Fasting Six days of Shawwal when one has Days to make up from Ramadhan

  By Sheikh Muqbil ibn Haadee Al-Waadi’ee رحمه الله

Question: Is it permissible to fast six days from Shawwaal before one makes up that which is due upon him from days wherein be broke his fast during Ramadhan?

Answer: If one is able to make up the days wherein he broke his fast during Ramadhan, and then fast the six days then this is an affair which is good. If he is not able to fast them both then it is permissible for him to fast the six days regarding which the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهُ بِسِتٍّ مِنْ شَوَّالٍ فَكَأَنَّمَا صَامَ الدَّهْرَ كله

“Whoever fasts Ramadhan then followed it up with six days from Shawwaal, then it is as if he fasted for the entire year.”

Benefits obtained in conditioning oneself to fast after Ramadhan

 

  

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.

The wisdom of fasting in Ramadhan

- by Sheikh Abdullah bin Lamh Al-Khawlani حفظه الله

Translated by Abu Haroon Muhammad Taweel حفظه الله

Transcription by Umm Hasna bint Jabir as-Saylâniyyah

By the Praise of Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  we have not ceased in going forward with our program 'What is Ramadhan' in introducing to you beneficial lectures throughout the beginning days of Ramadhan from the Students of Knowledge and also from the virtuous Mashaayak (may Allaah preserve them all) from Yemen. Today, we have with us our Noble Sheikh Abu Muhammad Abdullah bin Lamh al-Kawlani حفظه الله and today's lecture is on the topic 'The wisdom behind the legislation of the month of Ramadhan and the secrets behind that.'

Insha-Allaah, by the will of Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى in this sitting of ours, we shall be taking some of the wisdom, secrets and the reasons behind the legislation of this blessed month. The origin of our legislation and that which is known is that all of its rulings and legislations are based upon wisdom and valid reasons. Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى has not made waajib (made incumbent) upon his slaves anything except that in it are great wisdom and great reasons to benefit His slaves. 

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The Wisdom Behind Fasting

 Imaam Sheikh al-AlBaani رحمه الله تعالى said,

“I start by opening with something appropriate to the time and place we’re in, in that we all know the Statement of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى, “… decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you, that you may become righteous..”

[Baqarah 2:183]

You have heard commentary and beneficial comments concerning this verse and things connected to it many times, but I believe that you will have seldom heard commentary on its last part, “… that you may become righteous.”

Why was this fasting decreed? “That you may become righteous.” This is one of the rare verses, in fact one of the rare legislated provisions that links the legislated order with an explanation of the intended goal and the reason it was legislated.

There is a declaration here of the obligation of fasting Ramadhan, and Muslims should apply themselves to adopting and implementing this order without asking why or how and so on, something which is common now in terms of questioning the legislated orders, [such that] you will often hear some people [saying], “Why this? Why that? Why this?”—we don’t approve of exhaustively searching for the wisdom behind legislation, except what has been expounded on [itself] in it, like what we’re discussing now [i.e., fasting].

“Decreed upon you is fasting,” why? He سُبحانه وتعالى said, “… that you may become righteous,” i.e., the point of fasting is for it to be a means for the fasting person to increase his taqwa of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى and for him to get closer to Him.

If he fasts but does not improve compared to how he was before, i.e., before Ramadhan, then it means that this person has not accomplished the desired goal wanted from the implementation of fasting.

There are some authentic hadiths, from the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم of course, which explain and confirm this objective which the verse has stated, for example, the hadith Qudsi which the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم relates from his Lord سُبحانه وتعالى, in which He said, “Whoever does not leave false speech, and acting according to it, then Allaah is not in any need of him leaving his food and his drink,” this is a very great hadith, and goes completely with the end of the verse, “… that you may become righteous.”

Who Are the Ones Excused From Fasting?

