Worship

Fasting In Sha’bān – Why It’s Awesome

Published

August 14, 2008

SaqibSaab

Yo, I heard fasting in Sha’bān is supposed to be awesome. What’s the deal?

Check it out, so the Prophet sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to fast in the month of Sha’bān quite regularly. There’s actually a bunch of different reports on this, like the one by ‘Ai’sha radhiAllahu ‘anha who said, “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’bān,” reported in Bukhari and Muslim. Also, it was narrated in Abi Dawud that Sha’bān was the month the Prophet loved to fast in the most.

So outside fasting the obligatory month of Ramadan, the Prophet would regularly fast during Sha’bān. Just like that we should fast in Sha’bān and love fasting that month, too.

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Oh, wow. So why Sha’bān?

Allah knows best, but there are some interesting sayings of the Prophet about fasting this month. Usama ibn Zaid radhiAllahu ‘anhu once asked him about his many fasts during Sha’bān, and the Prophet responded “That is a month to which people do not pay attention, between Rajab and Ramadan, 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.”

Pay attention to how the Prophet was keen to do those extra deeds during times that people don’t pay attention to, something we need to pick up on more often. Not only are you protected from possibly showing off because most people don’t know you are fasting during this irregular time, you will be fasting when everyone else isn’t, thus making the difficulty more rewardable.

Also, Sha’bān acts like a warm up to Ramadan. Imagine starting your car’s engine when it’s 20 below zero. The car engine needs to run for a bit before you can take off. Similarly, it helps to fast this month to warm yourself up to the full month of consecutive fasting you’ll be hitting up the following month in Ramadan.

That’s straight, man. Have any scholars said anything about these fasts?

Yeah, straight up. Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, said that the fasts of Sha’bān are actually like the sunan al-rawatib, which are the Sunnah prayers before and/or after Fajr, Dhuhr, Maghrib, and so on. Those prayers are considered the best of Sunnah prayers and act to make up for any mistakes or short comings in our fard prayers.

Just like that, Ibn Rajab said that the Sha’bān fasts are the best extra fasts and make up for any mishaps we may have had from our Ramadan fasts.

That’s awesome, Ibn Rajab is so cool, mA. Anything else I need to know?

The Prophet sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam told us to avoid fasting the last one or two days of Sha’bān. This comes to us from a Hadith reported in Bukhari and Muslim. Some say this is to kind of prepare for the month ahead of 30 straight fasts.

Also there is difference of opinion on if it’s allowed to fast during the second half of Sha’bān if you haven’t already started during the first half, and some scholars like Imam Nawawi and Ibn al-Qayyim say you should fast in the first half in order to fast in the second. Regardless, no one disagrees about fasting in the first half, and if you find yourself during that time, you should fast!

So that’s why fasting in this month is awesome. I’m so gonna fast every Sha’bān now inshaAllah. Thanks for the tips, jazakAllah khair.

Wa iyyakum. Enjoy your fasts!

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SaqibSaab

SaqibSaab is an average Desi Muslim guy living in Chicago. He enjoys videography and design as side hobbies, and helps out with AlMaghrib Institute in Chicago, Wasat Studios, and other projects here and there. His go-around vehicle is a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta 5-speed Wolfburg Edition. Originally born in Michigan, he and his wife reside in Chicagoland with his parents who come from Bangalore, India. He blogs personally at SaqibSaab.com.

16 Comments

MR

August 14, 2008 at 9:26 AM

Where are the links for the other major opinions?

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Ahmed

August 14, 2008 at 10:15 AM

Totally radical post…jezkallah khair..

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Ahmad AlFarsi

August 14, 2008 at 10:51 AM

MR, what are the other major opinions?

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Amad

August 14, 2008 at 11:31 AM

Well, the article wasn’t meant to be a thorough review of all the opinions… just the author’s viewpoint with links to scholarly opinions he agrees with… I am not sure it is necessary to confuse people with every post :)

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MR

August 14, 2008 at 2:17 PM

@Ahmad AlFarsi:

The author discusses it here:

Also there is difference of opinion on if it’s allowed to fast during the second half of Sha’bān if you haven’t already started during the first half, and some scholars like Imam Nawawi and Ibn al-Qayyim say you should fast in the first half in order to fast in the second. Regardless, no one disagrees about fasting in the first half, and if you find yourself during that time, you should fast!

@Amad:

The only reason I asked, is because he mentioned it.

Reply
Dawud Israel

August 14, 2008 at 4:03 PM

Today is the 14th of Shaban and tomorrow the 15th… the prohibition of fasting…hence the prohibition begins tomorrow (times vary depending on where you live)

bad timing Saqib…LOL

…but great article :)

Reply
SaqibSaab

August 14, 2008 at 5:50 PM

@Dawud:

Today is the 14th of Shaban and tomorrow the 15th… the prohibition of fasting…hence the prohibition begins tomorrow (times vary depending on where you live)

Are you sure it’s the 14th? Most places I see are either the 13th or the 12th for today, moon sighters and calculators alike. I haven’t found any one who’s got today, Thursday, August 14th, 2008, as the 14th of Sha’ban? Could you clairfy, bro? Is it a local thing where you’re at?

