By: Ubaidullah Tahir ḥafiẓahullāh
‘Ā’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would sometimes fast continuously to the extent that we would say: he will never break the fast, and sometimes he would leave fasting to the extent that we would say: he will not fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ complete the fast of any month except Ramadan, and I never saw him fasting in any month more than he did in Sha‘bān.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1969, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1152:175]
Note:
Some narrations mention that the Prophet ﷺ used to fast the entire month of Sha‘bān, while others mention that he never completed the fast of any month besides Ramadan. The scholars have reconciled these reports by stating that the Prophet ﷺ fasted most of the days of Sha‘bān, more than in any other month.
❀ «عن أسامة بن زيد رضي الله عنها، قال: قلت: يا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، لم أرك تصوم شهرا من الشهور ما تصوم من شعبان؟ قال: ذلك شهر يغفل الناس عنه بين رجب ورمضان، وهو شهر ترفع فيه الأعمال إلى رب العالمين، فأحب أن يرفع عملي وأنا صائم. »
Usāmah ibn Zayd رضي الله عنه said:
I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! I have not seen you fasting in any month as much as you do in Sha‘bān. What is the reason for this?”
He ﷺ replied:
“This is a month between Rajab and Ramadan that many people are heedless of. It is a month in which deeds are raised to the Lord of the worlds, and I like that my deeds be raised while I am fasting.”
[Sunan an-Nasā’ī 235, Musnad Aḥmad 21753, Ḥasan]
✔ Note:
① The authentic narrations regarding the virtue of Sha‘bān highlight the merit of fasting throughout the month, not specifically on the 15th.
② There is no authentic evidence for singling out the fast of 15th Sha‘bān for special virtue.
③ The Prophet ﷺ emphasized frequent fasting in Sha‘bān, as it is a month when people are often heedless and during which deeds are presented before Allah.
④ Fasting during this time is a commendable Sunnah, serving as spiritual preparation for Ramadan.
✿ Virtue of Fasting in Sha‘bān
❀ «عن عائشة رضي الله عنها، قالت: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم حتى نقول: لا يفطر، ويفطر حتى نقول: لا يصوم، فما رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم استكمل صيام شهر إلا رمضان، وما رأيته أكثر صياما منه فى شعبان »‘Ā’ishah رضي الله عنها said:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would sometimes fast continuously to the extent that we would say: he will never break the fast, and sometimes he would leave fasting to the extent that we would say: he will not fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ complete the fast of any month except Ramadan, and I never saw him fasting in any month more than he did in Sha‘bān.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1969, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1152:175]
Note:
Some narrations mention that the Prophet ﷺ used to fast the entire month of Sha‘bān, while others mention that he never completed the fast of any month besides Ramadan. The scholars have reconciled these reports by stating that the Prophet ﷺ fasted most of the days of Sha‘bān, more than in any other month.
❀ «عن أسامة بن زيد رضي الله عنها، قال: قلت: يا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، لم أرك تصوم شهرا من الشهور ما تصوم من شعبان؟ قال: ذلك شهر يغفل الناس عنه بين رجب ورمضان، وهو شهر ترفع فيه الأعمال إلى رب العالمين، فأحب أن يرفع عملي وأنا صائم. »
Usāmah ibn Zayd رضي الله عنه said:
I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! I have not seen you fasting in any month as much as you do in Sha‘bān. What is the reason for this?”
He ﷺ replied:
“This is a month between Rajab and Ramadan that many people are heedless of. It is a month in which deeds are raised to the Lord of the worlds, and I like that my deeds be raised while I am fasting.”
[Sunan an-Nasā’ī 235, Musnad Aḥmad 21753, Ḥasan]
✔ Note:
① The authentic narrations regarding the virtue of Sha‘bān highlight the merit of fasting throughout the month, not specifically on the 15th.
② There is no authentic evidence for singling out the fast of 15th Sha‘bān for special virtue.
③ The Prophet ﷺ emphasized frequent fasting in Sha‘bān, as it is a month when people are often heedless and during which deeds are presented before Allah.
④ Fasting during this time is a commendable Sunnah, serving as spiritual preparation for Ramadan.
