What is meant by the White Days and what is the basis for this designation? Do they include the six days of the month of Shawwal as is commonly believed?

The White Days, falling on the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of every lunar month, are those on which the moon is full and appears as a complete, shining disk. They are so called because the moon reaches its full phase and appears at its brightest; thus, the “whiteness” refers to the nights themselves, not the days — a metaphorical usage attested in prophetic narrations, including the hadith narrated by Jarir Ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Fasting the three days of every month is equivalent to fasting for an entire year, and the White Days occur on the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth [of every lunar month]” (recorded by al-Nisa`i, and declared to be authentic by the hadith scholar Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath Al-Bari).

 

Fasting on the six days of Shawwal and the reason for this designation

The six days of Shawwal refer to the days of the month of Shawwal on which it is recommended to fast after Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr due to the hadith of Abu Ayub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days from Shawwal is like one who has fasted the entire year” (recorded by Muslim in his Sahih).

In Islamic legal and juristic terminology, these days are not known as “White Days.” This common designation has a sound linguistic basis. The term ghurrah originally refers to the white mark on a horse’s forehead, and by analogy, it came to be used for whiteness itself. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself referred to the White Days as ghurrah, saying, “If you fast, then fast al-ghurr,” i.e., the White Days. This hadith is recorded by Ahmad and an-Nisa`i and declared authentic by Ibn Hibban.

Likewise, the first nights of the month are called ghurar, either because they occur at the very beginning of the month or because of the crescent’s initial whiteness, in analogy to the ghurrah on a horse’s forehead. Perhaps, this designation alludes to the recommendation of fasting them at the beginning (ghurrar) of Shawwal, immediately after Eid al-Fitr.

And Allah Almighty knows best.