Fatwa ID: 01933

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

Salaam, brother my question is, i know that the six fasts in shawaal are nafil, but if someone says that i know that but to me they are like fard, because of the sawaab. is that correct if not, is fatwa obligatory on him. jazakallah khair. 

Answer:

Saaiduna Abu Ayyub Al Ansari narrates that the Prophet of Allah said: “Whoever fasts Ramadhan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud)

It is considered a sunnah and desirable to fast six days in the month of Shawwal. The brother in question should not consider it to be fardh or obligatory even in terms of thawab. This belief is a form of harshness or extremism, which Islam does not like. Saaiduna Abdullah Ibn Masud narrates that the Prophet of Allah said, “Those who go to extremes are doomed.” He said it three times. (Sahih Muslim).

Imam Nawawi  has said the meaning of the aforementioned hadith applies to those who go to extreme in worship and overstep the limits of the Shariah. (Sharh Muslim p.220 v.16)  

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham