Question
The Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal is like one who has fasted for a lifetime.' Does 'a lifetime' mean a year or a whole lifetime?
Answer
I say, and with God's help: A good deed with God Almighty is rewarded tenfold, so fasting the month of Ramadan earns three hundred good deeds, and fasting six days of Shawwal earns sixty good deeds, making a total of three hundred and sixty good deeds, which is the number of days in a year. This is the case every year; if one fasts six days of Shawwal after Ramadan each year, it is as if they have fasted their entire life. And God knows best.