The 6 days of Shawwal

The month of Shawwal, which follows Ramadan, opens an explicitly reported opportunity: the fast of 6 days that crowns the whole year.

Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with 6 days of Shawwal is like one who fasted the entire year.

Muslim 1164

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari is the Companion narrator. The classical corpus further reports the hadith of Thawban: "the fast of Ramadan counts for 10 months, and fasting 6 days after it counts for 2 months: that is the fast of a full year" (ad-Darimi 1755 ; an-Nasai in al-Kubra 2860 ; Ahmad 5/280, graded sahih).

The reward of fasting the 6 days explained

The jurists' reckoning rests on the Quran: "whoever comes with a good deed will have 10 times the like of it" (Quran 6:160). Ramadan multiplied by 10 equals 300 days, the 6 days multiplied by 10 equal 60, that is a full year. Ibn Qudama sets it out in al-Mughni (4/239): no difference between fasting them consecutively or separately, at the start of the month or its end, for the hadith is absolute.

When to fast them?

• The day of Eid fasting is forbidden: the 6 days therefore begin at the earliest the day after Eid.
• an-Nawawi's recommendation (al-Majmu', 7/635): to fast them consecutively from the start of Shawwal; separating them or delaying them later in the month remains valid for the schools that recommend them (above all the Shafi'is and Hanbalis).
• The old divergence: Malik reports in the Muwatta (1/311) that he never saw the scholars fast them, fearing an innovation; Abu Hanifa, according to what is transmitted from him, disliked this fast, while later Hanafis saw no harm in it (Ibn al-Humam, Fath al-Qadir 2/349).
• Contemporary opinions: Ibn Baz allows consecution as well as separation, including a delay to Dhul-Qa'da for an excuse (Majmu' al-Fatawa wa-l-Maqalat al-Mutanawwi'a); Ibn Uthaymin prefers immediate consecution and allows separation (Fatawa Nur 'ala ad-Darb).

The 6 days of Shawwal and making up Ramadan: which order?

The classical divergence: Malik and Abu Hanifa require making up missed days first, so that the voluntary fast is added to the completed obligation; ash-Shafi'i and Ahmad allow the reverse order. Caution: make up first, then fast the 6 days; failing that, the 6 days are not nullified.

Practical note on the 6 days of Shawwal

Set a date from the day after Eid and hold to it: 6 days rewarded like a whole year, according to the Prophet's promise reported by Muslim.