Sheikh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaimeen رحمه الله said:

It is stated in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, vol.28, pg.73:

One of the ways in which Allaah has made things easy for His slaves is that He has only enjoined fasting upon those who are able to do it, and He has excused those who are unable to fast for a legitimate sharr’i reason.

The legitimate reasons for which one may be excused from fasting are as follows:

1 – Sickness

Sickness means everything that means that a person is not healthy. Ibn Qudaamah رحمه الله said:

The scholars are agreed that it is permissible for the sick person not to fast in general.

The basis of that is the aayah in which Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says:

“... but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days..”

[al-Baqarah 2:184]

It was narrated that Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ رضي اللّه عنـه said:

“When this aayah was revealed –

‘And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)’

[al-Baqarah 2:184]

– those who wanted not to fast could do that, and pay the fidyah (i.e., feed one poor person for each day).

That remained the case until the following aayah was revealed, i.e., the verse:

‘And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day)..’

[al-Baqarah 2:185]

– so it abrogated it.”

The sick person who fears that fasting may make his sickness worse or that it will slow down his recovery or damage a part of his body, has the option of not fasting, and indeed it is Sunnah for him not to fast and it is makrooh for him to complete his fast, because that may lead to his death. So he has to be cautious and protect himself. Moreover, if the sick person is very ill, that makes it permissible for him not to fast. But if a healthy person fears difficulty or tiredness, it is not permissible for him to break his fast, if all that happens to him when he fasts is that he becomes tired.

Upon Whom Is Fasting Mandatory??

Sheikh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

“Fasting is mandatory on every Muslim that is a sane adult (i.e. he has reached the age of puberty). Therefore, fasting is not obligatory upon a disbeliever, nor will it be accepted from him until he accepts Islaam. Neither is it obligatory for a youth to fast until he reaches the age of puberty. A boy reaches the age of puberty when he turns fifteen years old or with the sprout of pubic hairs or when sexual fluids descend during sleep or elsewhere. A girl reaches the age of puberty with her (first) menstruation. So when one of these things occurs in a youth, he/she has reached the age of puberty (and is obligated to fast). However, children (i.e. under age of puberty) should be ordered to fast, if they are able to and it will not cause harm to them, so that they may grow accustomed and attached to it.  

Is such a person not nourished night & day by his Beloved?

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله:

“…is such a person not nourished night and day by his Beloved?”

There is an interesting section of ‘Zad al-Ma’ad’ (2/33 of the printing with al-Arna’ut’s checking) where Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله talks about Sawm al-wisal, which is that the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم would sometimes fast an entire 24-hour day without breaking his fast. When asked by the Companions why he had forbidden them from doing so while he himself would practice it, he replied: “I am not like anyone of you. During the night, my Lord provides me with food and drink.”

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله mentions that there are two interpretations to what the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم meant when he said this. The first is that he is literally provided with food and drink, and the second is that he is being nourished spiritually by Allaah. The stronger of the two interpretations is the second, because if the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم was being provided with actual food and drink, he would no longer be fasting at all, let alone continuously.

He then proceeded with a beautiful exposition of how it is that the servant can be nourished by Allaah without eating or drinking anything. Although Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله wrote this in regards to the Prophet’s continuous fasting, it is something that can actually apply to any fasting person, such as ourselves:

Why Fast?

By: Brother Musa Millington (حفظه الله)

Many non-Muslims may ask us why is it that we must fast from food, drink and our desires from dawn to sunset every day for thirty days. 

Now, in many instances Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) may not have clarified the wisdom in doing something. Therefore, upon us Muslims is to obey regardless of whether or not we know the wisdom behind what we are doing. As Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) has said:

" و ما اتاكم الرسول فخذوا و ما نهاكم عنه فانتهوا"

‘Whatever the Messenger gave you take it and whatever he has prohibited you from leave it.’

However, in this case, Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) has been so Merciful that the wisdom of fasting has been mentioned in His Book, the Qur'aan, & in the Sunnah of the final servant & Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

The Inner Secrets of Fasting

There are three levels of fasting, the general fast, the specific fast & the more specific fast.

