Prelude to Ramadān 01: Virtues and Importance of Fasting in the Month of Sha’bān

🕌 HALQAH SESSION

*PRELUDE TO RAMADĀN 1*

virtues and importance of fasting in the month of sha’abān

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على من بعث رحمة للعالمين و على آله وصحبه ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين

Assalamu a’layhkum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh!

Honored Brothers and Sisters on this blessed platform, you are all welcome to this session of our Halqah. As a prelude to the blessed month ahead of us which is the month of Ramadān.

We will like to discuss the virtues and importance of fasting in the month of sha’abān.

Know that, Sha’abān is the eighth month of the twelve months we have in a year. It comes in between the month of Rajab Al-Muharram and the blessed month of Ramadan. Sha’abān is gotten from the word sha’b. And sha’b may take the meaning of a small group of people or it may mean dispersal.

In this context, Ibn Hajar ‘Al-asqalānī Rahimahullahu  mentioned the reason why the month sha’abān was named after it by saying:

_ﻭﺳﻤﻲ ﺷﻌﺒﺎﻥ ﻟﺘﺸﻌﺒﻬﻢ ﻓﻲ ﻃﻠﺐ ﺍﻟﻤﻴﺎﻩ ﺃﻭ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻐﺎﺭﺍﺕ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺨﺮﺝ ﺷﻬﺮ ﺭﺟﺐ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﺍﻡ._
ﻓﺘﺢ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﺭﻱ ‏( 4/213)

It was named sha’aban due to the way people used to spread apart in seeking for water or in expedition after the month of Rajab Al- Harām

Ref: Fat’h Al-Bārī#4/213.

To buttress this meaning given by our polymath Imām, Al-Hāfidh, Ibn Hajar, Abū ‘Ubaid said in his poem:

When you see someone’s affairs scattering

Abū ubaid used the word sha’b here as dispersal

That said, know that the virtues and importance of the month of sha’abān can never be over emphasized because it is the month preceding  the month of Ramadān and we are highly encouraged to carry out much ‘Ibādāt in it. The Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam had singled out this month with lots of good deeds because of its virtues. And it is known of necessity that, fasting has a great reward attached to it because it will serve as intercessor for those who are engaged in the ‘Ibādah.

And no soul knows what is hidden for them of that which will delight their eyes as a reward for this act of ‘Ibādah which is As-sawm.

The month of sha’abān is one of the most beloved month to the Messenger sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam. Ummul Muminîn ‘Aisha radiyallāhu anha was reported to have said:

كان أحب الشهور إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يصومه شعبان ثم يصله برمضان

The month of sha’abān was the most beloved month to the Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam to fast in it till the beginning of Ramadān.

Declared as Sahīh by shaykh Al- Albānī in Sahīhu At-targhīb#1024.

The stallion shaykh, the icon  imam, Al Hāfidh Abu Al faraj  ‘Abdurrahmān Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalī Ad-dimashqī said in his book “latāif Al-Ma’ārif”

وأما صيام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من أشهر السنة فكان يصوم من  شعبان ما لا يصوم من غيره من الشهور.

As to the fasting of the prophet sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam during the year, is that He used to fast in sha’abān more than any other month (apart from Ramadan).

Ibn Rushd Al-qurtabī Rahimahullāhu also said:

There is no month that the prophet sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam used to fast after the month of Ramadān like sha’abān.

It was reported from Osāmah Ibn Zaid Radiyallāhu anhuma who said:

ﻳﺎ ﺭﺳﻮﻝ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻟﻢ ﺍﺭﻙ ﺗﺼﻮﻡ ﺷﻬﺮﺍ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺸﻬﻮﺭ ﻣﺎ ﺗﺼﻮﻡ ﻣﻦ ﺷﻌﺒﺎﻥ ﻗﺎﻝ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺷﻬﺮ ﻳﻐﻔﻞ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻋﻨﻪ ﺑﻴﻦ ﺭﺟﺐ ﻭﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ ﻭﻫﻮ ﺷﻬﺮ ﺗﺮﻓﻊ ﻓﻴﻪ ﺍﻷﻋﻤﺎﻝ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺭﺏ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻴﻦ ﻓﺄﺣﺐ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺮﻓﻊ ﻋﻤﻠﻲ ﻭ ﺃﻧﺎ ﺻﺎﺋﻢ.

Oh the Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam why don’t I see you fast on other months like you fast in the month of  shaaban?The prophet said:That is  the month which people neglect between Rajab and Ramadān. It is the month where the deeds of people are being raised to the lord of Mankind, so I love that my deeds are being raised while I am fasting.

Declared as Hasan by shaykh Al- Albānī.

