Ruling on making up six days of Shawwaal in Dhu’l-Qa‘dah

Dear Brothers & Sisters,
As-Salaamu-Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

If someone fasts the six days of Shawwaal in Dhu’l-Qa‘dah, will he attain the specific reward of that fasting?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)
Check below answers in case you are looking for other related questions:

Answer:

Praise be to Allah.

If he or she had an excuse, such as sickness, menses, nifaas (post-partum bleeding) and the like, because of which he or she delayed making up those days or delayed fasting the six days, then there is no doubt that he or she will attain that particular reward, as was stated by the scholars.

But if he or she had no excuse; rather they simply delayed that fast until Dhu’l-Qa‘dah, then the apparent meaning of the text indicates that they will not attain the particular virtue [of fasting six days of Shawwaal], and that [this fast] is a Sunnah connected to a particular time, which has passed, just as if he missed fasting the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah and the like, fasts for which the time has passed. This special virtue has now passed, but he may still attain the reward of fasting in general terms.

Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan as-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him)

Al-Fataawa as-Sa‘diyyah (p. 230)

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah's Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Related Answers:

Recommended answers for you: