Re: Six days of the month of Shawwal

Nasir on Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:37 am

What is your preferred method of fasting 6 days?

1. six days straight (2nd-7th of Shawwal)
2. six days straight (4rh-9th of Shawwal)
3. one of the two above, making a break for Friday
4. covering it during Mondays and Thursdays and the days of white
5. doing it randomly during whenever you feel like it.
6. six days straight later during the month

Nasir on Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:43 am

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

Answer:

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.

Nasir on Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:48 am

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SHAWWAL

Shawwal is the tenth lunar month. During the period of ignorance Ramadhân was regarded as a blessed and sacred month. Shawwal was regarded as a cursed month and a month of ill‑omen. The people of that time never married during Shawwal. Due to this Hazrat Ayesha Radiallâhu anha expressed disappointment of the people to consider this month to be inauspicious, as she was married to Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam in this very month. The wrong beliefs of the people was clearly disproven by Hazrat Ayesha Radiallâhu anha by her marriage to Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam in the month of Shawwal which was no obstruction to her elevated position and great love Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam had for her.

Nasir on Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:52 am

To a Muslim the first day of the month of Shawwal, is of very great significance, as this is the day of Eid. On this significant day Allâh showers His glorious rewards of blessings and forgiveness to His servants who have fasted during the month of Ramadhân. It is related from Hazrat Anâs Radiallâhu anhu that Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said: “When the day of Eid appears, Allâh proudly asks in the presence of the Angels regarding his fasting servants: ‘O My Angels, what return is there for such labourers who have fully completed their duty?’ The Angels reply, ‘O Rabb they should be rewarded in full,’ then Allâh asks the Angels, ‘O My Angels what is the reward for those male and female servants who have fulfilled My divine command which was compulsory upon them, and now they have come out to beseech Me in Du’â?’ Allâh swears, ‘I take oath upon My grandeur and glory, My generosity and exaltation of My elevated position, that I will definitely accept their Du’âs.’ Thereafter Allâh says: ‘Disperse, I have forgiven you and replaced your sins with good deeds.’ Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam says they return forgiven.’”

Nasir on Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:57 am

THE SIX NAFL FASTS OF SHAWWÂL

Hazrat Abî Ayyub Radiallâhu anhu relates that Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said: “Whoever fasted the full month of Ramadhân and then follows it with six rozas [fasts] of Shawwâl, is like the person who has fasted the full year.” (Targhîb)

In another Hadîth it is related that by observing these six rozas after Ramadhân all defaults and sins are forgiven. The reward of every good deed is tenfold or more. The thawâb of the month of Ramadhân is equal to that of ten months and that of these six voluntary siyam are equal to that of the remaining two months to complete the full year. These rozas could be kept continuously after Eid-ul‑Fitr or separately during the month of Shawwâl.

Nasir on Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:11 am

Q) Is it permissible to fast the six days of Shawwaal before making up days that I did not fast in Ramadaan, if there is not enough time left in the month to do both? May Allaah reward you with good.

A) Praise be to Allaah.

Fasting six days of Shawwaal is dependent upon having completed the Ramadaan fast, according to the correct view. This is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted a lifetime.” Narrated by Muslim, 1164.

The conjunction thumma (then) indicates that this must be done in this order. This indicates that the fast of Ramadaan must be completed first (by observing the Ramadaan fast and making up any missed fasts), then after that one may fast the six days of Shawwaal, so as to attain the reward mentioned in the hadeeth.

The one who still owes missed Ramadaan fasts is said to have fasted part of Ramadaan; we cannot say that he has fasted Ramadaan.

But if a person has an excuse that kept him from fasting the six days of Shawwaal in Shawwaal because he had to make up missed fasts – such as a woman who was bleeding followed childbirth and spent all of Shawwaal making up for Ramadaan – then she may fast six days of Shawwaal in Dhu’l-Qa’dah, because she was excused. Similarly for anyone who has an excuse it is prescribed to make up the six days of Shawwaal in Dhu’l-Qa’dah, after making up the missed Ramadaan fasts. But the one who lets the month of Shawwaal go by without fasting these days and with no excuse, will not attain this reward.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked: What if a woman owes days from Ramadaan – is it permissible for her to give precedence to fasting the six days of Shawwaal over making up the days she owes, or should she give priority to the days she owes over fasting the six days of Shawwaal?

He replied: If a woman still owes days from Ramadaan, then she should not fast the six days of Shawwaal until after she has made up what she owes, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal…” Whoever still has days to make up from Ramadaan has not fasted Ramadaan, so she will not attain the reward of fasting the six days of Shawwaal until after she has finished making up the days she owes. If we assume that this making up missed fasts lasts throughout Shawwaal, such as if a woman was bleeding following childbirth and did not fast at all in Ramadaan, then she started to make up her missed fasts in Shawaal and did not finish that until Dhu’l-Qa’dah began, then she may fast the six days, and she will have the reward of one who fasted them in Shawwaal, because she delayed it for a necessary reason, so she will have the reward.

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 20/19. See also questions no. 4082 and 7863.

In addition to that, it is obligatory to make up missed fasts for the one who had an excuse, indeed that is part of this pillar of Islam. Based on this, hastening to do it and to discharge this duty takes priority over doing actions that are mustahabb.

Nasir on Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:24 am

The obligatory deed is more beloved to Allah than the nafil deed. Make up any missed days before fasting the six days of Shawwal. The hadeeth “Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is like fasting for a lifetime.” implies that one should complete the obligatory fasts first. That will discharge one’s duty and is also being on the safe side.

Nasir on Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:29 am

The obligatory deed is more beloved to Allah than the nafil deed. Make up any missed days before fasting the six days of Shawwal. The hadeeth “Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is like fasting for a lifetime.” implies that one should complete the obligatory fasts first. That will discharge one’s duty and is also being on the safe side.

Nasir on Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:32 am

Be grateful and seek forgiveness: The servant is always either the recipient of a blessing from Allah, in which case he is in need of gratitude; or he is the perpetrator of a sin, in which case he is in need of repentance. (From Majmoo’ al-Fatawaa).

Nasir on Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:47 am

A recompense the like thereof: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever calls people to right guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow him, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. And whoever calls people to misguidance will have a burden of sin like that of those who follow him, without that detracting from their burden in those who follow him, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest.”
(Muslim)

Nasir on Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:01 am

From the signs that a person’s deeds are accepted is that he or she has improved in obedience to Allah. Allah says (interp. of meaning) : “And remember when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor] ….. ” [Ibrahim 14:7]. Arighteous deed followed by a righteous deed, a hasanah followed by hasanah.

**Admin** on Thu Oct 15, 2009 6:32 am

Jazak Allah

Nasir on Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:16 am

Admin wrote:Jazak Allah

Aameen
Allahi barik feek