Ramadan ends, Eid arrives, and suddenly the routine you’ve followed for a month changes overnight. Yet fasting doesn’t have to disappear completely. One of the clearest benefits of Shawwal fasting is the remarkable reward attached to fasting six days during the month after Ramadan. It’s a small number of days, but the Prophet ﷺ described a reward far greater than most people would expect.

What Is Shawwal Fasting?

Shawwal is the Islamic month immediately following Ramadan. After celebrating Eid al-Fitr, Muslims have the opportunity to observe six voluntary fasts during Shawwal.

This practice comes directly from an authentic saying of the Prophet ﷺ.

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught that a person who fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal receives a reward comparable to fasting continuously.

The narration is recorded in Sahih Muslim 1164a.

These six fasts aren’t part of Ramadan itself. They’re voluntary fasts with a specific virtue attached to completing them after Ramadan.

Benefits of Shawwal Fasting and the Reward of Six Days

1. Fasting Six Days of Shawwal Carries the Reward of a Full Year

This is the benefit most closely connected specifically to Shawwal.

The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever completes Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal is rewarded as though they had fasted continuously. This is authentically recorded in Sahih Muslim 1164a.

Another authentic narration makes the meaning even clearer.

In Sunan Ibn Majah 1715, Thawban reported that the Prophet ﷺ explained that fasting six days after Eid completes the reward of a year, with good deeds rewarded tenfold. The narration is graded sahih.

So the six days aren’t simply “extra fasting.” They come with an explicitly stated reward in the Sunnah.

2. Why Six Days Can Equal the Reward of a Year

The number becomes easier to understand when we look at Sunan Ibn Majah 1715.

The Prophet ﷺ connected the six days after Eid with the principle that a good deed receives ten times its equivalent reward.

Using that explanation:

• Thirty days of Ramadan multiplied by ten correspond to roughly 300 days.
• Six additional days multiplied by ten correspond to 60 days.
• Together, that corresponds to roughly 360 days, approximately a lunar year.

The point isn’t to turn worship into a mathematical exercise. The narration itself explains why such a short voluntary fast can carry the reward associated with an entire year.

3. It Keeps Voluntary Worship in Your Routine

One challenge after Ramadan is going from a highly structured month to a normal schedule.

During Ramadan, fasting isn’t something you need to plan each week. It’s already part of the month. Shawwal is different. You make room for those six days yourself.

That small choice matters practically.

Instead of thinking, “I’ll fast again next Ramadan,” you’re maintaining some connection to fasting almost immediately afterward.

The special virtue of these six voluntary days is established by Sahih Muslim 1164a, making them one of the clearest ways to continue fasting after Ramadan.

4. Fasting Has a Reward Allah Has Singled Out

The benefits of Shawwal fasting also sit within the broader virtues of fasting itself.

In Sahih al-Bukhari 1894, the Prophet ﷺ reported that Allah says fasting is for Him and that He rewards it. The same hadith describes fasting as a shield.

That gives the six days another layer of meaning.

You’re not simply completing a recommended post-Ramadan routine. You’re returning to an act of worship that has a distinctive place among good deeds.

That can make each Shawwal fast feel different from simply “skipping meals for another day.”

5. Fasting Can Train You to Control Your Reactions

Fasting isn’t only about staying away from food and drink.

The Prophet ﷺ said in Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith number 1894 that he should avoid all kinds of bad conduct and silliness if the fasting person is provoked or insulted. Then the fasting person must remind them of his fasting condition.

Therefore, fasting becomes far more than hunger for the person who fasts.

The person will have another six days of Shawwal to practice the self-discipline learned in the month of Ramadan.

The person will watch not only the time but also his words and the way he deals with others.

6. Fasting Is Described as a Shield

The Prophet (SAW) referred to fasting as a shield in Sahih al-Bukhari 1894 and Sahih al-Bukhari 1904.

This description comes in handy when talking about the advantages of Shawwal fasting.

