Fasting six days of Shawwal after the obligatory fasts of Ramadan is a recommended Sunnah. It is recommended, and not obligatory. There is great virtue and an immense reward. Whoever fasts these six days will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole year, as was reported in a Sahih Hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Sahih Muslim, Abu Dawood, Al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah) The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained this when he said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) Al-Fitr has completed the year.” According to another report: “Allah has made for each good deed, 10 like it, so a month is like fasting 10 months, and fasting six days completes the year.” (Al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah; authenticated by Al-Albani) It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah: “Fasting for the month of Ramadan brings the reward of 10 like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.” Another benefit is that it makes up for any shortfall in a person's obligatory fasts, because no one is free of shortcomings or sins. On the Day of Resurrection, some of the man's voluntary deeds will be taken to make up for the shortcomings in his obligatory deeds, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The first thing for which people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be their Salah (prayer). Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels – although He knows best – ‘Look at the Salah of My slave, whether it is complete or incomplete.' If it is perfect, it will be recorded as perfect, and if something is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary prayers.' If he did some voluntary prayers, (Allah) will say, ‘Complete the obligatory deeds of My slave from his voluntary ones.' Then all his actions will be dealt with in a similar manner.” (Abu Dawood) __
