Fasting during Sha’baan

This is the great month of Sha`baan, most of which our beloved Prophet
used to fast. It is of paramount importance for us to keep alive this
Sunnah and use it to get ready for the best time of the year to be a
Muslim and feel like a Muslim—the month following this one, blessed
Ramadhaan.

And what can be a better preparation than learning what the best example for humankind said about Sha`baan.

Usaamah ibn Zayd said: "The Prophet
used to fast so many days in succession that we would say: `He will
never break his fast.' At other times he would go without fasting for so
long until we said: `He will never again fast,' except for two days,
which he would fast even if they occurred during the times he was not
fasting consecutive days. Furthermore, he would not fast in any month as
many days as he fasted during Sha`baan. I said: `O Messenger of Allaah!
Sometimes you fast so much it is as if you will never break your fast.
At other times you leave fasting for such a long period it is as if you
will never again fast [voluntarily], except for two days that you always
fast.’ He asked: [b]`Which two days are those?' I replied, `Monday and Thursday.' The Prophet said: [b]`Those
are two days in which the deeds are presented to the Lord of the
Worlds. I love that my deeds are presented [to Him] while I am fasting'.
I said: `I do not see you fasting in any month like you fast during Sha`baan.' The Prophet

said: ‘That
is a month occurring between Rajab and Ramadhaan that many people
neglect. It is a month in which the deeds ascend to the Lord of the
Worlds, The All-Mighty and Majestic, and I love for my deeds to ascend
while I am fasting.’ ” [Ahmad and An-Nasaa'i]

And ‘Aa’ishah, the Mother of the Believers

said: "I did not see the Messenger of Allaah fast any month in its
entirety except Ramadhaan. And I did not see him fast as frequently in
any other month as he did during Sha`baan." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Master Hadeeth scholar Zainuddeen ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

said that "To fast in Sha'baan is [to me] better than fasting in the
Sacred Months [like the month of Rajab]. Also, the best of voluntary
fasts are those done closest to Ramadhaan—before or after it- for they
are, thus, like the voluntary so-called as-Sunan ar-Rawaatib prayers,
which are done before and after obligatory prayers. [One of the main
reasons for such Rawaatib] is that they compensate for one's shortfalls
in the manner he made those obligatory prayers. The same may be said of
the fasts observed [immediately] before [as many as one chooses to in
Sha`baan] and after Ramadhaan [the six days of Shawwaal]. Furthermore,
like as-Sunan al-Rawaatib of prayer are better than other voluntary
prayers, so are the immediate fasts observed before and after Ramadhaan.
They are better than other voluntary fasts."

The Prophet

said: "The best fasting after [i.e., second to] Ramadhaan is that of [the month of] Muharram." [Muslim].

So,
which is a better month to fast in, Sha'baan or Muharram? Most scholars
are of the opinion that the fasting in Sha'baan is better because of
the Hadeeth narrated by Abu Daawood in his "Book of Sunan" that "The
most beloved of months for the Messenger of Allaah

to fast in was Sha`baan, and his fasting in Sha'baan was continuous
with his fasting in Ramadhaan." This authentic Hadeeth applies in the
most general way to Sha'baan while the narration by Muslim may be seen
as restricted to the first nine days of Muharram as indicated by other
Hadeeths. And in addition to this and what Ibn Rajab

stated above, the Prophet

fasted most of Sha'baan and maintained that Sunnah until he passed away.

May Allaah accept your Fast! Ameen!

Source: Aljumuah