Intentions of Shawwal Fasting and Its Virtues – Muslims have a lot of sunnah worship. Starting from sunnah prayers to sunnah fasting. They can choose worship according to their heart’s desire. Sunnah worship in Islam is rewarded with extraordinary rewards and incomparable enjoyment of life.
Not infrequently sunnah worship goes hand in hand with obligatory worship. For example, the five daily prayers are accompanied by the sunnah prayers. Ramadan fasting is also accompanied by Shawwal sunnah fasting. Then, what is Syawal fasting actually? Then, how to do it? What’s the intention?
These questions will be thoroughly discussed through the explanation below. Sinaumed’s can listen to it.
Understanding and Shawwal Fasting Time
Shawwal fasting is a sunnah fast that is recommended to be done after performing the obligatory fasting in the month of Ramadan. The sunnah, Shawwal Fasting is done 6 days in a row after Eid al-Fitr. As for the end of Shawwal fasting, that is until the end of the month of Shawwal or 30 Shawwal. If not in a row, no problem.
This is in accordance with the hadith narrated by Muslim which has the following meaning.
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah Most High be pleased with him) reported Rasulullah SAW saying, “He who fasts during Ramadan and continues it with six days of fasting during the month of Shawwal will be like doing continuous fasting.” (Muslim HR)
Even though it is done in the month of Shawwal, dunah fasting is prohibited and unlawful when it is done to coincide with Eid al-Fitr. This is in accordance with the hadith narrated by Muslims which means as follows.
“The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam forbade fasting on two days, namely Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.” (HR. Muslim)
Even though fasting Shawwal is sunnah. However, the reward given is very abundant, which is equivalent to fasting for a full year. So, it would be better for each Muslim not to miss this sunnah fast.
Syawal Fasting Intentions
The intention of fasting Shawwal is as follows.
Nawaitu shauma ghadin ‘an adâ’i sunnatis Syawwâli lillâhi ta’âlâ.
Meaning: I intend to fast the Shawwal Sunnah tomorrow because of Allah SWT
It should be noted beforehand that Shawwal fasting is mustahab (sunnah). This is in accordance with the words of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, “Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with fasting six days in the month of Shawwal, then he gets the reward of fasting for a full year.” (HR Muslim no. 1164)
Ibn Qudamah in Al-Mughni said that, “Fasting the six days in the month of Shawwal is obligatory according to the majority of the scholars.” (Al-Mughni, 3/176)
If Sinaumed’s wants to intend to fast Shawwal in the morning, the law is valid. Because the intention of fasting at night or before Fajr is only aimed at obligatory fasting. Intentions can be made as long as you haven’t done eating, drinking, and other things that break your fast. The following is the pronunciation of the intention of fasting in the morning or afternoon.
Nawaitu shauma hâdzal yaumi ‘an adâ’i sunnatis Syawwâli lillâhi ta’âlâ.
It means, I intend to fast the Shawwal Sunnah today because of Allah SWT.
History of Shawwal Month
The month of Shawwal is tenth in the Hijri calendar. This month is full of virtues and privileges. Right behind the month of Ramadan, scholars and jurists consider it the month of implementation of the concept of Eid al-Fitr, which means returning to nature.
Ibnul ‘Allan Asy Syafii said, “The naming of the month of Shawwal is taken from the sentence Sya-lat al Ibil which means a camel that lifts or straightens its tail. Shawwal is interpreted in this way, because in the past the Arabs depended on their weapons of war, because it was close to the forbidden months, namely the months prohibited to fight. ( Al Falihin li Syarh Riyadh al Salihin – by Muhammad bin ‘Allan al Shiddiqi al Syafii al Maki)
The month of Shawwal itself means rising or increasing. It means. Namely, Muslims after carrying out the obligatory fasting in the month of Ramadan, the hope is that there will be an increase in acts of worship in the following months until we meet Syawal again.
The month of Shawwal is also a reminder that you will enter the forbidden months (Dzulqaidah, Dzulhijjah, and Muharram). During these months, wars or hostilities between tribes, qabalah, or any group are not permitted.
The Virtue of Shawwal Fasting
Sunnah fasting is not only limited to holding lust. There are many benefits that can be taken when doing sunnah fasting. One of them is fasting Shawwal. The following are the benefits of fasting Shawwal that Sinaumed’s can consider when starting this sunnah fast.
1. Get closer to Allah
One of the virtues of carrying out the Sunnah fasting of Shawwal is getting closer to Allah. Every Muslim who fasts Shawwal for six days will get a noble place in the sight of Allah.
