Here’s a sorta motivational email that was sent out to a net I am on regarding this topic:

THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN

Fasting Ramadan + Fasting Six Days in Shawwaal = Fasting for 1 year!

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Eid Mubarak everybody. May Allah (SWTA) accept our deeds.

I know people might be a little tired from fasting the whole month of Ramadan… but there is this super sale going on in the ever expansive Mercy Section in the Land of Allah SWTA where if someone follows up fasting Ramadan with six days of Shawaal, it will be recorded for him as if he fasted the whole year. Yep yep, that’s whats up, so don’t miss out!

As I am sure you all know, the month after Ramadan in the Islamic Calendar is Shawwal. It is strongly recommended to fast six days in this month. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said, as reported by Abu Ayyub (R):

“Whoever fasts the month of Ramadhan and then follows it by fasting six days during the month of Shawwaal will be rewarded as if he had fasted the entire year.”

[Related by Muslim, at-Tirmithi, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawood and Ahmad by way of Jabir].

Not a bad deal huh? Fast just six days and its as if we fasted the whole year! And no, they do not have to be done in succession. If you want, you can do it on the first three Mondays and Thursdays, or you can do three of them on the three middle days of the month. Both of these things are sunnah, so you can get double reward Insha’Allah for fulfilling two sunnahs at once.

Just my two cents, I would advise that you do these six fasts ASAP.

Why? Well, one, because your still used to fasting right now, so it’ll be easier on you.

Two, the angel of death comes unannounced… he doesn’t wait for you to get ready or allow you more time. I know of several people who when the month of Ramadan began, they were with us, but now at this blessed month’s end, they are with their Lord.

“But to no soul will Allah grant respite when the time appointed (for it) has come. And Allah is all-aware of what you do.” [Al-Munafiqoon, Verse 11].

Thirdly, Allah (SWTA) says in the Qur’an,

“And be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and earth, which is prepared for the righteous.” [Aali Imran, Verse 133]

Here we are told to rush and be quick towards the forgiveness of Allah and His Jannah, so why delay the six days of fasting? And on a side note, it’s amazing how many times, we rush to everything BUT the forgiveness of Allah (SWTA). We have no trouble standing in Qiyam for 4 hours outside Game Stop to get Halo 2, yet we find it difficult to pray 15 minutes of Tahajjud in the night. Sad man, sad. Fourthly, when you read the Qur’an, Subhan Allah, you find that much of the wailing of the people of the Hell Fire is “Woe to me, HAD I done…”. They put things off until later and later, and never seem to get to it. And once they missed their chance, it becomes too late to go back. Now is your chance. Do not let it pass you by. The sooner you get the six days done, the better for you Insha’Allah. You can start fasting from the day after Eid.

And Allah (SWTA) knows best.