The Six fasts of Shawwal are observed during the month of Shawwal which is the month immediately after Ramadan. One can begin fasting these 6 fasts one day after Eid Ul Fitr as Eid ul Fitr is only for one day and fasting on Eid day is forbidden.
It is mustahabb (Preferrable) to keep these fasts wherein GREAT rewards can be earned!
By adding the six days of fasting during Shawwal to the 30 days of the fasting of Ramadan, will earn a reward of a FULL YEAR'S FASTING , Insha Allah.
It is not required to fast six days continuously without any interruption. One can fast according to convenience any time during the month.
These fasts may be kept consecutively or at intervals during the month of Shawwal, i.e. spread out over the month.
Aboo Ayyoob al-Ansaaree narrated: Allaah’s Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "He who fasts Ramadhaan, and six of Shawwaal, it will be (in terms of rewards) as if the fasted a whole year." [Reported by Muslim, at-Tirmidhee, Aboo Daawood, Ahmad, Ibn Maajah]
The meaning is that the reward is like the reward of a person who is always in fast every day of his/her life.
So this is an established sunnah, which carries a great reward. How can we miss out on such immense reward?
We don't know how much time we have left so we should be trying to do as many good deeds as possible!!!
This is an authentic hadith, which indicates that fasting six days of Shawwal is a Prophetic sunnah. Imam Ash-Shafi`i, Ahmad, and a number of leading scholars and jurists followed this.
It is not correct to oppose this hadith with the reasons that some scholars cite for this fast being makruh, such as the fear that an ignorant person might think that this is part of Ramadan, or the fear that people may think this is obligatory, or that he did not hear that one of the earlier scholars used to fast these days, because this is all speculation, which cannot be used to oppose the authentic hadith mentioned above. If something is known, this is evidence against those who do not know.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah 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:
“Allaah 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).
In commenting on the above mentioned hadeeth, As-San`aanee said in Subul us-Salaam: "If the thirty days of Ramadhaan fasting are assimilated with the six days of fasting in Shawwaal, it altogether makes 36 days. According to Sharee`ah, each virtue is rewarded ten times. Therefore, if we multiply 36 with 10, it makes 360, a number which equals the days of a year. Some scholars are of the opinion that these six days of fasting in Shawwaal must be completed in a continuous order right after the end of Ramadhaan. Some believe that is enough to merely complete six days of fasting in Shawwaal (in any order, either successive or with intervals), an opinion which is deemed to be correct."
Perhaps it is proper for us to pray these days on Mondays and Thursdays, as in that case we would be following another Sunnah: `Aa’isha, radhiallaahu `anhaa, narrated: "The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, used to fast Mondays and Thursdays". [an-Nasaa'ee, Saheeh]
If it is easier for one to fast on weekends, then in that case one would still be following another sunnah at the same time: Umm Salama, radhiallaahu `anhaa, narrated:Allaah’s Messenger used to fast mostly on Saturday and Sunday, and he used to say: "They are the festival days for the mushrikeen, and I like to act contrary to them." [an-Nasaa’ee, Ibn Khuzaymah, who graded it saheeh, and Ibn Hajar agreed]
Females must first keep their missed/qadhaa fast before they can keep any optional fasts.
But, again, this fast is not obligatory, rather only recommended. There is GREAT reward for whoever does it, and no blame upon anyone who leaves it.
BUT How can we miss out on such immense reward? Are we not in need of filling up our good deed accounts? Should our aim not be to please Allah as much as we can? Then lets keep these 6 fasts with FULL sincerety and inshallah we will be rewarded VERY GREATLY!!!
Allaah’s Messenger used to fast mostly on Saturday and Sunday, and he used to say: "They are the festival days for the mushrikeen, and I like to act contrary to them."
I did not know about this hadith. Thanks br for sharing.
Christ will never be proud to reject to be a slave to God .....holy Quran, chapter Women , 4: 172
Aboo Ayyoob al-Ansaaree narrated: Allaah’s Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "He who fasts Ramadhaan, and six of Shawwaal, it will be (in terms of rewards) as if the fasted a whole year." [Reported by Muslim, at-Tirmidhee, Aboo Daawood, Ahmad, Ibn Maajah]
I am trying to do this, but my M-I-L who has come to stay is treating me like an invalid just because I'm fasting and it's annoying.
Are you sure of this? I thought women can do a 2-in-1 ??
Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, I know it is not easy sister but try and be patient with your mother in law for she is old and set in her ways. Your patience is for the pleasure of Allah and Allah is with those who are patient and you will be rewarded greatly for it inshallah.
In order to gain the reward mentioned in the hadith then one will have to make up for the fasts missed during Ramadan and then fast the 6 days of shawwal. A women may also delay her make up fasts for Ramadan and fast the 6 days of Shawwal but the make up fasts of Ramadan should not be delayed for too long because death is immenent for all of us at ANY second.
3 weeks of this month of Shawwal left for us to keep these 6 fasts so that we can gain these IMMENSE rewards like we have fasted for the whole year!!!! Subhanallah how generous is Allah and how unfortunate is he who does not take this opportunity to gain these HUGE rewards!
Last edited by Hamza Asadullah; 09-18-2010 at 07:10 PM.
I missed six days of fasting in Ramadan. Is it lawful to fast six days of Shawwal intending both to make up for these missed days and to get the reward of fasting the six days of Shawwal recommended by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
Date
09/Nov/2006
Name of Mufti
`Atiyyah Saqr
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner, we are greatly pleased to receive your question which shows the confidence you place in us. May Allah reward you abundantly for your interest in knowing the teachings of Islam.
There is nothing wrong, as far as Islam is concerned, in making a double intention by fasting the missed days of obligatory fasting in Ramadan as well as fasting the optional six days of Shawwal. However, some Muslim jurists state that it is recommended to make up for the missed fasts separately from fasting the six days of Shawwal so as to get extra reward.
In his response to the question, Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, states the following:
A person who has missed days of fasting in Ramadan may fast the optional six days of Shawwal with the intention of both making up for these missed days and observing the optional fasting of six days of Shawwal. He or she will then get double benefit simultaneously: making up for the missed days and getting the reward of fasting the six days of Shawwal, for it is established in Islam that one's acts are judged by one's intentions.
However, it is recommended that one makes up for the missed fasts separately from fasting the six days of Shawwal [so as to get extra reward].
The Shafi`i scholars maintain that when one makes up for the missed fasts of Ramadan in Shawwal, one also gets the reward of fasting the optional six days of Shawwal even if one has not intended to fast those six days principally; yet the reward of fasting the six days here will be less than if one has intended to fast them from the beginning.
According to Ash-Sharqawi `Ala At-Tahrir by Sheikh Zakariyah Al-Ansari, (vol. 1, p. 427) when a Muslim makes up for missed fasts of Ramadan in Shawwal or fasts some days he or she has vowed to observe in Shawwal, or even offers optional fasting in Shawwal other than fasting the six days recommended to be observed in Shawwal, he or she will get also the reward of fasting the six days of Shawwal. This is because the point is to fast any six days of Shawwal following the fast of Ramadan. But one then will not get the whole reward of principally intending to fast the six days of Shawwal specifically. It is to be noted that this does not apply to the person who has missed fasting the whole month of Ramadan and made up for it in Shawwal for he or she then does not fall under the category the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) referred to in the hadith: “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan, and then follows it by (fasting) six days of Shawwal, it is as though he has fasted the whole year.”
This is parallel to the juristic point of view regarding the recommendation of greeting the mosque when entering it by offering two rak`ahs before sitting. This recommendation is accomplished any time one enters a mosque and prays two rak`ahs, whether one intends merely to perform the prescribed prayer or any two supererogatory rak`ahs, for the point here is to offer a prayer before sitting in the mosque, and this is fulfilled by observing the prescribed prayer or the supererogatory one.
According to the author of Al-Bahgah, one gets the reward of greeting the mosque by offering any prayer before sitting, even if one has not intended that this prayer be for greeting the mosque.
But it is to be borne in mind that one in this case does not deny having the intention of greeting the mosque.
Based on the above, it is permissible for one to fast six days of Shawwal intending simultaneously both to make up for the fasts one has missed in Ramadan and to offer the recommended fasting of six days in Shawwal, especially if one is interested in getting the reward of fasting the six days of Shawwal with making up for the missed fasts of Ramadan but finds it exhausting to do both separately.
Besides, if one in this case intends only to make up for the missed Ramadan fasts in Shawwal (and it happens that these days are six or more), one will get also the reward of fasting the six days of Shawwal. The supererogatory act of fasting the six days of Shawwal here is sub-categorized under the obligation of making up for the missed fasts of Ramadan. This is an alleviation reasoned by jurists, and hence, there is no need for adopting a view of a certain school in this regard and judging the other views as wrong.
