Fasting the Six Days of Shawwal Before or After Making Up Ramadan

Question: Salam wa alakium, as the month of shawal is approaching and we are meant to fast the 6 days, I wanted to ask if its preferred to make up the days you weren’t fasting first or can I fast the 6 days and then make up the days later on? Or can I do both with one fast (i.e fasting the 6 days also makes up 6 days of not fasting?) JazakAllahu khairun

Summary:

The best and most complete is making up Ramadan first, then fasting six from Shawwal It is permissible according to some scholars to fast the six first, but he misses the completeness of the virtue It is not valid to combine the intention of make up and the six in one day according to the stronger opinion So the correct way is Make up what you owe, then fast six from Shawwal with an independent intention

Answer:

In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and may Peace and Blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

First, which should be given priority, the make up or the six?

From the Sunnah:

  • Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1164Narrated by Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī (may Allah be pleased with him):
    He who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal. it would be as if he fasted perpetually.

    The point of evidence is his statement “fasted Ramadan” meaning he completed it, and whoever has make up to do has not yet completed the fasting of Ramadan.

For this reason, the majority of the scholars, the Hanbalis and many of the Shafi'is and others, said: He begins with the make up first Then fasts the six of Shawwal So that he attains the full virtue of the hadith And this is the more cautious and more complete view But, Some of the people of knowledge, such as a group from the Shafi'is, allowed giving priority to the six, especially if he fears missing them due to limited time, then he makes up after that, and they said he attains the origin of the reward, but the completeness is in giving priority to the make up Second, is it permissible to combine the intention of make up and the six? The majority of the scholars say it is not valid to combine the two intentions Because: The make up is an independent obligatory act of worship And the six is an independent voluntary act And each act of worship has its own specific intention So the six does not suffice for the make up, nor does the make up suffice for the six They said: Acts of worship that are intended for themselves do not overlap So based on this, he makes up what he owes first, then fasts the six with an independent intention

And Allah knows best.

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