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 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 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 saves his organs, 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) will 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 of 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 it 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 were not going to get it again.  

 

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.  

 

Fasting In the Month of Sha’abaan

 

Fasting in Sha’abaan is loved by the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  The Hadith prohibit us against fasting on 29th or 30th of Sha’abaan for welcoming Ramadhan.  There is a Hadith in Jame’ Tirmidhi:

 

Translation: Don’t fast 1 or 2 days before Ramadhan, but if anybody fasts on a particular day and that day falls on these days, there is no harm.  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Vol. 1, Hadith No: 620, Pg No: 167)

 

The author of Majma Ul Bihar writes about the wisdom behind this prohibition:

 

Translation: So as to have some comfort before Ramadhan and to make sure that vigor lasts in Ramadhan as well and it is also said to ensure that Nafl (optional) and Fardh (Obligatory) don’t get mixed up.  

 

When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was asked about the most superior fasts, He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The fasts of Sha’abaan for respect (preparation) of Ramadhan are the best.  (Ghuniya Lit Talibi Tariqil Haqqi, Vol. 1, Pg No: 187).

 

Hadhrat Ghawth ul A’adham (May Allah be well pleased with him) also says in his Ghuniya Lit Talibi Tariqil Haqqi Vol. 1, Pg No: 187:

 

Translation:  All the sins of that person are forgiven of that person who fasts on the last Monday of Sha’abaan.

 

Under this Hadith, Hadhrat Ghawth ul A’adham (May Allah be well pleased with him) writes in the same book on the same page:

 

Translation: This means the last Monday of Ramadhan, not the last day as welcoming Ramadhan by fasting on the last 1 or 2 days of Ramadhan is prohibited.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would fast a lot in this month.  Ummul Momineen Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqa (May Allah be well pleased with her) says:

 

Translation:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would fast so much in Sha’abaan that we would think, He would not have Iftaar (break the fast) at all.  Sometimes He would not fast so much that we would start thinking that He would not fast now.  I have never seen the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) fasting for the whole month except in Ramadhan and I have never seen the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) fasting so much in any other month as in Sha’abaan.

 

There is another Hadith:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqa (May Allah be well pleased with her) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would not fast more than Sha’abaan in any other month because in this month, the souls (Ruh) of the living are written among the dead.  So much so that a person marries even though his name has been written among those who will die and verily a man performs Haj although his name is among the dead.  (Ibn Mardawe, Ibn ‘Asaker, Durre Manthur-Surah Dukhan)

 

There is another Hadith:

 

Translation:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would fast for the whole of Sha’abaan.  When I asked Him, He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) writes (the names of) all those who would die in this year in this night.  I desire that my time of passing away should be when I am fasting.  (Abu Ya’ala, Durre Manthur, Surah Dukhan)

 

There is a Hadith in Sunan Nasai and Musnad Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal:

 

Hadhrat Usama Bin Zaid (May Allah be well pleased with them) asked the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam):  O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  I have never seen you fasting so much in other months as much as you fast in Shabaan. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: This is that month between Rajab and Ramadhan, which people do not think about and this is the month in which deeds (A’amaal) are presented before Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), so I want that I should be fasting when my deeds are presented before Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).  (Sunan Nasai, Vol. 1, Pg No: 321.   Hadith No: 2317, Musnad Imam Ahmed, Musnad Ul Ansaar, Hadith No: 20758)

 

In one Hadith from the Ummul Momineen Aisha Siddiqa (May Allah be well pleased with her), she says:

 

Translation: O Prophet of Allah! (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), I see you fasting a lot in Sha’abaan?  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: O Aisha! This is the month in which the angel of death writes the name of the person whose soul (Ruh) will be taken in the coming year.  I desire that my name should be written when I am fasting.