Fasting in Shawwal

  

Shaikh Uthaymeen may Allah have mercy on him, said about fasting the six days of Shawwal:

“The wisdom behind fasting the six days of Shawwal is the same as the wisdom regarding other optional acts which Allah has ordained for His Servants in order to make the obligatory actions complete.  So fasting the six days of Shawwal is like the supererogatory Sunnah prayers [ar-Raatibah] which are performed after the obligatory prayers in order to complete any deficiencies in them. And from Allah, the Most High’s, Wisdom is that He made Sunnah [prayers] for the obligatory ones in order to complete them and raise them [in rank], so fasting the six days of Shawwal has this great benefit.”

Fasting six days of Shawwal after the obligatory fast of Ramadan is Sunnah Mustahabbah, which means a highly desired Sunnah. It is recommended for the Muslim to fast six days of Shawwal, 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. Abu Ayyoob (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime (whole year).” (1)

The Prophet (peace 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: “Allah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.”(2)

It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadan 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.”

Another of the important benefits of fasting six days of Shawwal is that it makes up for any shortfall in a person’s obligatory Ramadan 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.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The first thing for which people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be their salah (prayer). Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels – although He knows best – ‘Look at the salah 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, [Allah] 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.” (3) 

Rulings on Fasting in Shawwaal for Women 

References:

(1) Muslim, Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhee, an-Nisaa’ee and Ibn Maajah

(2) An-Nisaa’ee and Ibn Maajah. Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/421.

(3) Narrated by Abu Dawood

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