A shield offers protection. The fasting individual is called upon to modify his reactions to temptation, arguments, and provocation while fasting.

So these six days can become more than an attempt to earn a specific reward. They give you six additional opportunities to practise the behavior that the Prophet ﷺ connected directly with fasting.

7. Shawwal Fasting Gives You Another Reason to Guard Your Speech

Many people can avoid eating for several hours. Controlling what they say during those hours can be harder.

The instruction in Sahih al-Bukhari 1894 connects fasting with avoiding foolish and improper behavior.

That makes each Shawwal fast a useful reminder.

Maybe someone annoys you at work. Maybe there’s an argument at home. Maybe you’re tempted to answer a rude comment with something equally rude.

Remembering “I’m fasting” changes the moment.

The fast becomes a reason to stop before reacting.

And because Shawwal comes immediately after Ramadan, that lesson is still fresh.

8. It Helps Prevent an All-or-Nothing Approach After Ramadan

People sometimes treat Ramadan as though worship has only two settings: full intensity during Ramadan and almost nothing afterward.

The six days of Shawwal offer a different pattern.

Ramadan fasting is finished. Eid is celebrated. Then you return for six voluntary days spread across the month.

That feels much more sustainable.

You don’t need to reproduce your entire Ramadan schedule. You simply preserve one important act of worship in a smaller form.

The Sunnah itself gives those six days special significance through Sahih Muslim 1164a.

9. You Don’t Need to Fast on Eid al-Fitr

The six days are fasting in Shawwal, but that does not mean starting on the first day of Shawwal.

The first of Shawwal is Eid al-Fitr.

The Prophet ﷺ prohibited fasting on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. This is recorded clearly in Sahih Muslim 1138 and Sahih al-Bukhari 1990.

So enjoy Eid.

Eat, celebrate, spend time with family, and begin thinking about the six Shawwal fasts afterward.

The opportunity remains throughout the rest of the month.

10. You Have Flexibility During the Month

The authentic hadith says to fast six days of Shawwal. It does not state in the wording that all six must be consecutive.

That gives the month a practical degree of flexibility.

Some people may find six consecutive days manageable. Others may prefer to distribute them across several weeks because of work, family responsibilities, travel, or energy levels.

What matters in the prophetic wording is completing six days within Shawwal.

The underlying instruction is found in Sahih Muslim 1164a, which specifies six days of Shawwal without stating that they must form one uninterrupted block.

11. You Can Build the Six Days Around Your Schedule

Six days can seem hard to deal with when you try thinking about them altogether.

Take them apart and suddenly they become easy to tackle. 

Here’s an example:

• Two days during each of three weeks.
• Three days one week and three the next.
• Six consecutive days when your schedule allows.
• Individual days spread across the month.

The authentic narration establishes the six-day practice in Sahih Muslim 1164a.

The practical arrangement can then be planned around your circumstances, provided the six fasts remain within Shawwal.

12. Shawwal Fasting Makes Voluntary Fasting Feel More Achievable

Someone new to voluntary fasting may hear about regular fasting and immediately feel overwhelmed.

Six days is different.

It’s specific. You know exactly what you’re aiming for.

You don’t have to promise yourself that you’ll fast every week for the rest of the year. You can simply aim for six days before Shawwal ends.

That makes this practice especially approachable for someone who has just finished their first serious Ramadan or is trying to become more consistent with voluntary worship.

The reward described in Sahih Muslim 1164a also gives those six days a very clear purpose.

13. It Reminds You That Worship Doesn’t End With Ramadan

Eid marks the end of Ramadan fasting. It doesn’t mark the end of worship.

That’s easy to say, but the six days of Shawwal turn the idea into something practical.

Ramadan ends.

You celebrate Eid.

At some point in Shawwal, you have another fast.

This is the order as it is clearly laid out in the hadith itself; that is, fasting Ramadan followed by six days in Shawwal, as found in Sahih Muslim 1164a.

This very straightforward process might actually alter your perspective on how Ramadan concludes. Instead of the ending being a finish line, it is merely a point where the practice lessens.

