Is it a must to fast the six days (of Shawwal) immediately after Ramadan, after the day of Eid, or is it permissible to do so later on during Shawwal? A – It is not a must to fast immediately after Eid Al-Fitr. It is permissible to begin fasting after a day or (a number of) days. And (it is also permissible) to fast them continuously or separately during Shawwal, according to what one finds easy for himself. The issue is quite flexible in this matter. Moreover, it is not obligatory. It is a Sunnah. – Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatwa; Fatawa Ramadan; vol. 2, p. 693, no. 698 Obligatory fasts come first Q- Can a person start fasting six days of Shawwal when he still has days to make up from Ramadan? He did not fast 10 days of Ramadan for a legitimate reason. If he fasts the six days, will he have the same reward as a person who fasted all of Ramadan and followed it with six days of Shawwal, i.e. will he be like a person who fasted for a lifetime? A – The precise rewards for the deeds which people do for the sake of Allah is something which is known only to Allah. If a person seeks the reward from Allah and strives to obey Him, his reward will not be lost, as Allah says: “We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner to be lost.” (Qur'an, 18:30) If someone has missed some of the days of Ramadan, he should fast them first, then fast six days of Shawwal, because he cannot follow the fast of Ramadan with six days of Shawwal unless he has completed his Ramadan fasts. – Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatwa; Fatawa; 10/392, no. 7863 __
