Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of Ramadaan is Sunnah
Mustahabbah, not waajib. It is recommended for the Muslim to fast six days of
Shawwaal, and in this there is great virtue and an immense reward. Whoever fasts
these six days will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole
year, as was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him). Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported
that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as
if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi,
al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this when he
said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year:
(whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).” According
to another report: “Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is
like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.” (al-Nisaa’i
and Ibn Maajah. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/421). It was also
narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadaan
brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of
two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.”
The Hanbali and Shaafa’i fuqaha’ explained that fasting six days of Shawwaal
after fasting Ramadaan makes it as if one has fasted for an entire year of
obligatory fasts, because the multiplication of the reward applies even to
naafil fasts, because each hasanah brings the reward of ten like it.
Another of the important benefits of fasting six days of Shawwaal is that is
makes up for any shortfall in a person's obligatory Ramadaan fasts, because no
one is free of shortcomings or sins that have a negative effect on his fasting.
On the Day of Resurrection, some of his naafil deeds will be taken to make up
the shortcomings in his obligatory deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “The first thing for which people will be brought to
account on the Day of Resurrection will be their salaah (prayer). Our Lord, may
He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels – although He knows best –
‘Look at the salaah of My slave, whether it is complete or incomplete.’ If it is
perfect, it will be recorded as perfect, and if something is lacking, He will
say, ‘Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.’ If he
did some voluntary prayers, [Allaah] will say, Complete the obligatory actions
of My slave from his voluntary actions.’ Then all his actions will be dealt with
in a similar manner.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood).