Can Shawwal Fasting Be Combined with Fasting to Pay Debts? Here's the Explanation

Kapanlagi.com - Can Shawwal fasting be combined with fasting to pay debts? Perhaps, that's the question that usually comes to mind when approaching the end of Ramadan. Moreover, if you already have a lot of fasting debts.

Well, the question of whether Shawwal fasting can be combined with fasting to pay debts has a lengthy explanation. First, you need to know the ruling of each fasting. Shawwal fasting is sunnah (recommended), while fasting to pay debts is obligatory. Although it is sunnah, Shawwal fasting is highly recommended or can be called sunnah muakkad. You can see this in the hadith of Muslim and Tirmidhi from Abu Ayyub al-Anshari as follows.

"Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days in Shawwal, it is as if he has fasted the whole year."

Now, to find out whether Shawwal fasting can be combined with fasting to pay debts, please refer to the explanations provided by various sources below.

1. Prioritizing Fasting Shawwal or Fasting to Pay Debts?

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As mentioned above, Shawwal fasting is strongly recommended. However, a problem arises when someone has debts from fasting in the month of Ramadan due to missing several days with or without a specific reason.

Some Muslims usually still have debts from Ramadan fasting, such as women who are menstruating, sick people, or travelers.

So, when intending to perform Shawwal fasting, which one should be prioritized?

Shawwal voluntary fasting can only be performed if Ramadan fasting has been completed perfectly. Meanwhile, a person who has debts from Ramadan fasting is not considered to have completed Ramadan fasting. Therefore, a person who has debts from Ramadan fasting and wants to perform Shawwal fasting must repay their Ramadan fasting debts first before performing Shawwal fasting.

According to the fatwa of Imam Ibn Uthaymeen regarding women who have debts from Ramadan fasting and want to fast in Shawwal,

"If a woman has debts from Ramadan fasting, she is not allowed to fast in Shawwal until she has completed the qadha (repayment). Based on the saying of the Prophet, 'Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six days in Shawwal...'

"Meanwhile, a person who still has debts from Ramadan fasting is not considered to have completed Ramadan fasting. Therefore, they do not receive the reward of fasting for six days in Shawwal, except after completing the qadha (repayment)." (Majmu' Fatawa, 19/20).

This indicates that one must complete the fasting debts first, both the immediate and the qadha ones. Then after that, fasting Shawwal in order to realize the rewards mentioned in the hadith. Because a person who still has outstanding Ramadan fasts is considered to have fasted part of Ramadan, not the whole Ramadan.

2. Combining Fasting Shawwal with Fasting to Pay Debts

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After knowing that there is a priority between fasting Shawwal and fasting to pay debts, you may already be able to guess whether fasting Shawwal can be combined with fasting to pay debts. Well, to avoid assumptions, let's directly see the following explanation.

According to Prof Ali Jum'ah Muhammad, combining voluntary fasting with obligatory fasting is allowed. However, the opposite is not true, which is combining obligatory fasting with the intention of voluntary fasting. This opinion is widely referred to by the majority of scholars.

This view uses the analogy of the law in the case of praying two tahiyyat al-masjid rak'ahs. (Al-Bajirami in his Hasyiah). The explanation is, if someone prays two rak'ahs when entering the mosque with the intention of obligatory prayer (such as Fajr), they will receive the reward of voluntary tahiyyat al-masjid.

In addition, there is also a view that allows combining fasting Shawwal with the intention of making up for missed Ramadan fasting.

Fasting Shawwal with the intention of making up for missed Ramadan fasting, while also intending it as voluntary fasting for six days, will attain the rewards of both. (As-Suyuthi in al-Asybah wa an-Nazhair and ar-Ramli in Nihayatul Muhtaj).

From the above explanation, the answer to the question of whether fasting Shawwal can be combined with fasting to pay debts can be concluded as permissible with the intention of fasting Ramadan as obligatory fasting and Shawwal as voluntary fasting.

3. Recommendations When Performing Shawwal Fasting and Fasting to Repay Debts

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Before discussing the recommendations, it is better if you also know other rulings regarding the implementation of Shawwal fasting and making up missed fasts. As for those who did not fast Ramadan without a valid reason, it is forbidden for them to observe the voluntary Shawwal fasts. They must immediately make up for their missed fasts. As for those who did not fast Ramadan due to certain valid reasons, it is disliked for them to observe the voluntary Shawwal fasts.

This can be seen in the following explanation:

"The issue in Tanbih and many scholars mention that a person who did not fast Ramadan due to valid reasons such as travel, being a child, being a disbeliever, is not recommended to observe the six voluntary fasts in the month of Shawwal. Abu Zur'ah said, it is not like that. He still receives the rewards of the voluntary Shawwal fasts even though he does not receive the intended rewards because of its effects after Ramadan as mentioned in the hadith. But if he intentionally does not fast in the month of Ramadan without a valid reason, then it is forbidden for him to observe the voluntary fasts." The problem mentioned by Al-Mahamili follows the views of his teacher, Al-Jurjani. (It is disliked for someone who owes fasting in Ramadan to fast voluntarily, and it is disliked for someone who did not fast in Ramadan due to an excuse to fast voluntarily)," (See Syamsuddin Ar-Ramli, Nihayatul Muhtaj, Beirut, Darul Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, third edition, 2003 M/1424 H, volume III, page 208).

Now, there is a recommended answer to the question of whether fasting in Shawwal can be combined with fasting to repay debts, which is more perfect and preferable if they are separated and performed individually. Fasting in Shawwal itself and fasting to repay debts separately. The reward obtained from combining these two obligatory and voluntary acts is not the same as when done separately.

That is the explanation regarding the question of whether fasting in Shawwal can be combined with fasting to repay debts. Hopefully, it can enlighten.

(kpl/ans)