Ruling on fasting the 6 days of Shawwaal before making up missed fasts

بســـم اللــه الرحــمــن الـرحـــيــم

Our Shaykh, Muhammad ibn Hizaam -may Allaah preserve him- was asked the following question:

📩 Question: 

Is it permissible for one to fast the six days of Shawwaal before repaying back missed fasts from Ramadhaan?

📝 Answer:

The Prophet ﷺ said: 

((‏من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه بست من شوال كان كصيام الدهر)) 

"Whoever fasts the month of Ramadhaan and then follows it with six days of Shawwaal will be (rewarded) as if he had fasted the entire year."

Acting in accordance to the apparent meaning of this Hadeeth is what is appropriate; so a person begins by repaying back any missed Ramadhaan fasts before commencing the 6 days of Shawwaal. What's more, it's not clear from the hadeeth that if one were to fast the 6 days of Shawwaal before making up missed Ramadhaan fasts, they would miss out on the aforementioned virtue, because they would have still fasted Ramadhaan; one who makes up for missed fasts is equal in ruling to one who fasts on time, so he will attain the same reward -InShaaAllaah-, and Allaah knows best. But it's better to repay missed fasts first, because Allaah -'AzzaWaJall- said (in the Hadeeth Qudusi), "My servant does not draw closer to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him." Therefore, it's not for appropriate for a Muslim to begin with voluntary fasts and delay making up for missed (obligatory) fasts; this is contrary to the preferred option.

Some of the scholars said the Hadeeth, "then follows it with six days of Shawwaal", is not applicable to this person, but if we reflect over the meaning, then there's no doubt that whoever misses a fast due to a valid reason, then makes up for this afterwards, he takes the same ruling as someone who fasted Ramadhaan; even they will not disagree with us on this; that whoever misses a fast due to (a valid reason such as) travelling, sickness, menstruation or post natal bleeding, then makes up for this in the coming months, he takes the same ruling as one who's fasted. So what's apparent is that he too receives the reward, because the meaning is the same, especially when it becomes very burdensome upon some, like women who accumulate a number of missed fasts such that she's unable to combine between the two virtues, so may have to prioritise the 6 days of Shawwaal due to the lack of time before moving onto making up for missed fasts. We advise her to start with the missed fasts. As for the one who missed the whole of Ramadhaan for a valid reason, then no doubt she must prioritise making up her missed fasts, how can they engage in voluntary fasting when they haven't fasted anything from Ramadhaan. All thanks belong to Allaah, Lord of everything.

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Translated by:

Abu Ishaq Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ba-'Alawi