Thursday, October 16, 2008

The virtue of fasting six days of Shawwaal

Q) What is the ruling on fasting six days of Shawwaal? Is it waajib (obligatory)?

A) Praise be to Allaah.

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).

And Allaah knows best.


Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Ruling on paying fidyah for delaying making up missed fasts before making them up

Q) A woman is asking about making up missed Ramadaan fasts and feeding the poor (as fidyah for delaying that). Should she give food for each day, or should she give food for all the days in one go after she has finished making up the days?

A) Praise be to Allaah.

If a person delays making up missed Ramadaan fasts until the next Ramadaan begins, then if that was for a reason such as sickness, pregnancy or breastfeeding and the like, then he or she does not have to do anything except make up the missed days. But if there was no excuse, then he or she has sinned and must make up the missed days, but does he or she have to pay a fidyah or not? There is a difference of opinion among the scholars. The majority are of the view that the fidyah must be paid, and it is feeding one poor person for every day. In the answer to question no. 26865 we stated that the more correct view is that the fidyah is not obligatory, but the one who pays it in order to be on the safe side has done well.

This fidyah – according to those who say that it is required – becomes obligatory upon that person as soon as the next Ramadaan begins, and he may offer it at that time, or delay it until he makes up those fasts, but it is better to hasten to do it so as to fulfil his obligation.

It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (28/76): Making up missed Ramadaan fasts may be done at any time but the majority of scholars limited it to a specific time frame within which they must be made up, which is before the next Ramadaan begins, because of the words of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her): “I would owe missed Ramadaan fasts but I would not be able to make them up except in Sha’baan, because of my duties towards the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).” This is similar to prayer, which should not be delayed until the time for the next prayer comes.

According to the majority of scholars, it is not permissible to delay making up missed Ramadaan fasts until the next Ramadaan comes without an excuse, and that doing so incurs sin, because of this hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah. If a person delays that then he must offer the fidyah: feeding one poor person for each day, because of the report narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them) who said concerning the one who has to make up a missed fast but does not do so until the next Ramadaan comes: “He must make it up and feed one poor person for each day.” This fidyah is for delaying it. It is permissible to offer the food before making up the fast, at the same time, or afterwards. End quote.

Al-Mardaawi al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

He should offer food that is acceptable for expiation. It is permissible to give the food before making up the fast, at the same time, or afterwards. al-Majd – meaning Ibn Taymiyah, the grandfather of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah – said that the best is to give it beforehand, in his view, so as to hasten to do good and to rid oneself of the problem of postponing. End quote from al-Insaaf (3/333).

And Allaah knows best.


Islam Q&A

Passing the meeqaat for one who intends to do Hajj and ‘Umrah, then goes back to it

Q) There is a pilgrim who intends to do Hajj, but he has business in Makkah then in Madeenah. He passed the meeqaat and did not enter ihraam, and he entered Makkah then he went to Madeenah, and entered ihraam from the meeqaat of Madeenah for Hajj. What is the ruling on his action?

A) Praise be to Allaah.

So long as the pilgrim went out to the meeqaat of the people of Madeenah, and came in ihraam, he does not have to do anything about his entering Makkaah previously without ihraam. But it would have been better for him to enter from his first meeqaat in ihraam.

And Allaah is the Source of strength.


Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas, 11/155

It is essential to recite the phrases of the adhaan in order

Q) What is the ruling on one who says Hayya ‘ala al-Falaah (come to prosperity) before Hayya ‘ala al-salaah (come to prayer) in the adhaan? Please give the evidence.

A) Praise be to Allaah.

If he says Hayya ‘ala al-Falaah (come to prosperity) before Hayya ‘ala al-salaah (come to prayer), he has to repeat Hayya ‘ala al-Falaah (come to prosperity) after saying Hayya ‘ala al-salaah (come to prayer), because it is essential that the phrases of the adhaan be given in the right order. The adhaan was narrated in this particular order, so if a person inverts the phrases, he is doing something that is not in accordance with the command of Allaah and His Messenger, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does something that is not in accordance with this matter of ours will have it rejected.” End quote.


Fataawa al-Tahaarah wa’l-Salaah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (p. 63).

Ruling on plates on which there are images

Q) What is the ruling on plates on which there are images? Please note that they are not usually used except in cases of necessity?

A) Praise be to Allaah.

The basic principle is that it is haraam to make images of animate beings, because of the evidence that has been narrated concerning that. But if the images are treated in a humiliating manner or are partial images, then it is permissible to use the things they are drawn on, such as carpets and the like.

And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.

Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas


Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (1/677).

He said to her, “Get in the car, I will divorce you”

Q) I am a short-tempered young man, and I do not know what I am saying when I get very angry, to such an extent that I feel as if I am not myself when I get angry. My wife was with me in the car and we argued, and she got out of the car and said to me, “Divorce me,” but she did not mean what she said, because she was upset. I said to her, “Get in the car, I will divorce you”, although I did not have the slightest intention of divorcing her. What is the ruling on this?

A) Praise be to Allaah.

Your saying to your wife, “Get in the car, I will divorce you” is not regarded as a divorce, rather it is a promise of divorce, so divorce has not taken place.

You have to deal with the problem of being too angry, and beware of uttering the word of divorce in all situations, even if your wife asks for it. See the answer to question no. 658.

And Allaah knows best.


Islam Q&A