Shawwal fasting is an important religious practice in Islam. It comes after the month of Ramadan, the holy month in which Muslims fast for a whole month. Shawwal fasting not only has devotional value, but also tremendous virtues. This article will explain the Shari’ah proofs, rulings, and virtues of Shawwal fasting.
Dalil of Shawwaal fasting
The main evidence for fasting Shawwal is the hadith narrated by Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, who said that the Prophet said:
مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ سِتًّا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ كَانَ كَصِيَامِ الدَّهْرِ
“Whoever fasts Ramadan and then fasts six days in Shawwal, he has fasted like a whole year.” (HR. Muslim)
This hadith shows the Prophet’s recommendation to fast six days in Shawwal after completing Ramadan.
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Ruling on Fasting Shawwal
Fasting Shawwal is a sunnah muakkadah, which is a sunnah that is highly emphasised to be done. As such, it is not obligatory. However, based on the hadith mentioned, fasting Shawwal has great virtues and extraordinary rewards in the sight of Allah SWT.
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The Virtues of Shawwal Fasting
Fasting Shawwal with its high position has several virtues including:
1.Fasting Shawwal after Ramadhan is like fasting a year:
1.Fasting Shawwal after Ramadhan is like fasting a year:
Mentioned in the hadith narrated by Ibn Majah:
مَنْ صَامَ سِتَّةَ أَيَّامٍ بَعْدَ الْفِطْرِ كَانَ تَمَامَ السَّنَةِ (مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا)
“Whoever fasts six days after Eid al-Fitr, it is like fasting the whole year. [Whoever does one good deed is rewarded with ten equal good deeds].” (narrated by Ibn Majah and authenticated by Shaykh al-Albani in Irwa’ul Gholil)
The one who does one good deed will get ten similar good deeds. Ramadan fasting is one month, which is equivalent to fasting for ten months. Fasting Shawwal is six days, which equals 60 days, which equals 2 months. Therefore, a person who fasts Ramadan and then fasts six days of Shawwaal will get the fast of a full year. (See Syarh An Nawawi ‘ala Muslim, 8/56 and Syarh Riyadhus Sholihin, 3/465).
2 – Fasting Shawwaal makes up for the shortcomings of fasting Ramadan:
Fasting Shawwal makes up for any shortcomings that may have occurred in the fasting of Ramadan. None of us can be sure that his fast was flawless. One of the things that is prescribed to make up for the deficiencies in what is obligatory is to perform sunnah acts of worship. This is mentioned in the following hadith:
” إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُحَاسَبُ النَّاسُ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمُ الصَّلاَةُ قَالَ يَقُولُ رَبُّنَا جَلَّ وَعَزَّ لِمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ انْظُرُوا فِى صَلاَةِ عَبْدِى أَتَمَّهَا أَمْ نَقَصَهَا فَإِنْ كَانَتْ. تَامَّةً كُتِبَتْ لَهُ تَامَّةً وَإِنْ كَانَ انْتَقَصَ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا قَالَ انْظُرُوا هَلْ لِعَبْدِى مِنْ تَطَوُّعٍ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ تَطَوُّعٌ قَالَ أَتِمُّوا لِعَبْدِى فَرِيضَتَهُ مِنْ تَطَوُّعِهِ ثُمَّ تُؤْخَذُ الأَعْمَالُ عَلَى ذَاكُمْ “.
“Verily, the first deed that people will be judged on the Day of Judgement is prayer. Allah, the Almighty, says to His angels and He knows best: “Look at the prayer of My servant. If his prayer is perfect, then a perfect reward will be recorded for him. But if there is a slight flaw in his prayer, then Allah says: See if My servant has any Sunnah deeds. If My servant has a voluntary deed, Allah says: make up for the deficiency in the obligatory deed with his voluntary deed.” Then the other deeds will be treated like this.” (Abu Daud (864), Ibn Majah (1426) and Ahmad (2:425). Shaykh al-Albani said that this hadeeth is saheeh)
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3 – Fasting Shawwal is an address of the acceptance of the fast of Ramadan:
One of the addresses of the acceptance of a good deed is if after that the servant continues the good deed with another good deed, this is mentioned in Surah Muhammad verse 17:
وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ
And those who accept guidance, Allah guides them and rewards them for their piety.
Hence, one’s continuation of the Shawwal fast after completing the Ramadan fast can be an indication that Allah ta’ala accepted his Ramadan fast.
4 – Fasting Shawwal is a continuation of the self-purification of Ramadan
Muslims are at their best in Ramadan when they avoid sins and increase obedience, so increasing fasting with Shawwal fasting is an effort to continue this process after Ramadan.
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5.Fasting Shawwal is a manifestation of Gratitude for the blessings of fasting Ramadan
One of the main rewards of fasting Ramadan is forgiveness from Allah ta’ala as mentioned in the following hadith:
مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and hoping for reward from Allah, his past sins will be forgiven.” (HR. Bukhari no. 38 and Muslim no. 760).
So a servant should be grateful for the blessing of fasting and the blessing of the door of forgiveness by increasing his fast with Shawwal fasting.
Shawwal fasting is a great worship that complements the fasting of Ramadan. This worship is a sign of gratitude for the blessings of Ramadan fasting and addresses the acceptance of our Ramadan fast. May Allah ta’ala always make it easy for us to carry out this great worship.
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References
Kajian Ramadhan 3: Puasa Karena Iman dan Mengharap Pahala. (2021, April 28). Muslim.or.id. https://muslim.or.id/17294-kajian-ramadhan-3-puasa-karena-iman-dan-mengharap-pahala.html
MSc, M. A. T. (2012, January 11). Keutamaan Shalat Sunnah. Rumaysho.com. https://rumaysho.com/2184-keutamaan-shalat-sunnah.html
MSc, M. A. T. (2010, September 10). Jangan Lupa Lakukan Puasa Syawal. Rumaysho.com. https://rumaysho.com/521-jangan-lupa-lakukan-puasa-syawal.html
http://www.alukah.net/authors/view/sharia/8651. (2020, June 2). صيام ست من شوال: فضائل ومسائل. Www.alukah.net. https://www.alukah.net/sharia/0/140441/%D8%B5%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%81%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84/
MSc, M. A. T. (2010, September 12). Keutamaan Puasa Sunnah 6 Hari di Bulan Syawwal. Muslim.or.id. https://muslim.or.id/1382-keutamaan-puasa-sunnah-6-hari-di-bulan-syawwal.html
Surat Muhammad Ayat 17. (n.d.). Tafsir AlQuran Online. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://tafsirq.com/47-muhammad/ayat-17
