Ruling on performing the fast of the six days of Shawwal before making up missed days of Ramadan

Question:
The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. After that, if a person has days of Ramadan that he owes, and he wants to fast the six days, is it possible for him to fast the six days in the month of Shawwal and postpone making up the missed days to the coming months? Please give us a ruling, and may Allah reward you.

Answer:
The stronger, better, and most cautious position is that he should prioritize making up the missed days, fasting what he owes in qada', and then, if six days remain in Shawwal, he should fast the six days. This is because his engagement in making up the missed days and clearing his conscience is better than his engagement in a voluntary act, and because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The apparent meaning of the hadith is that the six days of Shawwal are only fasted after completing Ramadan, and the one who has qada' has not completed Ramadan. However, if a person does it, we do not say that your deed is invalid. In fact, many scholars hold that it is permissible to fast the six days of Shawwal for one who has qada' to make up; because the time for qada' is broad and is not missed, unlike the six days of Shawwal, which are limited to Shawwal. If she left the obligatory act and justified this by saying it was for the sake of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then if she left the obligatory, leaving the recommended is even more so. Yes. If it is done, it suffices, if Allah wills. I say it suffices, if Allah wills, if she does it, it is sufficient. Yes.