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Fasting in Sha’baan
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast until we thought he would never break his fast, and not fast until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah fasting for an entire month except in Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more than he did in Sha’baan.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhari, no. 1833; Muslim, no. 1956).
According to a report narrated by Muslim (no. 1957),
“He used to fast all of Sha’baan, he used to fast all but a little of Sha’baan.”
A group of scholars, including Ibn al-Mubaarak and others, thought that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not fast all of Sha’baan, but he fasted most of it. This is supported by a report in Saheeh
Muslim (no. 1954) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may be pleased with her), who said: “I never knew of him – meaning the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) – fasting for any entire month apart from Ramadaan.”
According to another report also narrated by Muslim (no. 1955), ‘Aa’ishah said: “I never saw him fast for any entire month from the time he came to Madeenah, apart from Ramadaan.”
It was reported in al-Saheehayn that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not fast any entire month apart from Ramadaan.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 1971, and Muslim, no. 1157).
Ibn ‘Abbaas regarded it as makrooh to fast any entire month apart from Ramadaan. Ibn Hajar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “He observed more voluntary fasts in Sha’baan than in any other month, and he used to fast most of Sha’baan.”
Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting in any other month like you fast in Sha’baan.’ He said, ‘That is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramadaan, and it is a month in which deeds are lifted up to the Lord of the Worlds. I like for my deeds to be lifted up when I am fasting.’”
(Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, see Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, page 425).
According to a report narrated by Abu Dawood (no. 2076)she said: “The most beloved of months for the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to fast in was Sha’baan, and his fasting in Sha’baan was continuous with his fasting in Ramadaan.” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, see Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 2/461).
Fasting at the end of Sha’baan
It was reported in al-Saheehayn from ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to a man, “Have you fasted anything of the sirar of this month?” He said, “No.” He said: “If you have not fasted, then fast two days.” According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari: I think he meant Ramadan. According to a report narrated by Muslim, (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) said: “Have you fasted anything of the sirar of Sha’baan?” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4/2000; Muslim, no. 1161).
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