Hadiths about Ramadan

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that our beloved Prophet (S.A.W) has said: “Ramadan, a blessed month, has come to you during which Allah (S.W.T) has made it obligatory for you to fast. In it the gates of the Garden (Paradise) are opened, the gates of the Fire are locked, and the rebellious Shaytan is chained. In it Allah (S.W.T) has a night which is better than a thousand months. He who is deprived of its good indeed suffered deprivation”. (Ahmad & Nasaai)

“Every good deed will be rewarded from ten to seven hundred fold except fasting which is endured for My sake and which I shall reward”. (Hadith Qudsi, Sahih al-Bukhari).

Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said, “The reward of the fasting man will be generous beyond imagination or estimate.”

Month of Shawwal

Allah (S.W.T) has granted us a perfect opportunity to obtain extra rewards during the month of Ramadan and also the month of Shawwal. This idea of pushing ourselves a little extra is something that should be very central to the Muslim consciousness. Our mindset should be that we are not content to just do the bare minimum, and aim only to avoid the haram (absolutely prohibited) and fulfil the Fard (absolutely compulsory). We should achieve these goals as a matter of course, but we should also desire to go the extra mile.

After Ramadan has ended, many of us try to sustain the spiritual sentiments that we experienced during Ramadan by continuing to recite more Quran than normal and perform extra prayers. This is indeed something that Islam encourages to do, and specific references have been made to fasting extra days in Shawwal.

Hadrat Abu Ayub Ansari (R.A) reported that the Beloved Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said: “The one who observes the fasts of Ramadan and follows this with six voluntary fasts of Shawwaal will be regarded as though he had fasted for the entire year”. (Muslim Shareef).

In another Hadith, Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah (R.A) reported that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said: “The one who observes six fasts of Shawwaal after Eid al-Fitr will be regarded as though he has fasted the entire year”.

Based on this, the majority of the Fuqaha (including the Hanafi, Shafi, and Hanbali school, have held that it is recommended to fast six days of the month of Shawwal. (Rad dal-Muhtar; Mughni al-Muhtaj Shah al-Minhaj; Kashshaf al-Qina)

It is permitted to fast these six days separately throughout the month, or consecutively, after Eid al-Fitr. (Ibid)

May Allah Almighty give us the guidance and Tawfiq to act upon what we learn. (Ameen).