Keeping The Spirit of Ramadhan Alive and Increasing Our Love for The Messenger ﷺ -- Fasting Outside Ramadhan

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

For Muslims, the blessed month of Ramadhan is the most wonderful time of the year. The benefits and beauties of this month are boundless. Ramadhan is over and obligatory fasting is over. We can eat, drink, and be merry again when the sun is shining. And that special feeling you have in your heart -- the one that keeps you going despite your hunger and thirst, gradually fades away.

There are numerous voluntary fasts we are encouraged to undertake throughout the year which will help us keep the spirit of Ramadhan alive for the rest of our lives, beginning with six day fasting in Shawwal, which can start on the second day of Shawwal.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace): “Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah, Allah will keep his face seventy years’ distance from Hell,” [al-Nasaa’i]

Fasting will help increase our love for Allah's beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) by being aware that we are following him in our fasting; applying the sunnahs pertaining to fasting which he taught us; reading the supplications which he taught us and bestowing prayers and peace upon him throughout our fast; and being aware that this act of worship and the great reward that it entails came to us by means of him. Because of him, Allah concealed for us in this act of worship a reward which only He knows. Allah says in the hadith Qudsi that every action has a fixed reward – “except for fasting – it is for Me and I reward accordingly;”

May Allah accept our Ramadhan worship and enable us to perform all other voluntary fasts throughout the year. May Allah increase our love for His beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and resurrect us with him in the Day of Judgment and enter us into the highest Paradise with him without reckoning. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.

Wassalaam