A query on the 6 fasts in the month of Shawwal

[Ruhi_Rose]

Salams folks 🙂    The blessed month of Ramadan is finished this year, and some people are talking about the 6 fasts in the month of Shawwal.  The Noble Quran says nothing about fasting in Shawwal.  Can someone trace out the origin of these 6 fasts of Shawwal?  Is it Hadith or what?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Walaikum Salam dear sis.  Yeah, u bet it's Hadith .... where else would it come from  🥱 ??

The Hadithists call these 6 fasts "sunnah" - 'sunnah' of Bukhari and his student, Muslim bin Hajaj, of course. 

There's a Hadith narrated by someone called Abu Ayyub al-Ansari a.k.a. Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb who lived in Medinah (Yathrib).  As usual there are stories in Hadith (which frankly are thoroughly untrustworthy) claiming he was a "close companion" of the Prophet (S).   

Al-Ansari narrated, claiming that the Prophet (S) said: "If one throughout his life keeps the fasts of Ramadan and keeps six consecutive fasts in Shawwal it will be as though he has kept a whole life time of fasts, and if one keeps the six consecutive fasts for one Shawwal month it will be as though he has observed fast all year round."   This is reported to be a 'Sahih' al-Muslim Hadith.

A few years ago, I heard in a television lecture by an Egyptian-Canadian imam named Ezz Gaad who gave the analysis of this practice.  He first said that according to the scholars, every single successful fast of Ramadan is equivalent to 10 fasts in the Sight of Allah.  Thus, if someone observes all 30 obligatory fasts of Ramadan, it will be as if he observed 300 fasts (30 x 10).  Similarly, he went on, that if one observes 6 fasts in Shawal, it will be as if that person observed 60 fasts (6 x 10).  He further calculated, 300 + 60 = 360.  Therefore, he claimed, that 360 fasts would mean that a person has observed fast for a whole year. 

Now, I don't know how any Muslim who truly and loyally follows the Quran can accept the above explanation or the above quoted Hadith.  First of all, as you correctly mentioned, the Noble Quran says nothing about fasting in Shawal.  As per Quranic commandments, only Ramadan fasts are obligatory.  Secondly, Allah never said in the Quran that every single Ramadan fast is equal to 10.  I have no idea from where these imams collect such information without the permission of Allah.  From the contents of the Quran, we are to believe that every single fast we observe properly in Ramadan equals to one fast, that's it.  If, on the Day of Judgment, Allah decides to increase the reward of anyone, it's up to Him.  But we CANNOT and MUST NOT make such presumptions on our own.   As for the 6 fasts in Shawal, they aren't obligatory in the first place.  Thus, multiplying 6 x 10 is totally far-fetched. 

Finally I would say, after the 30 obligatory (fard) fasts in Ramadan which is a must for all believers who are physically and mentally normal and above the age of 14 or 15, the other fasts are voluntary.  Therefore, we cannot set up any hard and fast rules nor numbers for these voluntary fasts.  If an individual volunteers and desires to keep 20 fasts in Shawal after completing the obligatory fasts in Ramadan, that's their choice and it's fine.  But if they  decide not to keep these voluntary fasts, that too is okay, as long as they observed the 30 obligatory ones in Ramadan. 

[Heba E. Husseyn]

I think sister Zeynab, it would be better to transfer this post in the Hadith board.  Sister Rose wasn't sure if her question was connected with the Hadith, so she posted it here.

[Ruhi_Rose]

Dear sis Heb, thanks so much for this info.  It's given me a very clear idea of the origins of 6 Shawal fasts.  It's definite that the practice of 6 Shawal fasts came from Hadith.  Furthermore, I too am puzzled from where that calculation of 360 was made so conveniently.   Is that from some fatwa giver or has Hadith started teaching its own maths as well?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

lol ,, I won't be surprised if any day the Hadith starts its maths classes, like the apostate Rashid Khalifah. 

As far as I know, the Hadith I quoted is the only one which brings about the practice of keeping 6 fasts in the month of Shawwal.  That mathematics part of it is the idea of the fatwa givers or the "scholars" who slipped it into the Shariah.   Here's the proof for that.  I quote the comments of the inter-Islam.org website on this issue:

Quote
It is commendable to keep six fasts in the month of Shawwal.   The Hadith says "Whoever completes the fasts of Ramadhan then adds to them the fasts of six days in the month of Shawwal, it will carry the thawab of fasting for the whole year.” (Sahih Muslim)

This Hadith had described the great thawab of six fasts of this month. The scholars have interpreted this Hadith by saying that according to the recognised rules of Shari‘ah, every good deed is rewarded ten times more thawab of its origin, therefore, the thawab of 30 days of Ramadhan amounts to the thawab for 300 days. If the fasts of Ramadhan are followed by six more fasts, they carry the thawab of 60 days more, raising the aggregate thawab to 360 which is the number of dais in one year according to the Islamic calendar. Therefore, the Muslims should take this opportunity of acquiring such an enormous reward from Allah. It is more preferable to start these fasts from the 2nd of Shawwal and keep fasting up to the 7th of Shawwal. However, if they are kept in other days, it is hoped that the requirement of the above Hadith may also be fulfilled.
Unquote

Also ,, like all other Ahadith, even this one is not free from controversy among the Muslims.   Even though they call it "sahih," yet among Sunnis too there are disagreements.  Some of them assert that it is stated in many religious references that no scholar, imam or jurist observed fasts during Shawwal.  They even say that the early Wahabis didn't observe any Shawwal fasts.   And those scholars & jurists who consider the above info to be correct have ruled Shawwal fasts as makruh (or disliked) and they have strong suspicions that this is bid'ah (or innovation).

This is what happens when people leave the Quran and wander about elsewhere for guidance - confusion, confusion and confusion.  Someone says something, and the other person will say just the opposite.   

Thus, it's vital to keep reminding our brothers and sisters to return to the Noble Quran alone, and quit all the man-made trash they are following instead.

[Zainab_M]

Very well explained sister Heba.  I couldn't have covered all the points any better.  I too watched that lecture by Ezz Gaad.  It was about 4 or 5 years ago and I recall him detailing that Shariah maths of 360 days of fasts .. he mentioned exactly what you've said.   And you are also right that it's a controversial issue, as Hadith issues always are.   I saw some folks in Facebook are getting ready for 6 more fasts, while few more are cautioning them indirectly.   

And yeah, I think this thread should be put on the Hadith board