Q. If a person keeps Qadhaa fasts in the month of Shawwaal, will he receive the Thawaab of the six Nafl fasts of Shawwaal? The author of ‘Fiqhul Islaami wa Adillatuh has mentioned that it will be received.
A. The author of ‘Fiqhul Islaami wa Adillatuh’ Wahbah Az Zuhayli (Rahmatullaahi Alayh) has mentioned this in Volume 3 Page 24 but has not furnished any reason, proof, reference to a jurist, etc. for this statement. He has merely mentioned the statement that if a person fasts Qadhaa, Nadhar, etc. in Shawwaal, he will receive the rewards of the six fasts of Shawwaal.
On the other hand, the author of Ahsanul Fataawa Hadhrat Mufti Rashid Ahmad Saheb (Rahmatullaahi Alayh) writes (V4 P440) that his opinion is that the rewards for the six fasts will not be received by keeping Qadhaa, etc. in Shawwaal.
He writes (furnishing the reason for his opinion):
A Hadeeth in Muslim (V3 P169) states that whoever fasted the month of Ramadhaan and thereafter followed it up with the six fasts of Shawwaal, is like fasting for the entire year. This narration implies that the six fasts are not fasts of Ramadhaan (Qadhaa fasts) but Nafl fasts. (‘Followed it up’ implies after the completion of the entire month of Ramadhaan fasts).
The reason for receiving reward as if one had fasted for the entire year:
The minimum reward of a good act is tenfold. Thus the fasts of Ramadhaan will equal ten months with two months outstanding for completion of the year. The completion of these two months is the six fasts of Shawwaal (six days equal sixty = two months).
This also proves that the six fasts are Nafl fasts and not Qadhaa. (Here also, it is additional fasts after the completion of the thirty days of Ramadhaan). So the rewards of these Nafl fasts will not be achieved by keeping the Qadhaa in Shawwaal.
If a person wishes to achieve the rewards of these Nafl fasts, he will have to keep them separately from his Qadhaa fasts.
Bear in mind that there is no clear-cut ruling on this issue. We are inclined to the ruling of Ahsanul Fataawa because the author has furnished reasons for his opinion whereas the author of Fiqhul Islaami wa Adillatuh has not furnished any reason for his opinion.
The reasoning and Fiqhi logic for this Mas’alah furnished by Hadhrat Mufti Rashid Saheb appears to be consistent with the Principles of Fiqh.
Allah Ta’aala knows best.