O devotees of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Just as we endure hunger and thirst when fasting in Ramadan, to maintain the same level of devotion we felt in Ramadan after the month ends, we should continue to endure hunger and thirst. اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه The effects of the evil-commanding nafs will diminish and we will attain piety.

The benefits of nafl (voluntary) fasts

Fasting is the best method of attaining the benefits of hunger. Try to observe nafl fasts after Ramadan; اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه Ramadan’s spirit of devotion will last throughout the year.

Two merits of nafl fasts

1.   Whoever keeps one nafl fast to please Allah, will be kept away from Hellfire the distance that a fast horse-rider covers in 50 years.^[1]

2.   The Companion Sayyidunā Abū Umāmah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, “I requested, ‘O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Inform me of an action that will lead me to Paradise.’ He replied, ‘Make fasting incumbent upon yourself, because there is no action like it.’”

The narrator states, “Smoke was never seen coming from the house of Sayyidunā Abū Umāmah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ during the daytime except when guests arrived.” (i.e. he would not eat during the day due to fasting.)^[2]

Two virtues of the 6 fasts of Shawwal

Sinless like a new-born

1.   Whoever observes the fasts of Ramadan and follows it with six fasts in Shawwal is absolved of sin as if his mother gave birth to him today.^[3]