Answer
Wa `alaykum as-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
Fasting six days in Shawwal after Ramadan carries great rewards, as mentioned in a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is highly recommended but not obligatory. The fasts can be observed on any six days of Shawwal, whether consecutively or separately. This practice is equivalent in reward to fasting a whole year, making it a valuable Sunnah for Muslims seeking extra blessings.
In his response to your question, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, Former President of the Fiqh Council of North America, states:
Prophetic Hadith on Fasting Six Days of Shawwal
Fasting six days of the month of Shawwal is mentioned in a Prophetic hadith. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, โWhosoever fasted in Ramadan and then followed up with six fasting days of Shawwal, it is like fasting every day.โ (Muslim)
The Reward for Fasting Six Days After Ramadan
The meaning is that the reward is like the reward of a person who he had fasted a whole year. It is highly recommended to fast six days of the month of Shawwal, but it is not obligatory. Those who want to fast can fast after Eid Al-Fitr any six days during Shawwal.
It is not required to fast six days continuously without any interruption. One can fast according to convenience any time during the month.
๐ Read Also: Fasting Six Days in Shawwal Post-Ramadan: Why?
Allah Almighty knows best.
Editorโs note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholarโs archive and was originally published at an earlier date.