Abu Ayyoob (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
“Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal; it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.”
(by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah).
Oh, my dear Muslims; this is a great blessing from Allah as he has given us the opportunity of getting the benefits of fasting the whole year by just completing the fasting of six days of Shawwal after Ramadhan. Also, it is evident from the Hadiths that it is not necessary to fast these six days continuously. But instead, we have to complete these six fast in the month of Shawwal either constantly or by breaks.
Importance of Shawwal Fast:
Now when we have done the fast of Ramadan no; we should all do these fasts of Shawwal to get the benefits of fasting the whole year. One can gauge the importance of nawafil deeds from the following Hadith; which motivate all of us to do as many nawafil deeds as we can do, and the six fasts of Shawwal also fall in the same category:
Prophet (PBUH) 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 (nawafil) 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.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood).
Blessings of fasting six days
1. Fasting six days in Shawwal after Ramadan gives the individual the award of fasting consistently the whole year.
2. The fasts of the Sha’ban and Shawwal resemble the Sunnah petitions that go with the five mandatory supplications. Like the Sunnah supplications, these extra fasts conceal the insufficiencies in the exhibition of our compulsory reverence. On the Day of Judgment, our deliberate demonstrations of love will make up for the deficiencies by the way we did our obligations. The majority of us have insufficiencies in recognizing our Ramadan fasts, and we need something to conceal those inadequacies.
3. Our re-visitation of the propensity for fasting just after Ramadan is an indication that our Ramadan diets were acknowledged. When Allah accepts our love, He favors us to participate in additional demonstrations of devotion. The adage goes: The prize of uprightness is further prudence. Accordingly, following one great deed with others like it is an indication that Allah had acknowledged the principal deed. On the other hand, if an individual’s good deed is trailed by a wicked one, it means that the primary great deed probably won’t have been acknowledged.
4. The individuals who fast the whole Ramadan are given their reward of the day of Eid Al-Fitr, the day when the fast is compensated. Getting into the propensity for fasting again is a method for offering gratitude to Allah for the favors that we have gotten. There is no gift more prominent than pardoning for one’s wrongdoings, and we realize that quick of Ramadan is rewarded with the absolution of one’s past sins.
May Allah enable us to fast in the month of Shawwal too. (Ameen)
