1. Getting Rewards Like Fasting for a Year

 

Fasting is one of the acts of worship that has a high place in the sight of Allah.

 

Therefore, Muslims are encouraged to complete the 6 days of fasting in the month of Shawwal.

Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.

Translation:

From Abu Ayyub al-Ansari RA, narrated that the Messenger of Allah SAW said: "Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with fasting (sunnah) six days in the month of Shawwal, it is equal to fasting for a year."

 

(Hadith narrated by Muslim, no. 1164, Abu Dawud, no. 2433, al-Tirmizi, no. 759, Ibn Majah, no. 1716, Ahmad, no. 22433 & 22454)

 

Through this hadith, fasting for 6 days is also seen as a sign of Allah's love for the people of Prophet Muhammad by granting them the opportunity to gain the reward of fasting for a year if the fasting of Ramadan is supplemented with a six-day fast in the month of Shawwal.

The worship we do is nothing but to gain reward and the pleasure of Allah. There is another hadith that gives an illustration of the virtues of fasting six days in the month of Shawwal.

 

Based on a hadith narration which means: “Fasting Ramadan is equivalent to fasting for ten months and fasting six days of the month of Shawwal is equivalent to fasting for two months. So it is sufficient for a year.”

 

(Hadith narrated by Ahmad, no. 21378, Ibn al-Khuzaimah in his Sahih, no. 2115, al-Darimi, no. 1755, al-Baihaqi in Sunan al-Kubra, no. 8230).

 

This offer only comes once a year for us to seize the reward of fasting for a month during the months of Ramadhan and Syawal.

 

According to a statement from JAKIM, later scholars in the Syafie School such as al-Khatib al-Syarbini and Imam al-Ramli, people who perform other fasts such as qadha', vows or circumcision fasting on Monday and Thursday for six days in the month of Syawal also receive the reward of circumcision fasting on Syawal.

 

Therefore, the month of Shawwal is a month in which we are encouraged to fast, such as voluntary fasting, vows or qadha'.

 

2. Making up for the Shortage of Ramadan Fasting

 

Among the advantages of fasting the 6th is that it is an opportunity for us to make up for the lack of fasting from the previous Ramadan.

In explaining this matter, Imam Ibn Rajab explained:

 

Fasting in Shawwal and Sha’ban is like praying the Sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory prayers, thus completing the shortcomings that occurred in the obligatory prayers.

"Indeed, fasting the six months and fasting Sha'ban are like the practice of performing the sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory prayers. This sunnah practice makes up for the shortcomings in the obligatory prayers if there is a gap in the obligatory prayers." (Lataif Maarif)

 

3. Continuing the Momentum of Ramadan Worship

 

Apart from that, we are also highly encouraged to fast for six days in the month of Syawal to continue the momentum of the acts of worship that were done in the month of Ramadan.

 

Most of us are very enthusiastic about performing acts of worship during the month of Ramadan, and successfully resist the urge to double our acts compared to other months.

To help maintain that momentum, fasting 6 can train our souls to remain consistent in practicing circumcision.

 

4. Complementing Obligatory Worship

 

We, as His weak servants, always hope that the circumcision practices we perform can complement the obligatory practices that are lacking.

 

Coinciding with the Hadith Qudsi:

 

The first thing for which people will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection from their deeds will be prayer. Our Lord, glory and majesty be to Him, will say to His angels - and He is All-Knowing - “Look into…”

My servant’s prayer, whether he has completed it or omitted it, if it is complete it will be recorded for him as complete, but if he has omitted something from it, He will say, “Look, does My servant have any voluntary prayers?” If he omitted something, He will say, “Do you think My servant has any voluntary prayers?”

He had a voluntary prayer. He said, “Complete for My servant his obligatory prayer from his voluntary prayer.” Then the deeds will be taken according to that.

 

Translation: “Indeed, the first deed that will be counted for a person on the Day of Judgment is prayer. His Majesty SAW said, Allah SWT says to His angels while He knows best: Look at the prayer of My servant, is it complete or is there still something lacking? If it is complete, write it complete. If there is still something lacking, His Word: Look at whether My servant has any Sunnah deeds. If there are, His Word: Complete for My servant his obligatory deeds with his Sunnah deeds, then the deeds are counted in that state.”

(The Way of the Wise)

 

5. Allah Promises Paradise to Those Who Fast Diligently

 

As per the hadith of Prophet Muhammad SAW, there is a special gate of heaven, Ar-Rayyan, for servants of Allah who practice fasting.

 

Whoever spends two pairs in the way of Allah, he will be called from the gates of Paradise: O servant of Allah, this is good. So whoever is among the people of prayer will be called from the gate of prayer.

Whoever is among the people of jihad will be called from the gate of jihad, and whoever is among the people of fasting will be called from the gate of ar-Rayyan, and whoever is among the people of charity

He was called from the gate of charity. Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, said: My father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of God, there is no blame on the one who is called from those gates.

Necessity, so will anyone be called from all of those doors? He said: Yes, and I hope you will be one of them.

Translation: “Whoever spends his wealth in the way of Allah, he will be called from the gate of Paradise: O servant of Allah, this is good for you. Whoever constantly establishes prayer, is called from the gate of prayer. Whoever fights jihad, is called from the gate of jihad. Whoever fasts, is called from the gate of ar-Rayyan. Whoever gives charity, is called from the gate of charity. Saidina Abu Bakr RA said: By my mother and father, O Messenger of Allah SAW, those who are called from these gates will no longer need anything. Will there be someone who is called from all the gates? The Prophet SAW replied: Yes, I hope you are among them.”

 

The month of Syawal is also seen as a yardstick for measuring whether the practices during the month of Ramadan have had an impact on our hearts and actions.