14. The Reward Makes a Small Commitment Feel Worthwhile

Six days out of an entire month is a relatively small commitment.

Yet the reward described for them is striking.

Sunan Ibn Majah 1715 says that whoever fasts six days after Eid receives the reward associated with completing the year, tied to the multiplication of good deeds.

That gives someone who is struggling with motivation a very concrete reason to begin.

You don’t have to think about all six days today.

Choose the first one.

Then the second.

A manageable act can add up quickly when you stop looking at all six days as one large task.

A Simple Way to Plan Your Six Shawwal Fasts

Don’t leave all six until the final few days unless that’s genuinely your only option.

A simple plan could look like this:

• Check how many days of Shawwal remain.
• Choose six realistic dates.
• Add them to your calendar.
• Avoid choosing days when fasting will create unnecessary scheduling difficulty.
• Keep one or two backup days open in case plans change.
• Track each completed day.

Remember that fasting on Eid al-Fitr itself is prohibited, as established in Sahih Muslim 1138 and Sahih al-Bukhari 1990.

Begin after Eid and work through the six steadily.

What Distinguishes the Shawwal Fast from the Regular Voluntary Fasts?

All voluntary fasts are fasting, but there is a narration about the reward for fasting these six days of Shawwal.

This is the distinguishing feature.

The Sahih Muslim 1164a refers to six days of fasting in Shawwal after the month of Ramadan.

Sunan Ibn Majah 1715 explains their relation to the reward of fasting the year.

So although Muslims may observe voluntary fasts at other times, the six Shawwal fasts shouldn’t be treated as just six random fasting days.

Their timing and number are specifically mentioned in authenticated Sunnah.

The Best Way to Approach Shawwal Fasting as a Beginner

If this is your first time trying the six days, keep your plan simple.

Don’t make a complicated fasting calendar.

Pick your first day. If it helps, prepare your meals ahead of time. Ensure your chosen day does not already have obligations that might make your first try more difficult than normal.

Then complete one fast.

Once you’ve done that, schedule another.

The virtue you’re working toward comes from completing six days in Shawwal, as stated in Sahih Muslim 1164a.

Six individual decisions can feel far easier than staring at “six fasts” as one large challenge.

Also read about: how to fast for Ramadan for beginners

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main benefits of Shawwal fasting?

The most specific benefit is the reward described by the Prophet ﷺ: fasting Ramadan followed by six days of Shawwal carries the reward comparable to continuous fasting. This is recorded in Sahih Muslim 1164a.

How many days should you fast in Shawwal?

The Sunnah specifically mentions six days, based on Sahih Muslim 1164a and Sunan Ibn Majah 1715.

Does fasting six days of Shawwal equal fasting for a year?

The Prophet ﷺ described six days after Eid as completing the reward of the year in Sunan Ibn Majah 1715, which also mentions the tenfold reward of good deeds.

Can I fast on Eid al-Fitr as one of the six days?

No. The Prophet ﷺ prohibited fasting on Eid al-Fitr, as recorded in Sahih Muslim 1138 and Sahih al-Bukhari 1990.

When can I start fasting the six days of Shawwal?

Since fasting on Eid al-Fitr itself is prohibited, the six Shawwal fasts can begin after Eid. Sahih al-Bukhari 1990 confirms the prohibition of fasting on the day of Eid al-Fitr.

Are the six fasts of Shawwal obligatory?

They are voluntary fasts. The authentic narration encourages fasting six days after completing Ramadan and describes their reward in Sahih Muslim 1164a.

Can I spread the six days throughout Shawwal?

The authenticated hadith says six days “of Shawwal” and doesn’t specify that they must all be observed together. This allows the six days to be planned within the month.

Conclusion

The benefits of Shawwal fasting begin with one extraordinary promise: fasting Ramadan and following it with six days of Shawwal carries the reward associated with fasting continuously, as authentically reported in Sahih Muslim 1164a.