The month of Ramadan brings with it immense blessings of ALLAH swt. When Shawwal comes believers miss their fasting the most. They want Ramadan to be continued till eternity. But everything looks good and attracts only when presented in certain limits. This is why Ramadan, the month of blessings comes to us with most attractive reward packages comes for 29 or 30 days.
For those who want to continue earning the reward and happiness of fast, they can fast for another 6 days of shawal. These fasts are not wajib but mustahab. Muhammad s.a.w.w used to fast for another 6 days of shawal after Ramadan. Thus it is sunnah of Muhammad s.a.w.w to fast for 6 days of shawal as well. These fasts are authenticated from the sahih ahadith recorded in books of hadith.
Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah).
So, to earn the reward of fasting for full year, fast the next 6 months of shawal and earn the reward of whole year.
There is a confusion about these fasts as well. Mostly people think that these fasts should be observed consecutively but this is not correct point of view. The consecutive fasts are only for Ramadan in which ALLAH swt gives us the courage to bear the thirst and hunger. In the normal days, people do not get this courage and shaitan also tries his level best to divert the attention of the believers from good deeds.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this when he said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).” According to another report: “Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.” (al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/421). It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadan brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.”
So earn the extra reward from fasting 6 days for whole years.
For those who want to continue earning the reward and happiness of fast, they can fast for another 6 days of shawal. These fasts are not wajib but mustahab. Muhammad s.a.w.w used to fast for another 6 days of shawal after Ramadan. Thus it is sunnah of Muhammad s.a.w.w to fast for 6 days of shawal as well. These fasts are authenticated from the sahih ahadith recorded in books of hadith.
Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah).
So, to earn the reward of fasting for full year, fast the next 6 months of shawal and earn the reward of whole year.
There is a confusion about these fasts as well. Mostly people think that these fasts should be observed consecutively but this is not correct point of view. The consecutive fasts are only for Ramadan in which ALLAH swt gives us the courage to bear the thirst and hunger. In the normal days, people do not get this courage and shaitan also tries his level best to divert the attention of the believers from good deeds.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this when he said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).” According to another report: “Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.” (al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/421). It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadan brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.”
So earn the extra reward from fasting 6 days for whole years.