The wisdom behind recommending fasting six days of Shawwal following a whole month of fasting in Ramadan is that Muslims gradually shift from a state of abstaining from food or other desires for a long hours on successive days to a state of eating food and satisfying the other worldly lawful desires whenever one wants. A sudden shift in this case may harm a person's health.
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I'm confused when does this start? Have I all ready missed the fasts?
Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, the month after Ramadan is the month of Shawwal which we are currently in at the moment. In this month it is a great Sunnah to fast 6 days of Sunnah fasts.
It is mustahabb (Preferrable) to keep these fasts wherein GREAT rewards can be earned!
By adding the six days of fasting during Shawwal to the 30 days of the fasting of Ramadan, will earn a reward of a FULL YEAR'S FASTING , Insha Allah.
It is not required to fast six days continuously without any interruption. One can fast according to convenience any time during the month.
These fasts may be kept consecutively or at intervals during the month of Shawwal, i.e. spread out over the month.
Aboo Ayyoob al-Ansaaree narrated: Allaah’s Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "He who fasts Ramadhaan, and six of Shawwaal, it will be (in terms of rewards) as if the fasted a whole year." [Reported by Muslim, at-Tirmidhee, Aboo Daawood, Ahmad, Ibn Maajah]
The meaning is that the reward is like the reward of a person who is always in fast every day of the year.
So this is an established sunnah, which carries a great reward.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah 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:
“Allaah 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).
In commenting on the above mentioned hadeeth, As-San`aanee said in Subul us-Salaam: "If the thirty days of Ramadhaan fasting are assimilated with the six days of fasting in Shawwaal, it altogether makes 36 days. According to Sharee`ah, each virtue is rewarded ten times. Therefore, if we multiply 36 with 10, it makes 360, a number which equals the days of a year. Some scholars are of the opinion that these six days of fasting in Shawwaal must be completed in a continuous order right after the end of Ramadhaan. Some believe that is enough to merely complete six days of fasting in Shawwaal (in any order, either successive or with intervals), an opinion which is deemed to be correct."
Therefore my brother it is recommended that we keep these 6 Sunnah fasts which when added to the 30 fasts of ramadan enable one to gain the reward like one fasted for the WHOLE year. Subhanallah!
Let us make the best of it for there are still 20 days left of the month of Shawwal so we should not miss out on this GREAT opportunity for earning these rewards and the pleasure of Allah!
Abû Ayyûb al-Ansârî relates that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) says: "Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of fasting in the month of Shawwâl, it will be as if he had fasted the year through." [Sahîh Muslim (1163)]
There are exactly 6 days left so it is still not too late for those who have not kept the 6 fasts of Shawwal!!! Do NOT miss out for every good deed will count in the hereafter and every good deed we missed out on wil be a source of regret for eternity!!!
I don't know if this has been asked, but is it permissible to finish the six of shawaal, before the time that has to be made up for a valid reason to have missed a fast? I just finished the six of shawaal wal7mdlillah, but I have a few to make up, they might spill into next month since I only fast on days I am not working which is basically the weekend. I apologize is this has already been asked but I'd appreciate a response..
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
I don't know if this has been asked, but is it permissible to finish the six of shawaal, before the time that has to be made up for a valid reason to have missed a fast? I just finished the six of shawaal wal7mdlillah, but I have a few to make up, they might spill into next month since I only fast on days I am not working which is basically the weekend. I apologize is this has already been asked but I'd appreciate a response..
Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, there is a slight difference of opinion on the matter but generally it is agreed that it is fine to make up the obligatory fasts missed during Ramadan for a valid reason after keeping the 6 Sunnah fasts of Shawwal.
May Allah reward you and all those who kept the 6 fasts of Shawwal like you have fasted for a whole year. Ameen
Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, there is a slight difference of opinion on the matter but generally it is agreed that it is fine to make up the obligatory fasts missed during Ramadan for a valid reason after keeping the 6 Sunnah fasts of Shawwal.
May Allah reward you and all those who kept the 6 fasts of Shawwal like you have fasted for a whole year. Ameen
ameen ya rabb Jazaka Allah khyran, I do appreciate that reply..
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
I just realized this. Do I still have enough time to start keeping these 6 fasts? I want to keep them, inshAllah. It didnt occur to me to keep these fasts till now. The kaafir system has been ingrained on our minds.
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Want Reward of Fasting for the WHOLE YEAR?
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Have I all ready missed the fasts?
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