The virtue of fasting six days of Shawwaal.


Praise be to Allaah.

Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of
Ramadaan 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
Allaah be upon him). Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with
him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts
Ramadaan 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 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). It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the
wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadaan 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 Ramadaan 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 Ramadaan 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
Allaah 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, [Allaah] 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).

And Allaah knows best.

Does one have to fast six days of Shawwaal every year?

Praise be to Allaah.

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

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/391

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