Maqasid: the six fasts of Shawwal

Another Ramadan has come to its end. Yet again it seems that every year it comes and goes as fast as a speeding train. May Allah accept the prayers, sujud and supplications of all the Muslims here and the rest of the world.

I am reading a brilliant book by Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanwi on the wisdom behind the commands in Islam and thought I’d share the the wisdom of the six fasts of Shawwal.

Q. What is the secret in decreeing unlawful the fast on the first of Shawwal but making it obligatory to fast on the last day of Ramadan, although both days are alike?

A. Both days are not alike in rank and status. They may be alike in sunrise and sunset at similar times and period of day but they are not similar in terms of Allah’s injunctions. The month of Ramadan is the one during which Allah has prescribed fasting for His slaves. The first of Shawwal, on the other hand is a day of Eid and happiness for the people.

Allah has made it permissible for His slaves to eat and drink in gratitude to Him and everyone is a guest of Allah on this day. It is most disagreeable to Allah that anyone keeps fast on this day and reject the invitation of Allah. It is part of manners and duties of a guest that if he fasts he should do with permission of the host. Thus, if the followers of Islam are the special guest of Allah on the first of Shawwal then how is it allowed for them to fast on that day?

It is among the peculiarities of the injunctions of the Shari’ah that on the last day of Ramadan fasting is fard while on the first day of Shawwal it is forbidden to fast. The last day of Ramadan is the day of perfection of Allah’s blessings and the completion of one’s duties. The first day of Shawwal is the one which all the Muslims are Allah’s guest. In fact, all the creatures of Allah are His guests, always, but is the day of special hospitality and feast and it is a grave sin to refuse the invitation.

The wisdom (maqsad) in equating 36 fasts in a year to a full year’s fast:

The secret of fasting on these days lies in their similarity to the Sunnah prayers attached to the five daily obligatory prayers through which shortcoming in their prayers is perfected. Among the merits of these facts is that the worshipper is rewarded as if he fasts perpetually.

This is the calculation whereby one act of piety fetches reward equal to ten acts and these six days fasting perfects the calculation, the thirty days of Ramadan plus the six days of Shawwal equal to thirty-six which multiplied by ten equal three hundred and sixty.