Shabaan and the preparations of the Sahabah

 Sha’abaan is the month of forgiveness of sins.  There is a Hadith:

 

Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Among the great months of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is the month of Rajab and that is the month of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).  The one who respects and reveres Rajab verily reveres the commands of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) will enter the person into Jannah who reveres His command and will grant him (or her) His pleasure.

 

Sha’abaan is my month.  Whoever reveres Sha’abaan verily reveres my command and whoever respects my command, on the day of the Qiyamah, I will be his (or her) helper and a source of good for him.

 

Ramadhan is the month of my Ummah.  Whoever respects Ramadhan and maintains its sanctity and does not violate it and fasts in its days and stands up in worship in its nights and safeguards his body parts (from sins), that person will come out of Ramadhan in such a state that there will no sin on him for which Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) would call him to account.  (Baihaqi, Shu’abul Iman, Hadith No: 3652, Kanz Ul ‘Ummal, Hadith No: 35216)

 

Superiority of Sha’abaan Over Other Months

 

Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The superiority of Rajab over other months is like the superiority of the Holy Quran over other revealed books.  The superiority of Sha’abaan over other months is like my superiority over all other Prophets and the superiority of Ramadhan over all other months is like the superiority of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) over all other creation.

 

Sha’abaan and the Preparations of The Sahabah

 

Translation of Hadith: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him) that when the Sahabah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would see the moon for Sha’abaan, they would be busy in the recitation of the Holy Quran.  Muslims would take out the Zakaat of their wealth, so that the weak and the needy would take it and have strength for fasting in Ramadhan, the officers of the government would summon the prisoners and would enforce the punishment of the Shariah on those who deserved and set free those who didn’t.  The businessmen would fulfill the rights due to others and take what was outstanding.  When they would see the moon for Ramadhan, then they would bathe and perform Itikaaf. 

 

What blessed times were those and how angel-like were those people!  A part of a year and most of the nights of it would be spent in worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).  Food itself would look at them longingly and think when it would get the honor of eaten by them.  Their beds would wait to serve them, but they would be worried and anxious about gaining the pleasure of their Lord.  The Holy Quran says about such people:

 

And (these) are the ones who spend their nights prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord (cloaked in submissiveness); Surah Furqan (25:64)

 

Their sides stay away from their beds and they call out to their Lord in a (mingled state) of fear and hope and spend (in Our Way) out of the sustenance We have provided them.  Surah Sajdah (32:16)

 

When Ramadhan came, they would welcome it as if they would not get it the next time. 

 

This pure life of the Sahabah is an example and a lesson for all of us.  Our days and nights are spent in heedlessness and carelessness.  We are worried about material things and our hearts are full of the love of this temporary world.