@MR:

Where are the links for the other major opinions?

Feel free to post anything if you find them, brothar.

Reply
Nirgaz

August 14, 2008 at 6:44 PM

What are the opinions on making up fasts for the previous Ramadan? More specifically if you had reasons preventing you from making it up prior to this and you want to make them up before this Ramadan begins. Is it ok to then fast in the 2nd half of Shabban or would it be more desirable to make it up after this Ramadan. Cause I was always under the impression that completing your fasts from the previous Ramadan would trump any discouragement or rule not to fast during that time…

Any help would be most apprciated…JazakAllah khair!

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Mahin F. Islam

August 14, 2008 at 7:28 PM

MR..please post the opinions of the madhaahib if you have them akh..barakAllaahu Feek. I am particularly interested in the Maalikee opinion, :)

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MR

August 14, 2008 at 9:24 PM

I actually don’t know myself, I was wondering what it they were since SaqibSaab mentioned them..

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Unknown!!!

August 14, 2008 at 9:31 PM

Prohibition os fasting on 15th of Shaban? somebody pls post more info about it..

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Dawud Israel

August 14, 2008 at 11:41 PM

Yeah your right–my bad…today is the 13th of Shaban…so 2 more days to fast!!!

And if you follow the opinion I follow tomorrow night is the night on which Allah forgives a huge amount of mankind. It’s not fardh but an extra thing you can do…so take advantage of it!

Sayyidina Abdullah bin Amar (ra) has narrated that Rasulullah (saw) has said, “Allah (swt) on the 15th night of Shabaan looks at the people and He forgives all believers except for two kinds of people: 1) Someone who holds a grudge against others and 2) someone who has taken an innocent life.
This hadith is narrated by Imam Mundhiri in Al-Targheeb wal Tarheeb, Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, and Hafiz Al Haithami in Majmual Zawaid. Shaykh Albani has narrated this hadith in his Silsilah Sahiha and after a lengthy discussion regarding its chain of narrators; he concludes that this hadith is Hassan.

Imam Shafi rahmatullahi alayh said in Al-Umm, Vol. 1 p. 231:
Imam Shafi said, “of the narrations that have reached us, verily, dua is accepted on five nights: the night of Juma’, the night of E’id Al-Adha, the night of E’id Al-Fitr, the first night of Rajab, and the 15th night of Shabaan”.

Reply
Sireen

August 15, 2008 at 6:43 AM

Jazakallahu Khayran Dawud for that info.

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AbuMoosa

August 16, 2008 at 5:34 AM

Assalaam’aalaikum bro Dawud,

I cannot find the reference you made to Sheikh Al-albani narrating this hadith. The one I found was : “When half of shaban has passed, do not fast” (Abu Dawood Bab 12: Hadith 2337- Classed Hasan Sahih by Albani), but nothing on the hadith you mentioned.

However-I DID read this act of praying and fasting specifically on the 15th is an innovation:

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/8907

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/49675

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/49678

Wa’allahu aalim

Wa’assalaam

Abu Moosa

Reply
Dawud Israel

August 17, 2008 at 8:30 AM

Wa aleikum salaam

Yes, I believe the opinions of the Hanbalis is that it is not virtuous to pray on this night. However this is not the opinion of the Hanafis (Mufiti Taqi Usmani holds that it is virtuous because of the number of hadiths) and the Shafis (as per the quote above).

Unfortunately, some have misconstrued the Hanbali stance and I have been bothered by them for the past couple of days discouraging myself and others from praying at all on this night. One brother in an email went to the erroneous extent of saying, “Sleeping the whole night is better than praying in it”!! I think this is a clear example of undermining Islam and in a time where there is so much ma’asiyah and fitnah, if people want to pray than it is better to let them. The importance of hikmah becomes clear here.

And lastly, al-Albani in fact mention the hadith is hasan in my last comment and I know that because in more than one of the discussions, although the brother took the Hanbali stance, he mentioned that al-Albani did in fact say that.

And Allah knows best.

Reply
Ahmed

August 21, 2008 at 11:17 PM

Assalamu alaikum wr wb,

Please read page 109 where Sheikh Al-Albanni may Allah have mercy upon him says the hadith is weak, daeef.

http://www.almeshkat.net/books/open.php?cat=30&book=399

(ضعيف) وروى الإمام أحمد عن عبد الله بن عمرو رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال يطلع الله عز وجل إلى خلقه ليلة النصف من شعبان فيغفر لعباده إلا اثنين مشاحن وقاتل نفس

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