A few excerpts from the wonderful work (Lataa'if al Maa'rif) of Al Hafith ibn Rajab رحمه الله.
** Fasting the six days
of Shawwal completes the reward for fasting a full year.
** Fasting these six
days and previously fasting in the month of Shabaan (prior to Ramadhan) is
similar to the sunan ar-rawaatib (voluntary prayers associated to each
obligatory prayer). These prayers proceed and succeed the obligatory prayers,
and correct the deficiency and insufficiency present within them. Indeed
voluntary prayers strengthen and perfect any deficiency present within
obligatory prayers as has been mentioned by the Messenger صلّى
اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم
in several narrations. Most people possess fault and defect in their obligatory
prayers, and because of this the Messenger صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم forbade
a person from saying: I have fasted and stood (in prayer) the full month of Ramadhan.
(Abu Dawud, Nisa'ee) A companion upon hearing this hadith said: I don't know if this forbiddance was due to dislike of
praise or due to defect present in the act of worship.
** Conditioning oneself
to fast these days of Shawwal is a sign of acceptance of Ramadhan. If Allaah
accepts an action from His servant He gives that individual the tawfeeq
(success) to perform another righteous action thereafter. Some (of the Salaf)
used to say: The reward for a good deed is the
good deed that follows it. Therefore, whoever performs a good deed,
and follows it up with another, this is considered a sign of acceptance of the
first deed performed. Likewise, if one were to perform a good deed, and
thereafter perform an evil deed, this is considered a sign that the first
action was rejected and not accepted from that person.
** Fasting the month of Ramadhan
warrants forgiveness for previous sins, as has been mentioned previously. In
addition to the fasting individuals being rewarded for their completion of the
month on the day of Eid, which is also titled: The Day of Prizes. With this
being the case, fasting the (6) days of Shawwal is done to show appreciation
for this great blessing (forgiveness of sins), for indeed there is no greater
blessing than it.
The Messenger صلّى
اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم used
to stand in prayer at night until his feet bled. Upon doing so he was asked,
would you perform such an action while Allaah has forgiven you your past and
future sins?! The Messenger صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم replied: Should I not be a grateful servant? Allaah –The
Most Glorified and The Most High- has ordered His servants to glorify Him in
appreciation for fasting the month of Ramadhan. This is done through
remembrance of Him and other forms of gratitude. Allaah said:
"{And in order for you to complete the prescribed days and magnify Allaah for having guided you, and so that you may be grateful to Him}"
(Al Baqarah:185)
And from those forms of gratitude of
the servant to his Lord for having given him success to fast Ramadhan,
assisting him in doing so, and forgiving him of his sins and faults, is the
servant fasting upon the completion of Ramadhan as a means of appreciation. If
the Salaf were given success to pray night prayer on a particular night, they
would fast the following day in show of gratitude.
Wahb bin al Ward was asked about the reward for performing a particular action, such as Tawwaf, he responded: Don't ask about the reward for performing such an action, but instead ask about what is upon the individual of gratitude in appreciation for the success and assistance in performing the action.
If you have not increased in actions
(of piety) in appreciation for the blessings upon, then verily you are not
grateful.
One must show gratitude for every blessing that Allaah has bestowed upon him in his religion and in worldly affairs. Once a person is given this tawfeeq to (actually) show gratitude, then it is once more upon him to show gratitude in appreciation for this tawfeeq. This is a continuous cycle of gratitude, and because of this, a servant will never be able to fully show thankfulness (for the blessings granted to him). The reality of gratitude is that an individual confesses to his inability to (completely) show thankfulness.
If showing thankfulness to Allaah for a blessing bestowed on me is (itself) another blessing, then it is incumbent upon me to show further gratitude. (With this being the case), how can one (truly) show gratefulness except with His (Allaah's) favor, when days continue and life persists.
Abu 'Omrin as Shaybani said: Musa عليه السلام said on the day of his visit to Mountain Turr: Oh Allaah, if I pray, then I do so by Your favor, if I give charity, then I do so by Your favor, and if I spread Your message, then I do so by Your favor. How can I show (complete) gratitude to You!? Allaah responded: Oh Musa, now you have showed gratitude.