By Imaam Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee

 

Know, that in the fast (Sawm) is a special quality that is not found in anything else. And that is its close connection to Allaah, such that He says:

‘‘The Fast (Sawm) is for Me & I will reward it.’’ ^[2]

This connection is enough to show the high status of fasting. Similarly, the Ka’bah is highly dignified due to its close connection to Him, as occurs in His statement:
                        ‘‘And sanctify My House.’’ ^[3]

Indeed, the fast is only virtuous due to two significant concepts:

THE FIRST: It is a secret and hidden action, thus, no one from the creation is able to see it Therefore riyaa‘ (showing off) cannot enter into it.

THE SECOND: It is a means of subjugating the enemies of Allaah. This is because the road that the enemies (of Allaah) embark upon (in order to misguide the Son of Aadam) is that of desires. And eating and drinking strengthens the desires. There are many reports that indicate the merits of fasting, and they are well known.

Who is the fasting person?

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (رحمه الله) said:

The fasting person is the one whose limbs abstains from sins, his tongue (abstains) from lying, lewdness & false speech, his stomach (abstains) from food & drink & his private parts (abstain) from obscenity. When he speaks, he does not speak with what harms his fasting, & when he acts he does not do what corrupts his fasting. All his speech comes out useful & righteous.

Explanation of 'Fasting is for Me & I shall reward for it.'

 Shaykh Saalih ibn al-Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) 

 

The Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that:

"Allaah said: ‘Fasting is for Me & I shall reward for it…’”

 [Bukhaari (1761) & Muslim (1946)]

The obvious question which comes to one's mind when he reads the above hadeeth is that, we all know that all deeds, actions & worship are for the sake of Allaah & He is the One Who rewards for them, so then what is special about fasting that Allaah has singled it out from other acts of worship by his statement "Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it"?

This question was put forward to Shaykh Saalih ibn al-Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah). He was asked,

Question: In the hadith Qudsi, “All the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting for verily it is for Me & I shall reward for it.” I would like an explanation to this hadith. Why is fasting singled out with this specification? Please advise me. May Allaah bless you.

The Shaykh replied,

This is a great hadith & it has been established that the Prophet, صلى الله عليه وسلم, has narrated this hadith from his Lord the Mighty & Exalted. “All the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting for verily it is for Me & I shall reward for it.”

This hadith contains the great virtue of fasting, & its great merit in comparison with the other deeds & Allaah singled out fasting for Himself, from amongst the deeds of the son of Adam. The people of knowledge have answered the statement of Allaah, (“Fasting is for Me & I shall reward for it”), with a number of answers:

(1) From them is the one who said the statement of Allaah, (“Fasting is for Me & I shall reward for it”), means that a person’s good deeds may leave him pending retribution between him & the one that he oppressed; so the one that he oppressed will take retaliation from him on the Day of Judgment by taking something from his good deeds & his charity. This is as appears in the hadith that a man will come on the Day of Judgment with good deeds like a mountain. But he insulted this person & he struck this person & he consumed the wealth of this person.

Therefore they will take for this wrongdoing some of his good deeds, & for that wrongdoing some of his good deeds, until when the person does not have any good deeds left then they will have to take the sins of the ones they oppressed, so all of these sins will drop upon them & they will be flung into the fire.

Except for fasting, for verily it will NOT be taken by the creditor (meaning the one who was oppressed & is due retribution) on the Day of Judgment. But rather it shall only be preserved & saved by Allaah the Mighty & Majestic for the one who observes it & He shall reward him for it.

Fasting during the month of Sha`baan

Aa’isha رضي الله عنها said:

“I have never seen the Messenger of Allaah صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم completing the fast of a month as he did for Ramadhan, and I have never seen him fasting so much as he would in Sha`baan.”

[al-Bukhari & Muslim]

** Sha`baan is the month before Ramadan