عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ الْأَيَّامَ يَسْرُدُ، حَتَّى يُقَالَ: لَا يُفْطِرُ، وَيُفْطِرُ الْأَيَّامَ حَتَّى لَا يَكَادَ أَنْ يَصُومَ إِلَّا يَوْمَيْنِ مِنَ الْجُمُعَةِ إِنْ كَانَا فِي صِيَامِهِ، وَإِلَّا صَامَهُمَا، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَصُومُ مِنْ شَهْرٍ مِنَ الشُّهُورِ مَا يَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! إِنَّكَ تَصُومُ لَا تَكَادُ أَنْ تُفْطِرَ وَتُفْطِرُ حَتَّى لَا تَكَادَ أَنْ تَصُومَ إِلَّا يَوْمَيْنِ، إِنْ دَخَلَا فِي صِيَامِكَ وَإِلَّا صُمْتَهُمَا، قَالَ: ((أَيُّ يَوْمَيْنِ؟)) قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَوْمَ الْإِثْنَيْنِ وَيَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ، قَالَ: ((ذَانِكَ يَوْمَانِ تُعْرَضُ فِيهِمَا الْأَعْمَالُ عَلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُعْرَضَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ))، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: وَلَمْ أَرَكَ تَصُومُ مِنْ شَهْرٍ مِنَ الشُّهُورِ مَا تَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، قَالَ: ((ذَاكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ وَرَمَضَانَ، وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ يُرْفَعُ فِيهِ الْأَعْمَالُ إِلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ))
Sayyiduna Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would fast so frequently and continuously that it would be said that now he will not leave any day without fasting. But then, when he would start leaving fasts, he would do so with such frequency that it would seem as if now he will not fast anymore, except for two days of the week. If those days happened to fall within his continuous fasting, then fine; otherwise, he would fast on those days among the days of not fasting. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast more in the month of Sha’ban than in other months. One day I said: O Messenger of Allah! Sometimes you begin to fast continuously in such a way that it seems you will not leave any day without fasting, but then you start leaving fasts in such a way that it seems you will not fast anymore, except for two days. If those days are included in your fasting, then fine; otherwise, you fast only on those days. He asked: Which two days? I said: Monday and Thursday. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: On these days, the deeds of people are presented before the Lord of the worlds, and I wish that my deeds are presented before Allah while I am in a state of fasting. I said: I see that you fast more in Sha’ban than in other months? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is a month between Rajab and Ramadan, which people are heedless of, although in it the deeds of people are presented before the Lord of the worlds, and I wish that my deeds are presented before Allah while I am in a state of fasting.