Why the reward equals a full year, the rules for timing, and how to track your days.
Published September 4, 2026 · Reviewed by the Ihsabha Editorial Team
Ramadan ends with the joy of Eid al-Fitr, but the month that follows it, Shawwal, carries its own quiet opportunity that's easy to overlook once the celebrations wind down. A hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim describes the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explaining that whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal has fasted as though they fasted an entire year.
Scholars explain this through a broader Qur'anic principle that a single good deed is rewarded tenfold. A thirty-day Ramadan, multiplied tenfold, is credited as the equivalent of ten months of fasting. Six additional days, multiplied the same way, come out to roughly sixty days — the equivalent of two more months. Ten months plus two months adds up to a full twelve-month year.
No. The six days do not need to be fasted consecutively or immediately after Eid al-Fitr — any six days within Shawwal, in any order, fulfil the Sunnah. This gives flexibility for travel, health, or family commitments during the month.
Scholars note that whoever still owes missed (Qada) Ramadan days should generally prioritise completing those first, since the hadith specifies having fasted Ramadan in full before following it with six days of Shawwal.
Shawwal is a single lunar month following Ramadan, so its end date shifts each year with the Hijri calendar. Knowing the exact Gregorian end date for your location helps avoid missing the window in the final days of the month.
Never lose count of your days. Ihsabha's Six Days of Shawwal Tracker shows exactly how many days remain until the window closes and tracks which days you've completed.
No. Any six days within the month of Shawwal, in any order and not necessarily consecutive or immediately after Eid, fulfil the Sunnah.
Scholars explain this through the principle that a good deed is rewarded tenfold. A thirty-day Ramadan multiplied tenfold equals ten months, and six additional days multiplied tenfold equal roughly two months, together completing a full twelve-month year.
Scholars generally recommend prioritising any missed (Qada) Ramadan days first, since the hadith specifies having fasted Ramadan in full before following it with six days of Shawwal.
This fast is a recommended Sunnah, not obligatory, and views can vary slightly between schools of thought on secondary details such as combining Shawwal fasting with Qada intentions. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified local scholar.