What is special about the month of Shawwal?
A: Shawwal is a blessed month in Islam. The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of this month. Also, Sayyidah Aisha (RA) was married to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in this month.
What does hadith say about fasting in shawwal?
Abu Aiyub Ansari narrated that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ اَلْأَنْصَارِيِّ - رضى الله عنه - أَنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم -قَالَ: { مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ, ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ سِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ كَانَ كَصِيَامِ اَلدَّهْرِ } رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ
“Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal will be (rewarded) as if he had fasted the entire year.” Muslim
Are the six fasts of Shawwal obligatory?
A: No, they are Mustahabb fasts. This means you will get rewards if you keep them, but there is no sin if you don’t.
When can I keep the six fasts of Shawwal?
You can start fasting from the 2nd of Shawwal (after Eid) and continue until the end of the month. You can fast on consecutive days or on separate days—both ways are fine.
How do six fasts equal a whole year of fasting?
Understanding the Hadith
The first thing to understand is that we do not need to search for the wisdom behind every command in Islam. Our faith should be such that whatever is proven from the Quran and Hadith, we accept it wholeheartedly without any doubt or questioning, even if we do not fully understand its reasoning. However, may Allah reward the scholars, as they have explained the wisdom behind many Islamic rulings. And why wouldn’t they? Islam is the religion of nature, and its teachings are perfectly aligned with logic and reason. Even if we do not immediately understand the wisdom behind a command, we should still trust that there is divine wisdom in every ruling.
Sheikh Muhammad Manzoor Nomani (RA) explains that even if Ramadan consists of 29 days, Allah, out of His mercy, grants the reward of 30 fasts. When the six voluntary fasts of Shawwal are added, the total becomes 36 fasts. According to Allah’s divine rule, as stated in the Quran: “Whoever brings a good deed shall receive ten times its like in reward.” (Surah Al-An’am: 160) Applying this principle: 36 fasts × 10 = 360 The total (360 fasts) equals the approximate number of days in a year. Thus, whoever fasts for the entire month of Ramadan and then observes six fasts in Shawwal receives the reward of fasting for the entire year.
What if someone doesn’t keep these fasts?
A: There is no sin if you don’t keep them, but you will miss out on the huge rewards mentioned in the hadith.
Can we fast on Eid or the 1st of Shawwal?
No, we cannot fast on Eid (1st Shawwal). Fasting on Eid-ul-Fitr, which falls on the 1st of Shawwal, is strictly prohibited (haram) in Islam. It is a day of celebration, feasting, and thanking Allah for the strength to complete Ramadan.
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) clearly said
وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ الْفِطْرِ وَالنَّحْرِ:
“Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said God’s messenger forbade fasting on the day of breaking the fast of Ramadan and on the day of sacrifice.”
— (Bukhari and Muslim)
Therefore, if you plan to observe the six fasts of Shawwal, begin from the 2nd of Shawwal onwards.
Which days are best to fast in Shawwal?
A: You can fast on any six days between the 2nd and 30th of Shawwal—it’s completely up to you. However, if you choose to fast on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of Shawwal, you’ll earn extra reward because these are known as the “Ayyam al-Beedh”.
According to Hadith, fasting these three days is Mustahabb. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to encourage it and considered these fasts equal to fasting for the entire year in reward.
So combining them with your Shawwal fasts brings double the reward—one for Shawwal and one for the White Days.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command us to fast the days of the white (nights): thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month. He said: This is like keeping perpetual fast.
عن ابن ملحان القيسي، عن أبيه، قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يأمرنا أن نصوم البيض ثلاث عشرة، وأربع عشرة، وخمس عشرة، قال: وقال «هن كهيئة الدهر».”
Narrated Qatadah Ibn Malhan al-Qaysi: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command us to fast the days of the white (nights): thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of the month. He said: This is like keeping perpetual fast. AbuDaud
Why should you keep the six fasts of Shawwal?
A: These fasts help you:
– Earn the reward of fasting the whole year. – Continue the habit of fasting after Ramadan. – Gain more blessings and closeness to Allah.
