Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 599 [Read full issue]
Fasting for a year
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever fasts in Ramadan, and six (days) of Shawwal, it will be (equivalent to) as if he/she fasted a whole year (in terms of rewards)."[Reported by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Ahmad, Ibn Majah]
In commenting on the above mentioned Hadith, As-Sananee said in Subul us-Salam: "If the thirty days of Ramadan fasting are assimilated with the six days of fasting in Shawwal, it altogether makes 36 days. According to Shariah (Islamic law), each virtue is rewarded ten times. Therefore, if we multiply 36 days with 10, it makes 360, a number which equals the days of a year of Islamic calendar. Some scholars are of the opinion that these six days of fasting in Shawwal must be completed in a continuous order right after the end of Ramadan. Some believe that it is enough to merely complete six days of fasting in Shawwal (in any order, either successive or with intervals), an opinion which is deemed to be correct."
Compiled From:
Islaam.com