Explanation of Some Voluntary Fasts
The Fasts of Shawwal
Question:
How is it to fast six days of Shawwal?
Answer:
Scholars unanimously agree that fasting six days of Shawwal is prescribed and recommended. Numerous mutawatir hadiths have been reported as evidence. Allama Katani, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned this in “Nazm al-Mutanathir min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir”
.
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستا من شوال كان كصيام الدهر
“Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then fasts six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted for the entire year.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that I asked:
بكل يوم عشرا قال نعم
“Will the reward of ten fasts be given for every day?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replied: Yes.
❀ Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
قد استحب قوم صيام ستة أيام من شوال بهذا الحديث
“In light of this hadith, a group of people have declared the six fasts of Shawwal as recommended.”
❀ Imam Abd al-Razzaq, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
به نأخذ
“Our practice is in accordance with this hadith.”
❀ Imam Abdullah ibn Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
هو حسن هو مثل صيام ثلاثة أيام من كل شهر
“The practice of fasting six days of Shawwal is recommended. Its reward is like fasting three days every month.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
من صام رمضان وأتبعه بست من شوال فكأنما صام الدهر
“Whoever fasts six days after Ramadan in Shawwal, it is as if he fasted the entire year.”
❀ Sayyiduna Thawban, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
من صام ستة أيام بعد الفطر كان تمام السنة من جاء بالحسنة فله عشر أمثالها
“Whoever fasts six days after Eid al-Fitr, it is as if he fasted the entire year, because whoever does one good deed receives tenfold reward.”
❀ The wording of a narration is:
جعل الله الحسنة بعشر فشهر بعشرة أشهر وستة أيام بعد الفطر تمام السنة
“Allah Almighty has multiplied one good deed tenfold, therefore the fasts of one month (Ramadan) are equal to ten months, and the six fasts of Shawwal are equal to sixty fasts.”
❀ In a narration it is stated:
صيام رمضان بعشرة أشهر وصيام الستة أيام بشهرين فذلك صيام السنة
“The fasts of Ramadan are equal to the fasts of ten months, and the six fasts of Shawwal are equal to two months, thus these are fasts of the entire year.”
❀ Regarding Imam Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him:
“Whenever the six fasts were mentioned, which some people fast as voluntary after Ramadan, he used to say: Surely Allah Almighty is pleased with the entire year’s fasts through this month.”
Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him
, and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him
, are also proponents of the recommendation of these fasts. Similarly, Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi, may Allah have mercy on him
, also supports their permissibility. The attributed dislike (karahah) opinion from Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, is not proven with an authentic chain. No trustworthy scholar denies the permissibility of fasting six days of Shawwal. Weak and unauthenticated opinions hold no weight.
❀ Allama Kasani, Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
ليس بمكروه بل هو مستحب وسنة
“These fasts are not disliked, rather they are recommended Sunnah.”
❀ Allama Ibn Hammam, Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
, states:
عامة المشايخ لم يروا به بأسا
“Most Hanafi scholars do not consider any harm in fasting six days of Shawwal.”
❀ In Hanafi jurisprudence it is stated:
لكن عامة المتأخرين لم يروا به بأسا
“Most of the later Hanafi scholars do not consider any harm in fasting the days of Shawwal.”
❀ Shaykh Zadah Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
, states:
“The six fasts of Shawwal after Eid al-Fitr are not disliked; this is the preferred opinion. Because there is a one-day gap of Eid al-Fitr between Ramadan and Shawwal. Therefore, there is no necessary resemblance to the People of the Book, and thus these fasts are not disliked but are recommended Sunnah, as there is a hadith regarding this.”
Question:
Should the six fasts of Shawwal be observed consecutively or separately?
Answer:
They can also be observed separately, because there is no restriction in the hadith to fast them consecutively. Therefore, fasting six days of Shawwal on any days will earn virtue.
Question:
Should the six fasts of Shawwal begin immediately the day after Eid?
Answer:
The six fasts of Shawwal can be observed at any time during the month; it is not necessary to start them the day after Eid.
