Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.

 

Our Master the Prophet ﷺ said: 'It is more excellent for a woman to pray in her house than in her courtyard, and more excellent for her to pray in her private chamber than in her house.' Therefore, a woman’s adherence to her home and her refraining from going to the mosques—in obedience to the command of Allah the Exalted—attains a great reward and abundant recompense. Furthermore, women praying in congregation within their homes is better than their attendance at the mosques, based on the aforementioned Hadith. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Fasting the six days of Shawwal is Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if they have fasted for a lifetime." [Narrated by Muslim]

This is because fasting one month of Ramadan is rewarded as fasting for ten months, and the six days are equivalent to sixty days, completing a full year of fasting.

If a person eats or drinks thinking that Fajr has not yet arrived, but then someone informs them that Fajr had already begun, they must refrain from eating for the rest of the day and make up the fast later.

If they observe the required restraint (imsak), they will be rewarded for obeying the command because fulfilling an obligation brings reward.

However, this is not considered a valid fast in terms of rulings. For example:

● It is not disliked (makruh) for them to use a miswak after noon.

● They are not encouraged to hasten the breaking of the fast at sunset.

● Other fasting-related rulings do not apply to them.