Sha’ban
The
month of Sha’ban is one of the meritorious months for which we
find some peculiar instructions in the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
It is reported in the authentic Ahadith that the Holy Prophet (PBUH)
used to fast most of the month of Sha’ban. These fasts were not
obligatory on him but Sha’ban is the month immediately preceding
the month of Ramadan. Therefore, some preparatory measures are suggested
by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) through his oral instructions and his practice.
Some of these are given below:
1. The blessed
Companion Anas (R.) reports that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was asked,“Which
fast is the most meritorious after the fasts
of Ramadan?” He replied, “Fasts of Sha’ban in honor
of Ramadan.”
2. The blessed
Companion sama ibn Zaid (R.) reports that he asked the Holy Prophet
(PBUH):
“Messenger
of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha’ban so frequently
that I have never seen you fasting in any other month.”
The Holy Prophet
(PBUH) replied:
“That (Sha’ban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which
is neglected by many people. And it is a month in which an account of
the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe.
So, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state
of fasting.”
3. Ummul Mu’mineen ‘Aishah (R.) says,“The
Holy Prophet (PBUH) used to fast in the whole of Sha’ban. I said
to him, ‘Messenger of Allah, is the month of Sha’ban your
most favorite month to fast? He said, ‘In this month Allah prescribes
the list of the persons dying this year. Therefore, I like that my death
comes when I am in a state of fasting.”
4. In another
Tradition she says,
“The Holy
Prophet (PBUH) would sometimes begin to fast continuously until we thought
he would not stop fasting, and sometimes he used to stop fasting until
we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)
fasting a complete month, except the month of Ramadan, and I have never
seen him fasting in a month more frequently than he did in Sha’ban.”
5.
In another report she says,
“I never
saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) fasting in a month so profusely as
he did in the month of Sha’ban. He used to fast in that month
leaving only a few days, rather, he used to fast almost the whole of
the month.”
6. Ummul-Mu’mineen
Umm Salmah (R.) says:
“I have
never seen the Messenger of Allah fasting for two months continuously
except in the months of Sha’ban and Ramadan.”
These reports
indicate that fasting in the month of Sha’ban, though not obligatory,
is so meritorious that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) did not like to miss
it. But it should
be kept in mind that the fasts of Sha’ban are for those persons
only who are capable of keeping them without causing deficiency in the
obligatory fasts of Ramadan. Therefore, if one fears that after fasting
in Sha’ban, he will lose strength or freshness for the fasts of
Ramadan and he will not be able to fast in it with freshness, he should
not fast in the month of Sha’ban, because the fasts of Ramadan,
being obligatory, are more important than the optional fasts of Sha’ban.
That is why the Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself has forbidden the Muslims
from fasting one or two days immediately before the commencement of
Ramadan. The blessed Companion Abu Hurairah (R.) reports the Holy Prophet
(PBUH) to have said, “Do
not fast after the first half of the month of Sha’ban has gone.”
According to
another report the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has said:
“Do not
precede the month of Ramadan with one or two fasts.”
The gist of the above-quoted ahadith is that the Holy Prophet (PBUH)
himself used to fast most of the month of Sha’ban, because he
had no apprehension of weakness or weariness before the commencement
of Ramadan. As for other, he ordered them not to fast after the 15th
of Sha’ban for the fear that they would lose their strength and
freshness before Ramadan starts, and would not be able to welcome the
month of Ramadan with enthusiasm.