As for the one who repays the blessing of being able to fast Ramadhan, by indulging in sin upon completion of the month, then this person is from those who have repaid the blessings of Allaah with ungratefulness. If this individual is certain that once the month is over, he will return to sin, then his fast is not accepted and the door of mercy is shut in his face.
The author further stated:
The actions of obedience that were
performed during Ramadhan do not end at the conclusion of Ramadhan, rather
these actions continue as one has life. This is similar to the previously
mentioned hadith: 'The one who fasts after Ramadhan
is like the one who fled from the battle field and later (after realizing the
tremendous sin he committed) returns to fight in the way of Allaah.'
This is because, many people rejoice at the conclusion of Ramadhan due to the difficulty, boredom and length of fasting. A person who views fasting Ramadhan in such a way will more than likely not immediately return to (voluntarily) fasting. Therefore, the person who immediately begins fasting after completing Ramadhan is displaying his strong desire to fast and he is demonstrating that he did not become bored nor did he dislike fasting the month of Ramadhan.
The author further said:
It was said to Bishrin: Indeed the
people are worshipping and diligently (performing good deeds in Ramadhan). He
replied: How terrible are the people that only
acknowledge the rights of Allaah in Ramadhan. Verily the pious individual is
one who worships and is diligent throughout the year.
The actions of The Messenger صلّى
اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم were
constant. 'Aisha –may Allaah be pleased with her- was asked: Did The Messenger choose a specific day (for the
performance of righteous deeds) ?
She replied: No, his actions were constant.
She also stated: He would never increase in Ramadhan
nor in other than Ramadhan over 11 units (in voluntary night prayer) .
The author later stated:
The (righteous) actions of a believer
do not end until death befalls him.
Hasan al Basri said: Indeed Allaah did not indicate an end to the actions of a believer except at the time of death. Then Hasan recited the verse of Allaah:
"{And worship your Lord until death approaches}"
(Surat al-hijr:99)
The author continued:
These months, years and days are all
limited durations and times of actions, then they will quickly pass and end.
But The One who created this time and duration, and designated within them
merits, He will always remain and never end, He is everlasting and unchangeable,
and He is at all times one Lord. He is always a watcher and seer over the
actions of His servants. Glory is to He who has revolved His servants at
various times, through actions of obedience. He bestows great merits upon them
during these various times, and upon completion (of these actions) He rewards
them with generosity and kindness. Once the three precious forbidden months are
complete, the first of them being the forbidden month, and the last of them
being the fasting month, these three months then approach the month of Hajj to
the House of Allaah. So just as 'Whoever fasts Ramadhan
and stands within it with faith and seeking a reward, all his past sins will be
forgiven for him', similarly: ' Whoever
performs Hajj to the House of Allaah and does not have sexual relations nor
commit indecent acts, he will return (from Hajj) similar to the day his mother
gave birth.'
Therefore, there is not a time that passes in the life of the believer except that there are specific actions of obedience designated by Allaah upon His servants during that time. The believer revolves between these various times seeking a means of closeness to his Lord while in a state of hope and fear. The one who loves Allaah does not become bored from seeking nearness to Him through voluntary actions, nor does he desire other than His nearness and pleasure.
He (author) later stated:
Ask Allaah to make you firm upon (His)
obedience until death approaches you, and seek refuge with Him from the
changing of one's heart and from wickedness after piety. How strange is
shamefulness of sin after worthiness of obedience, and how strange is poverty
of greed, after wealth of contentment!
He (author) later stated:
Oh youths of Tawbah (mature individuals
who perform tawbah): Do not return to suckling from the breast of desire after
you have weaned from it. Indeed breastfeeding is only befitting for babies and
not for (grown) men, but one must be patient upon the bitterness of weaning. If
you are patient in this matter the taste of desire will be substituted with the
sweetness of faith in your hearts. Whoever abandons something for the sake of Allaah,
he will not miss that thing, and Allaah will substitute it with that which is
better. Allaah says:
"If Allaah knows that you have good present in your heart, He will give you better than what was taken from you and forgive you your sins.."
(Surah al Anfal:70)
It is stated in a hadith:
'Verily the look (at what is haram) is an arrow from the
arrows of Ibless (Shaytaan). If one abandons this look out of fear, Allaah will
replace it with sweetness in the heart.'
(Recorded by Hakim
and declared to be weak)
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