Can Missed Ramadan Fasts Be Combined with the Six Days of Shawwal?
Question
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
For the sisters who wish to fast Shawwal, do we have to make up our fast we missed during Ramadan first or can we stack our intentions for both?
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.
1. The Shari Context
The missed fasts of Ramadan are obligatory and remain a debt upon the person until they are made up. The six fasts of Shawwal are recommended and carry a specific virtue mentioned in the Sunnah.
Allah says:
“And whoever is ill or on a journey, then an equal number of other days.”
Surat al Baqarah 2:185
And the Prophet said:
“Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as though he fasted the whole year.”
Sahih Muslim
The juristic question here is not whether qada is required, because that is agreed upon. Rather, the question is whether a person must separate the qada of Ramadan from the six of Shawwal, or whether one fast may carry both intentions.
2. Scholarly Discussion
The classical position of the jurists of the four madhahib is that the missed fasts of Ramadan should be made up first, and then the six days of Shawwal should be observed afterward. This is the more established and careful position in the schools.
Their reasoning is that the hadith says:
“Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six days of Shawwal…”
Sahih Muslim
They understood from this that the person should first complete what is owed from Ramadan, since a person who still owes missed days has not yet completed Ramadan in full.
However, a number of later scholars discussed the possibility of combining the intention of qada with the fasts of Shawwal. Among those who spoke in this direction was Imam al Suyuti and others. They held that if a person fasts days in Shawwal with the intention of making up Ramadan, it is hoped or held that the reward of Shawwal may also be attained, and they did not find a clear text prohibiting the joining of both intentions.
So the matter has two levels:
The stronger classical position is to do qada first, then fast six separate days of Shawwal.
But there is also a recognized view among some later scholars that combining the intention may be valid, especially since there is no explicit text prohibiting combining both intentions in this case.
3. Application to the Question
For a sister who missed fasts in Ramadan due to menstruation, the best and safest practice is:
- First, make up the missed Ramadan days
- Then, after completing them, fast six separate days of Shawwal
This is the clearer way to exit disagreement and to attain the reward mentioned in the hadith according to the classical understanding.
However, if a sister fears that Shawwal will end before she can complete both, or she follows the opinion of scholars such as Imam Zakaria al Ansari and others from different school of thoughts, then there is room to say that she may combine the intention of qada with Shawwal, and there is no clear text expressly forbidding that combination.
Still, this combined intention does not carry the same strength as the first position, and the more complete way is to separate them when one is able.
4. Relevant Usul Principle
ولا ينكر المختلف فيه
Matters of valid scholarly disagreement are not to be condemned
This principle means that when scholars have differed on an issue based on recognized juristic reasoning, one valid position should not be treated as blameworthy merely because another scholar chose a stricter or stronger view. In this case, the classical position of the four madhahib is stronger, namely to complete qada first and then Shawwal. However, since some later scholars allowed combining the intentions and there is no explicit text prohibiting it, a person following that view in a genuine manner should not be condemned, even though separating the fasts remains better and more cautious.
Final Ruling
The stronger and more established position in the four madhahib is that a sister should make up her missed Ramadan fasts first, then fast the six days of Shawwal separately. However, some later scholars, including Imam Zakarya Al Ansari on his Hashiyah and other scholars, allowed combining the intention of qada and Shawwal, and there is no clear text explicitly prohibiting that. So the best and safer view is to separate them, but there is recognized scholarly room for combining when needed.
And Allah knows best