[40].Surah Al Mumin (The Believer) also known as Surah Ghafir [The Forgiver]: Ayat 011

১১. তারা বলবে হে আমাদের পালনকর্তা! আপনি আমাদেরকে দু’বার মৃত্যু দিয়েছেন এবং দু’ বার জীবন দিয়েছেন। এখন আমাদের অপরাধ স্বীকার করছি। অতঃপর এখন ও নিস্কৃতির কোন উপায় আছে কি?

Ayat 11. They will say: "Our Lord! You have made us to die twice (i.e. we were dead in the loins of our fathers and dead after our deaths in this world), and You have given us life twice (i.e. life when we were born and life when we are Resurrected)! Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out (of the Fire)?"

Tafseer of Surah Al Mumin (The Believer) Ayat 11. They will say: "Our Lord! Twice hast Thou made us without life, and twice hast Thou given us Life! Now have we recognized our sins: Is there any way out (of this)?" Cf. 2:28: "How can ye reject the faith in Allah?-seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return." Nonexistence, or existence as clay without life was equivalent to death. Then came true Life on this earth; then came physical death or the cessation of our physical life; and now at the Resurrection, is the second life.

Hazrat Abu Ayub (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah  [SAWW](PBUH) said, "He who observes As-Saum (the fasts) in the month of Ramadan, and also observes As-Saum for six days in the month of Shawwal, it is as if he has observed As-Saum for the whole year.''

[Muslim Book 06, Chapter 36, Hadith # 2614].

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Luqman Ayat 53."Verily, Allah knows well what you do" According to the formula that there is at least ten-fold reward for every virtue, the Saum of one month (Ramadan) are equivalent to Saum of ten months. If one also observes six days of Saum of Shawwal, they will be equal to Saum of two months. Thus, one becomes eligible for the reward of one full years' Saum. He who makes it a permanent feature is like one who observes Saum throughout his life. He will be considered by Allah as one who observes Saum permanently. Although voluntary in nature, they are highly important. One can observe these six-day Saum at a stretch or with intervals, but their observance one after the other at the beginning of the month is better. Similarly, if a person has missed some Saum of Ramadan due to illness, travelling etc., he should first make up the shortfall and then observe the voluntary six-day Saum of Shawwal.