Fasting six days of Shawwal before making up missed days of Ramadan
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Question:
Is it obligatory for a person to fast six days of Shawwal before making up missed days of Ramadan? Which is the stronger position in this matter, Honorable Shaykh?
Answer:
Fasting is a voluntary recommended practice, not an obligation. The obligation is only Ramadan. As for the six days of Shawwal, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, fasting on the Day of 'Arafah, and fasting three days of every month, all of these are voluntary, recommended, and acts of devotion. It is obligatory for one who has missed days to make up to start with making them up. If he wishes to fast the six days after that, there is no harm. However, he must start with making up the missed days, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)Mishkat al-Masabih 2047. So the six days are to follow, not to be followed; they are to come after Ramadan, after he has made up the days of Ramadan. Yes.
Is it obligatory for a person to fast six days of Shawwal before making up missed days of Ramadan? Which is the stronger position in this matter, Honorable Shaykh?
Answer:
Fasting is a voluntary recommended practice, not an obligation. The obligation is only Ramadan. As for the six days of Shawwal, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, fasting on the Day of 'Arafah, and fasting three days of every month, all of these are voluntary, recommended, and acts of devotion. It is obligatory for one who has missed days to make up to start with making them up. If he wishes to fast the six days after that, there is no harm. However, he must start with making up the missed days, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)
said, “If anyone fasts during Ramadan, then follows it with six days in Shawwal
قال من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستا من شوال
Source
وجوب التفقه في الدين — islamhouse.com (1:20:39)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.