Shawwal Fasting: Significance of fasting 6 days after Ramadan

The holy month of Ramadan has passed. Besides educating us, it not only helps us to earn double rewards but also provides us with the opportunity to increase our trust and faith in Allah.

In the month of Ramadan, we usually get the greatest reward from Allah, taking advantage of opportunities such as sunnahs like Taraweeh, Witir prayers, reading the Quran, and giving charity to the poor. Now it’s time for us to question ourselves, “Are we continuing these practices after the month of Ramadan?”

Celebrating the month of Ramadan may mean the end of what we worshiped and did good deeds during the month of glory. More importantly, the continuation of these worship and good deeds are a must for Muslims across the world throughout the year.

The 6-day fasting in Shawwal is Sunnah, not Fardh (obligatory). However, the strengths and benefits of these six fasts are very nice and special.

Permanent reward for the whole year

The great Prophet Muhammad promised forgiveness of past sins to anyone who fasts during the whole month of Ramadan. After Ramadan, completing 6 days of fasting during the month of Shawwal is equivalent to fasting for an entire year.  As narrated by Abu Ayyub, the Prophet Muhammad said, “Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six of the Shawwal, that (the reward is equivalent) to fasting daily.” Tirmidhi 759

The Prophet Muhammad explained that six days of fasting in Shawwal, the reward is like a year of fasting with one condition, we have completed the fasting month of Ramadan.

Complete shortage of Ramadan fasting

Fasting for six days during the month of Shawwal will complement the deficiencies and disabilities found during the fasting in the month of Ramadan. Imam Nawawi, believes that a person who has completed the fasting of Ramadan should resume fasting (six days of Shawwal) immediately and continuously after the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr, from the second Shawwal. However, fasting can be done on any day of the month of Shawwal, continuously or alternately.

Opportunity to follow the Prophet’s Sunnah

As noted above, fasting during Shawwal is a Sunnah and not a Fardh but we should not forget the Hadith. As Narrated by Anas bin Malik, “The Messenger of Allah said to me: Whoever revived my Sunnah, he loved me. And whoever loved me, he will be with me in Paradise.” Tirmidhi 2678

According to hadith, we shall resurrect one of the Sunnahs of our great Prophet by observing fasting for six days during Shawwal. Hence Allah’s reward will be infinite and we will be with our beloved Prophet in heaven, our ultimate goal/destination.

Here are some of the health benefits of fasting:

1. Fasting purifies the blood inside the body’s cells and helps balance the fluids in the body, bringing back energy and activity, and while enhancing immunity.

2. Fasting helps people get rid of toxins and wastes in the body, and helps the body to be healthy and balanced.

3. One of the greatest benefits of fasting is that it produces enough white pellets to protect the human body from disease. Scientific research has confirmed that fasting for one day produces enough white pellets to protect the body for 10 days. If we combine fasting for the whole month of Ramadan with fasting for 6 days of Shawwal, the body’s white blood cell production will cover 360 days, enough to protect the body for a whole year.

4. Fasting these days helps to move the body from the Ramadan diet to the normal diet in a healthy way and avoid digestive problems. During the holy month of Ramadan, the body gets used to eating two meals a day (Sehri and Iftar). The switch to the diet, which consists of three to four meals, leads to a number of digestive upsets.

5. Fasting during these days helps you to get rid of the abdominal puff significantly and gives the body a great opportunity to burn off the sugar and fat that are consumed a lot during the Eid-ul-Fitr days, and also helps control the quality of the food you get.

Notably, remember that we must adhere to fasting for the sole purpose of pleasing Allah and not to gain these health benefits, because the Niyya (intention) for every good deed should be to get the reward from Allah only.

ARR