Articles

THE SIX DAYS OF SHAWWAL

The number of acts of worship Muslims endeavour to do during the month of Ramadhan is significantly increased, from reciting the Quran, invoking salawat on the Messenger of Allah(salla Allahu alaihi wassalam), praying for blessings, seeking forgiveness to making dua to Allah ta'ala. It is a time when good deeds are rendered easy and one has much more energy for performing them than during any other month.

When Ramadhan ends many miss the blessings the sacred month brings; increased spiritual awareness; high iman; and exalted aspirations for performing the many acts of worship.One can attempt to maintain these blessings by continuing to perform the good deeds performed in Ramadhan. Moreover, one can fast the six days of Shawwal, the tenth month of the lunar calender.

The first of Shawwal is Eid ul Fitr. It is prohibitively disliked and sinful to fast on Eid day itself. however, one may fast after Eid day. Most of the fuqaha have held that it is recommended to fast the six days of Shawwal and in this is great virtue and immense reward.

Aby Ayub al-Ansari(Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wassalam) said: "whoever fasts Ramadhan, and follows it with six days from Shawwal it is as if he fasted the entire year".

In another hadith, Thawban(allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah)salla allahu alaihi wassallam) said "whoever fasts Ramadhan, and then six days after Eid, it is (like fasting) an entire year. whoever does a good deed shall have ten times its reward".

Hence, Muslims should seize the opportunity to fast these days and have the reward of fasting an entire year recorded for them! May Allah ta'ala give us the tawfiq in reaping this tremendous reward as well as continuing to perform good deeds performed in Ramadhan.

Useful websites for traditional learning containing a variety of articles and lectures from prominent Ulama:

www.sacredknowledge.co.uk

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