The Time for Fasting Six Days of Shawwal and the Ruling on Prioritizing Them over Making Up Missed Fasts
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Question:
Also, please be kind and explain this hadith to us: It is narrated from Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1164a We hope you will kindly clarify these days. Are they in the beginning of the month, the middle, or the end?
Answer:
The hadith is valid, narrated by Muslim in his Sahih, and it has corroborating narrations, all of which indicate that it is recommended for the believing man and woman to fast six days of Shawwal. If one breaks the fast of Ramadan, it is recommended for him to fast six days of Shawwal.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify whether they should be in the beginning, the end, or the middle of the month. This indicates that the matter is broad, and there is no blame in fasting them in the beginning, the middle, or the end of the month. There is also no blame in fasting them consecutively or separately; all of this is broad, and praise be to Allah.
However, if one hastens to do them out of fear of obstacles or impediments, that is good. As Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Ta-Ha:84] He said, Glorified is He: [Al-Hadid:21] the verse, and He said: [Al-Baqarah:148] So if a person races to do them and fasts them consecutively from the beginning of the month, fearing that an obstacle may prevent him or something may occur that stops him, this is a matter of caution, racing to do good, and prudence in performing good deeds. And if he delays them to the middle or the end of the month, there is no blame. Or if he fasts them separately, fasting and breaking the fast until he completes the six, there is no blame in any of that, and praise be to Allah.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If one broke the fast for an excuse, O Shaykh, does he start by making up what he missed of Ramadan fasting, or does he start by fasting the six days?
The Shaykh: It is better to start with the fasting that is making up what is upon him; because it is the obligatory duty. People have differed on this; some scholars said: One must start with making up the missed fasts.
And some scholars said: It is permissible to delay making up the missed fasts and perform the recommended acts. Some of them permitted prioritizing the recommended acts but preferred making up the missed fasts. This is what should be preferred; meaning, he should start with making up the missed fasts. But if he fasts, for example, the Day of 'Arafah while he has missed fasts to make up, or fasts the Day of 'Ashura while he has missed fasts to make up, or fasts three days of every month while he has missed fasts to make up, it suffices him—if Allah wills—and he has reward. But it is not recommended for him to do so; he should start with making up the missed fasts; because it is the obligatory duty; and because it is safer for his right. An obstacle may prevent him, or his term may come upon him suddenly. He should start with making up the missed fasts. So the opinion that one should start with making up the missed fasts is more preferable and safer; as a precaution for the religion and out of concern for the purity of one's conscience. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Also, please be kind and explain this hadith to us: It is narrated from Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal. it would be as if he fasted perpetually.
من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستًا من شوال كان كصيام الدهرAnswer:
The hadith is valid, narrated by Muslim in his Sahih, and it has corroborating narrations, all of which indicate that it is recommended for the believing man and woman to fast six days of Shawwal. If one breaks the fast of Ramadan, it is recommended for him to fast six days of Shawwal.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify whether they should be in the beginning, the end, or the middle of the month. This indicates that the matter is broad, and there is no blame in fasting them in the beginning, the middle, or the end of the month. There is also no blame in fasting them consecutively or separately; all of this is broad, and praise be to Allah.
However, if one hastens to do them out of fear of obstacles or impediments, that is good. As Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said:
and I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased."
وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىRace to forgiveness from your Lord
سَابِقُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْSo race to do good deeds
فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِThe presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If one broke the fast for an excuse, O Shaykh, does he start by making up what he missed of Ramadan fasting, or does he start by fasting the six days?
The Shaykh: It is better to start with the fasting that is making up what is upon him; because it is the obligatory duty. People have differed on this; some scholars said: One must start with making up the missed fasts.
And some scholars said: It is permissible to delay making up the missed fasts and perform the recommended acts. Some of them permitted prioritizing the recommended acts but preferred making up the missed fasts. This is what should be preferred; meaning, he should start with making up the missed fasts. But if he fasts, for example, the Day of 'Arafah while he has missed fasts to make up, or fasts the Day of 'Ashura while he has missed fasts to make up, or fasts three days of every month while he has missed fasts to make up, it suffices him—if Allah wills—and he has reward. But it is not recommended for him to do so; he should start with making up the missed fasts; because it is the obligatory duty; and because it is safer for his right. An obstacle may prevent him, or his term may come upon him suddenly. He should start with making up the missed fasts. So the opinion that one should start with making up the missed fasts is more preferable and safer; as a precaution for the religion and out of concern for the purity of one's conscience. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.