Does one fast the six days of Shawwaal immediately or leave some room in between to celebrate ‘Eid and visit relatives
Question:
On the authority of Abdur-Razzaaq As-San’aani and it is related from Ma’mar the dislike in fasting the six days of Shawwaal directly after ‘Eid and that what takes precedence is not hastening to fast on the second day of ‘Eid, so what is correct?
Answer:
What is correct is whoever fasts Ramadhaan and follows it up with six days from Shawwaal, it is like he fasted the whole year.
And following up is applicable to doing so straight away and this is easier for a person. So it being that he fasts six days from Shawwaal in parts at any time from Shawwaal includes in the beginning or the middle or at the end.
Except that hastening is more easier. Then there will be flexibility for other voluntaries if he so wishes after that. If he wants to fast the Moon Days or Mondays and Thursdays, there will be room for him.
And every time a person is more hastening with acts of obedience, there is more blessing in it for him, “Hasten to good deeds” especially with the wording ‘أتبعه’ – Atba’ahu (follows it up) Nawawi chose that immediately following it up is better, so there’s no problem in doing it all at once as it is easier and there is more blessing in it.
So doing it all at once is easier and there is more blessing in it, and think about it, the one who splits it in parts perhaps the month will end and he has fasts remaining upon him from it, and other than him has completed early and began to do other voluntaries along with it; this is good.
There is no opposing of the legislation or dislike in immediately following it up; and the separation between the obligatory and voluntary is ‘Eid.
And verily the invented affair is that they implement ‘Eid ul-Abraar’ the eight day. This is newly invented affair, this innovation they consider the eighth day a small ‘Eid and the other one is the big ‘Eid.
The one who does all of it at once and dies on the tenth day, Mashaa’Allaah, he fasted the Sunnah completely according to the Hadeeth, this is from the blessing of hastening with the good.
The correct opinion is endorsed and is encouraged with, and the mistake is to be pointed out and warned from.
With us, the mistakes and innovations which the Sufis newly invented, they do it all at once and rebuke the one who breaks his fast in the first portion of Shawwaal, this is a mistake.
So the one who splits in parts is not to be rebuked, nor is the one who does it all at once; and doing it all at once is better, and don’t perpetuate innovation for the sake of these six days.
Doing it all at once and hastening with it is better in hastening to do good deeds and leaving room for extra voluntary, and due to the word ‘أتبعه’ – Atba’ahu (follows it up) mentioned in the Hadith, and that it is more inline with the evidence.
End of speech.
Answered by: Shaykh, the Allamah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu Abdirrahman Yahya bin Ali Al-Hajuri – may Allah preserve him
Source: https://t.me/sh_yahia_duroos/13739
Translated by: Abu ‘Abdillaah ‘Omar bin Yahyaa Al-‘Akawi