What is said about Fasting The Month of Shaban

Shaban is the month that sits between Rajab and Ramadan, and it passes unnoticed for many Muslims. Yet it was the month the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, fasted more than any other outside of Ramadan. The narrations below set out what is established about fasting in it.

The Month He Fasted Most

Aishah said: "The month which the Messenger of Allah most liked to fast was Shaban; indeed he used to join it to Ramadan."

— Sunan an-Nasa'i 2350, Book of Fasting — graded sahih by Darussalam

Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to fast for so long that we thought he would never stop fasting, and he would go without fasting for so long that we thought he would never fast again. I never saw the Messenger of Allah fast for a complete month except for Ramadan, and I never saw him do more fasting in any one month than he did in Shaban."

— Muwatta Malik, Book of Fasting

Abu Salamah said: "I asked Aishah: 'Tell me about the fasting of the Messenger of Allah.' She said: 'He used to fast until we said: he is going to fast; and not fast until we said: he is not going to fast. He never fasted any month more than Shaban. He used to fast all of Shaban except a little.'"

— Sunan an-Nasa'i 2179

Making Up Missed Days of Ramadan

Shaban was also when Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) settled the days she still owed from the previous Ramadan:

Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "I used to have to make up days from Ramadan and not be able to do them until Shaban came."

— Muwatta Malik, Book of Fasting

The Limit at the End of the Month

There is a boundary the Sunnah sets at the close of Shaban. The fast is not to be run into Ramadan by anticipating it:

Simak said: "I entered upon 'Ikrimah on the day concerning which there was doubt as to whether it was Ramadan or Shaban, and he was eating bread, vegetables and milk. He said: 'Come and eat.' I said: 'I am fasting.' He adjured me by Allah to break my fast… He said: 'I heard Ibn 'Abbas say: The Messenger of Allah said: Fast when you see it (the crescent) and stop fasting when you see it, and if clouds or darkness prevent you from seeing it, then complete the number of days of Shaban, and do not fast ahead of the month, and do not join Ramadan to a day of Shaban.'"

— Sunan an-Nasa'i 2189

Preparing for What Follows

Shaban is a quiet but powerful preparation for Ramadan, much like the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are a concentrated window of worship later in the year. See our piece on The First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah for more on making the most of these blessed seasons.

Books of Hadith on Our Shelves

• Riyad-us-Saliheen With Commentary (2 Volume Set)
• Forty Hadiths on Good Moral Values
• Hadith Terminology and Classification: A Handbook

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