be done immediately after Ramadhân, following the day of Eid or is it permissible to do it a few days after Eid in the month of Shawwaal or not?

These days do not have to be fasted immediately after Eid al-Fitr; it is permissible to start fasting them one or more days after Eid, and they may be done consecutively or separately during the month of Shawwaal, according to what is easier for a person. There is plenty of room for maneuver in this matter, and this is not obligatory, it is Sunnah.

And Allâh is the Source of strength. May Allâh bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions and grant them peace.

Do the six days of Shawwaal have to be fasted consecutively?

With regard to the six days of Shawwal after Ramadhân, is it a condition that they should be fasted consecutively, or can I separate them? I want to fast them in three sessions, on the two days of the weekend.

It is not a necessary condition that they should be fasted consecutively. If you fast them separately or consecutively, it is OK. The sooner you do them, the better, because Allâh says (interpretation of the meanings):

And (you should hasten to fast these six days) because delaying may cause problems. This is the view of the Shaafa'is and some of the Hanbalis, but it is OK if you do not hasten it and you delay it until the middle or end of the month.

Al-Nawawi (may Allâh have mercy on him) said: "Our companions said: it is mustahabb to fast six days of Shawwaal. Because of this hadeeth they said: it is mustahabb to fast these days consecutively at the beginning of Shawwaal, but if one separates them or delays them until after Shawwaal, this is permissible, because he will still be following the general guidelines of the hadeeth. We have no dispute regarding this matter, and this was also the view of Ahmad and Dawood." Al-Majmoo' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab

Can a person start fasting six days of Shawwaal when he still has days to make up from Ramadhân?

If a person fasts six days of Shawwaal after Ramadhân when he has not yet completed the Ramadhân fast - because he did not fast ten days of Ramadhân for a legitimate reason - will he have the same reward as a person who fasted all of Ramadhân and followed it with six days of Shawwaal, i.e. will he be like a person who fasted for a lifetime? Please explain to us, may Allâh reward you with good.

Praise be to Allâh.

The precise rewards for the deeds which people do for the sake of Allâh is something which is known only to Allâh. If a person seeks the reward from Allâh and strives to obey Him, his reward will not be lost, as Allâh says (interpretation of the meaning):

If someone has missed some of the days of Ramadhân, he should fast them first, then fast six days of Shawwaal, because he cannot follow the fast of Ramadhân with six days of Shawwaal unless he has completed his Ramadhân fast.

And Allâh is the source of strength. May Allâh bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

If someone fasts six days of Shawwaal, then one year he gets sick or something prevents him from fasting, or he is too lazy to fast, will there be any sin on him? We have heard that if a person fasts these six days one year, he must never give up this practice thereafter.
Praise be to Allâh.

Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the day of Eid is Sunnah. It is not waajib (obligatory) on the person who does this once or more often to continue doing it. He is not guilty of a sin if he does not fast these days.

And Allâh is the Source of strength. May Allâh bless our Prophet Muhammad and grant him peace.

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