Because Ramadan shifts approximately 11 days earlier each year on the solar-based Gregorian calendar, Muslims experience Ramadan in different seasons throughout the course of the lives. The act of fasting is meant to remind Muslims of the less fortunate and to reinforce the need to be thankful.
As one of the five pillars, or duties, of Islam, fasting during the month of Ramadan is mandatory for all healthy adult Muslims. Children who have not reached puberty, the elderly, those who are physically or mentally incapable of fasting, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and travelers are exempt. Fasting during Ramadan means abstinence from all food or drink, including water and chewing gum, from dawn to sunset. It is recommended that before sunrise, Muslims eat a prefast meal known as suhur.
This meal often resembles breakfast, but in some cultures it may include more dinner-like foods. When we recognize that our thanks is never enough, this is the highest expression of gratitude we can give. They base their opinion upon the Hadith that we have discussed above. Others have regarded fasting six days in the month of Shawwal to be something disliked.
This view has been related from Malik and Abu Hanifah. They argue that it is feared from the general public that they might misconstrue fasting these six days to be something obligatory. They also see it as emulating the People of the Scripture to exceed the number of fasting days in the prescribed month of fasting.
However, these objections are spurious in the face of the clear statements of the Prophet peace be upon him that encourage this fast. If we were to abandon a Sunnah act on the grounds that we are exceeding what is obligatory, then we would have to abandon all recommended fasts, including the fast of Ashura and the fast of the middle of the month. It has been related that Malik used to personally fast six days in Shawwal.
Also, later Hanafi scholars decided that there is no objection to fasting these days. No one possesses all the knowledge held by others. Malik explained and clarified what he disliked about it. He was afraid that it would be added to the obligatory fast of Ramadan by the general public.
Malik was extremely cautious when it came to matters of religion. Some scholars hold the view that it is preferable to fast the six days in consecutive order, starting from the second day of Shawwal. Others are of the opinion that it is preferable to fast the six days intermittently, spreading them out throughout the month of Shawwal.
This is the position of Ahmad bin Hanbal and Waki. With the exception of the two days of Eid during the Islamic calendar, any day is perfect to make the intention to fast from sunrise to sunset. Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha occasions are the only two days on which fasting is prohibited.
The instructions about making up missed fast days are pretty simple. All one has to do is observe one fast against the one fast that they missed. So if you have missed three fasts, you have to fast for three more days. These days are to be designated by you at your convenience, just as long as they are not days of Eid. If you have any missed fasts for previous days, you can also make those up. Islam offers a great deal of flexibility when it comes to making up for missed fasts; all that is required is the will and the intention of the individual to actually go through with it.
If you need to make up for missed fasting, you should spend Eid-ul-Fitr celebrating the successful completion of the month of Ramadan and then start fasting in the days after that.
The month that comes after Ramadan is Shawwal, which is the 10th Islamic month according to the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a great month to make up for missed fasts and ideal in the sense that since it follows after Ramadan, when the body is still in the fasting mindset and can easily cope with a few additional days of fasting.
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