Quick Answer: To complete the 6 Shawwal fasts, fast any six days during the month of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan. They don’t have to be consecutive. You can fast Mondays and Thursdays, spread them across the month, or fast them back-to-back after Eid. Together with Ramadan, these six fasts earn the reward of fasting an entire year, according to a hadith in Sahih Muslim.
Ramadan ends. Eid arrives. The dates are eaten, the family gathered, the du’as made. And then life returns to normal. But here’s the thing: the spiritual momentum you built over thirty days doesn’t have to vanish with the crescent moon of Shawwal. In fact, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ left us a beautiful gift for exactly this moment, the six fasts of Shawwal.
These six days are one of the most rewarding voluntary acts a Muslim can perform after Ramadan. They’re flexible, accessible, and carry a promise so magnificent it almost sounds too good to be true, yet it comes directly from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself.
Whether you’re a working professional juggling long hours, a parent managing a household, or a student trying to hold on to the Ramadan feeling, this guide will help you complete these fasts with ease, intention, and heart.
Before anything else, let’s ground ourselves in why we’re fasting at all.
Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal will be (rewarded) as if he had fasted the entire year.” — Sahih Muslim, 1164 | Bulugh al-Maram, Book 5, Hadith 701
This is the foundation. One month of Ramadan, multiplied by ten (as each good deed is rewarded tenfold), equals ten months. Six days of Shawwal, multiplied by ten, equals two months. Ten plus two equals twelve, a full year of fasting.
There is no single fixed schedule. The scholars offered flexibility here, and that flexibility is a mercy. You may:
Read Also: Life After Ramadan: How to Sustain the Spirit of Worship
This is where many Muslims struggle. Ramadan had a community rhythm, suhoor together, iftaar together. Shawwal is quieter. There’s no collective energy pushing you forward. Here’s how to stay on track:
Niyyah (intention) is the engine of every act of worship. Before Eid even ends, decide which days you’ll fast. Write them down. Tell your spouse, a friend, or a family member, accountability works.
The Prophet ﷺ regularly fasted on Mondays and Thursdays. If you complete your six Shawwal fasts on these days, you’re earning double the reward with a single fast. For working people, it also creates a predictable rhythm rather than disrupting your workweek at random.
You don’t need a full Ramadan spread. A few dates, some water, a banana, and a boiled egg. The point of suhoor is barakah and energy, not volume. A 5-minute suhoor is still suhoor.
Decision fatigue is real. When you’re tired and hungry, the last thing you need is to figure out what to eat. Meal-prep a simple iftaar the night before. Dates + water at Maghrib, then a real meal 20–30 minutes later works perfectly.
Already doing intermittent fasting? Already skipping lunch? These are golden opportunities. The fast doesn’t change your schedule; it simply reframes it.
Missed a day? Life happened. Pick up next Monday. Fell sick mid-month? Continue when you recover. The goal is six days before Shawwal ends, not a flawless performance.
This is one of the most common questions asked every year, particularly by sisters who missed days due to menstruation.
The majority of scholars across all four madhabs hold that it is permissible to fast the six days of Shawwal even if you still have Qadha fasts outstanding. Their reasoning: the time to make up missed Ramadan fasts extends until the next Ramadan, while Shawwal lasts only one month. You should not be deprived of its virtue simply because of a legitimate excuse.
That said, if you choose to make up Ramadan fasts during Shawwal, your primary intention should be for Qadha, not the six Shawwal fasts. If circumstances prevent you from completing all six fasts within Shawwal, some scholars permit making them up in Dhul-Qa’dah.
Ramadan opens your heart. Let Shawwal keep it open. Fasting and charity have always walked hand in hand in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ was described as being “more generous in Ramadan than the blowing wind,” and that spirit doesn’t expire when Eid arrives.
Across the world, millions of Muslims are still going hungry not because Ramadan ended, but because their crisis never did. In Palestine, Yemen, and beyond, families face emergencies that have no off-season.
Al Qulub Trust, a UK-registered charity (No. 1201517), is working on the ground to deliver food, healthcare, clean water, and support to families who need it most. While you fast your six days of Shawwal, consider pairing each fast with a small act of giving.
One fast. One donation. One step closer to the reward of a full year of worship in your body, your wealth, and your heart.
Can I fast the 6 days of Shawwal after Eid?
Yes, that’s exactly when they should be fasted. Avoid the first day of Shawwal (Eid al-Fitr), then fast any six days within the month.
Can I fast Fridays or Saturdays for Shawwal?
Yes, as long as you aren’t singling them out just because they are on Friday or Saturday. If your only free days happen to be weekends, scholars such as Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin have clarified that there is no harm in that.
What if Shawwal ends and I haven’t finished all six fasts?
If you had a legitimate reason (illness, menses, travel), some scholars allow making up the remaining days in Dhul-Qa’dah. Otherwise, strive to complete them before Shawwal ends.
Do children have to fast the 6 Shawwal days?
These are voluntary fasts, not obligatory. Children who are not yet of the age of obligation are not required to fast, though those who are mature and willing may do so with parental guidance.
Is the reward of a full year only for those who fasted all of Ramadan?
The hadith says “whoever fasts Ramadan,” but scholars clarify that those who missed days with a valid reason (travel, illness) are considered to have completed Ramadan in principle.
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