Not only that, in the sight of Allah, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is more fragrant than the smell of musk oil. The affirmation of the primacy of Shawwal fasting is in one of the Qudsi hadiths which has the following meaning.
“Every human deed is for himself except fasting, he (fasting) is for Me and I will reward him with (the practice of fasting).” Then, the Messenger of Allah continued, “By Allah, in whose hand Muhammad’s soul is in His hands, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is more fragrant in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk oil.” (HR. Muslim)
2. Improves the Immune System
When fasting by holding hunger will trigger stem cells in the body to produce new white blood cells that can prevent or avoid infection. According to a study from the University of Southern California said that fasting can boost the immune system.
This is caused by the creation of white blood cells that can regenerate the entire immune system. Therefore, fasting Shawwal has an important role in protecting the body from various viral and bacterial threats.
3. Prevent Digestive Disorders
Usually Muslims do not control food on Eid al-Fitr. This certainly has the potential to cause digestive disorders. Therefore, by carrying out the Sunnah fasting of Shawwal, it can be used as a way to control food portions.
This is useful for controlling appetite. Not only that, sunnah fasting in the month of Shawwal is also useful for controlling the transition period after consuming large amounts of food while preventing digestive disorders.
4. The reward given is equivalent to fasting for a full year
Allah offers the sunnah fasting month of Shawwal the reward of fasting for a full year. This is narrated in a hadith with the following meaning.
“Whoever has fasted Ramadan, then he follows it by fasting for 6 (six) days in the month of Shawwal, then he (gets the reward) as someone who fasted for one year.” (HR Muslim No 1.164)
5. Multiple Rewards
A Muslim who performs sunnah fasting in the month of Shawwal will get a double reward. You do this by carrying out sunnah fasting in the month of Shawwal for 6 consecutive days. These virtues are listed in a hadith which means as follows.
“Whoever fasts six days after Eid al-Fitr, it is as if he has fasted the whole year. (Whoever does one good deed, then for him ten such good deeds).” (Narrated by Ibn Majah)
6. Perfecting Worship
The primacy of sunnah fasting in the month of Shawwal can be one way to complete the obligatory worship, namely the obligatory fasting of the month of Ramadan. It is the same as the obligatory prayers which have a complementary worship, namely the sunnah prayers.
By carrying out the sunnah fasting in the month of Shawwal, it can complete the deficiencies that exist during the obligatory fasting in the month of Ramadan. Ibn Rajab explained the virtues of fasting in the month of Shawwal as follows.
“ The reward for a good deed is another good deed. Whoever does good then he continues with other good deeds, then that is a sign of acceptance of the first practice. Likewise, whoever does good and then continues with bad deeds, then this is a sign of rejection or non-acceptance of the good deeds that have been done. (Latho-if Al Ma’arif, p. 394)
7. As a sign that the fasting of Ramadan is accepted by Allah
When a person’s good deeds are accepted by Allah, He will continue to give taufiq to that person. The sign is that the person continues to do pious deeds after doing one pious practice.
One of the signs that the obligatory fast of the month of Ramadan is accepted by Allah is that a Muslim performs the voluntary fasting month of Shawwal. If you don’t do it, it’s not certain that the obligatory fast is not accepted by Allah. Because, actually Muslims are only ordered to perform worship. Accepted or not is the matter of Allah SWT
8. Uninterrupted Good Practices Done
The pious practices carried out in the month of Ramadan will continue in the following months until death picks up. This practice is included in the sunnah fasting of the month of Shawwal. These practices will be our provision when we meet Allah.
Allah says in surah Al-Hijr verse 99 which means as follows.
“And worship your Lord until it comes to you that is believed (death).”
9. Being a Form of Gratitude
Obligatory fasting in the month of Ramadan is one way to erase the sins of Muslims. Therefore, as a form of gratitude because Allah has erased sins, after the month of Ramadan it is recommended to carry out the sunnah fasting in the month of Shawwal for 6 consecutive days.
This is in accordance with one of the following hadiths.
“Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and hoping for reward, his past sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by Bukhari Muslim)
10. Cleansed of all Sins
When sunnah fasting in the month of Shawwal is carried out with full sincerity, it can erase the sins committed by Muslims. This is in accordance with the words of the Prophet Muhammad SAW as follows.
” Whoever fasts Ramadan, then connects it with the six days of fasting in the month of Shawwal, then he is considered clean from his sins (cleansed from all his prayers) like a child who has just been born (born) by his mother.” (Muslim HR)
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