Shawwal Fasting: Importance of Fasting Six days after Ramadan

Holy Month of Ramadan, has just passed. Besides educating us, it provides an opportunity for us to win double rewards as well as to increase faith and belief in Allah.

In the month of Ramadan, we usually take the opportunity to practice Sunnah (the way of the prophet Muhammad S.A.W.) such as Tarawih, Witir prayers, read the Quran, to give charity and so on to get maximum rewards from Allah. We should ask ourselves “are we continuing these practices in the months after Ramadan?”

The celebration of the month of Ramadan does not mean that the end of what we have worshiped and done good deeds during the glorious month, but more importantly its continuity in the coming month throughout the whole year.

Fasting for six days during Shawwal is a Sunnah and is not Fardh (obligatory). However, the virtues and the advantages of these six fasts are very large and special.

Permanent Reward for the whole year:

Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) promises forgiveness of past sins whoever fast during the whole month of Ramadan. After Ramadan, completing a six-day fast in the month of Shawwal is the same as fasting a whole year. As narrated by Abu Ayyub (R.A.), Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said:

"Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six from Shawwal, then that is (equal in reward) to fasting every day." ( Tirmidhi 759)

Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) explains that the fast of six days in the month of Shawwal, the reward is just like a full year of fasting with one condition, we have completed fasting a month of Ramadan.

Complete Ramadan Fasting Shortage:

Six-day fast of the month of Shawwal will complement the deficiencies and disabilities found during the fasting month of Ramadan. Imam Nawawi, think that a person who has completed Ramadan fast should continue his fast (six days of Shawwal) immediately and consecutively after celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr i-e from 2nd Shawwal onwards. However, Fasting can be done on any day, throughout the month of Shawwal, either continuously or alternately.

The opportunity to follow the Prophet’s (S.A.W.) Sunnah:

As mentioned above, fasting during Shawwal is Sunnah and not Fardh but we should not forget about the following Hadith.

As Narrated by Anas bin Malik,

"The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said to me: 'Whoever revives my Sunnah then he has loved me. And whoever loved me, he shall be with me in Paradise.'" ( Tirmidhi 2678)

According to the hadith, we will be reviving one of our Prophet’s (S.A.W) Sunnah, by observing the fast for six days during Shawwal. So the reward from Allah will be unlimited and we will be with our beloved Prophet (S.A.W.) in paradise, our ultimate goal/destination.

Here are some health benefits for fasting:

- Fasting purifies the blood inside the cells of the body and helps balance the body fluids, and gives the human energy and activity, and strengthens the immunity. - Fasting saves the person from toxins and body waste and helps his body to remain healthy and fit.

- One of the greatest benefits of fasting is that it generates enough white pellets to protect the human body from diseases. Scientific research has confirmed that fasting one day generates white pellets sufficient to protect the body for 10 days. If we combine fasting for the whole month of Ramadan with fasting 6 days of Shawwal, The body's production of white cells will cover 360 days, which is sufficient to protect the body during the whole year

- Fasting these days helps to move the body from Ramadan diet system to the normal diet in a healthy way and avoid the problems of digestion. During the holy month of Ramadan, the body is accustomed to eating two meals a day (Sehr & Iftar). The transition to food, which consists of three to four meals, causes some digestive disorders.

- Fasting these days helps you to remove the abdominal puff significantly, and gives the body a great opportunity to burn sugar and fat, which was heavily eaten during the days of Eid-ul-Fitr, and helps control the quality of food that you get.

Remember that we should observe fast for the sole purpose to please Allah and not to gain these health benefits as Niyya (intention) for each and every good deed should be to get reward from Allah and Allah only.

May Allah accepts all your good deeds and reward you with Jannah (Paradise) on the Day of Judgment.