From this Hadith, we can derive the two major reasons why the Messenger sallallāhu singled out this month of sha’abān for fasting and made it special.

The first reason is:
It is the month which people neglect between Rajab and Ramadan. There is no doubt that, practicing an ‘Ibādah within this period of time which is neglected by many people due to what they assumed of its less importance, have more reward and virtue because it shows one’s sincerity and closeness to Allāh. Another example is the qiyāmu Al-lail. It has much reward as against the nawāfil within the day. For at this time, majority of people are heedless and attached to their beds. Thus, they lose a lot of reward.

The second reason is:
It is the month in which people’s deeds are being raised to Allāh, the Lord of the universe. Therefore, the Messenger sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam loved his deeds to be raised to Allah while He is in the state of fasting.

Amongst the virtues of fasting in this great month of sha’abān, is the Hadīth Narrated by our beloved Mother ‘Āishah radiyallāhu anha where she said:

ﻛَﺎﻥَ ﺭَﺳُﻮﻝُ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪِ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ ﻳَﺼُﻮﻡُ ﺣَﺘَّﻰ ﻧَﻘُﻮﻝَ ﻻَ ﻳُﻔْﻄِﺮُ، ﻭَﻳُﻔْﻄِﺮُ ﺣَﺘَّﻰ ﻧَﻘُﻮﻝَ ﻻَ ﻳَﺼُﻮﻡُ . ﻓَﻤَﺎ ﺭَﺃَﻳْﺖُ ﺭَﺳُﻮﻝَ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪِ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ ﺍﺳْﺘَﻜْﻤَﻞَ ﺻِﻴَﺎﻡَ ﺷَﻬْﺮٍ ﺇِﻻَّ ﺭَﻣَﻀَﺎﻥَ، ﻭَﻣَﺎ ﺭَﺃَﻳْﺘُﻪُ ﺃَﻛْﺜَﺮَ ﺻِﻴَﺎﻣًﺎ ﻣِﻨْﻪُ ﻓِﻲ ﺷَﻌْﺒَﺎﻥَ .

The Messenger sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam used to fast till we would say that he would never stop fasting, and he would abandon fasting till we would say that he would never fast. I never saw the  Messenger sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan, and did not see him fasting in any other month more than in the month of Sha’ban.

Transmitted by Imām Muslim#1124.

In another Hadith, which was reported by Umm salmah radiyallāhu anha, and transmitted and recorded by Abū Dāwud#2336 which was classified as Sahīh by Al-Shaykh Al-Albānī, she said:

ﻣَﺎ ﺭَﺃَﻳْﺖُ ﺭَﺳُﻮﻝَ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪِ ﺻَﻠَّﻰ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪُ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻪِ ﻭَﺳَﻠَّﻢَ ﺻَﺎﻡَ ﺷَﻬْﺮَﻳْﻦِ ﻣُﺘَﺘَﺎﺑِﻌَﻴْﻦِ ﺇِﻻ ﺃَﻧَّﻪُ ﻛَﺎﻥَ ﻳَﺼِﻞُ ﺷَﻌْﺒَﺎﻥَ ﺑِﺮَﻣَﻀَﺎﻥَ.

I never saw the Messenger of Allāh
sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam fast two consecutive months apart from the fact that he used to join Sha’abān and Ramadān

The apparent meaning of this Hadīth is that, it is permissible to fast the whole month of sha’abān.

Whereas, in another Hadīth, ‘Āisha Radiyallāhu anha said:

I do not know of any month in which he fasted throughout, but that of the month of Ramadan and (the month) in which he did not fast at all throughout his life.

Transmitted by Imām Muslim1156#.

The ‘Ulama are of different opinions in reconciling both hadīths i.e the hadith that said that he fasted the whole month of sha’abān and that which said He never fasted any month completely if not the month of Ramadān.

Those that held the opinion that he only fasted part of sha’abān but not all said that this is possible from a linguistic point of view, that if a man fasts for most part of a month it can be said that he fasted the whole month.

Ibn mubārak said:
The Messenger sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam never fasted the whole month of sha’abān. Rather, He fasted most of it.

Thus, what’s more sound and  correct is that it is not permissible to fast the whole month of sha’abān and this is also the stand of Al-Hāfidh Ibn Hajar ‘Al-asqālānī and Allāh knows best.

Hence, in these aforementioned Ahādīth, we have seen that the month of sha’abān has many virtues which is neglected by many people. It is just at our doorstep. Before we know, it may pass without us fully utilizing it.

Therefore, we should be keen to know these virtues and practice what’s recommended in it of acts of ‘Ibādah before it runs out.

Upon this, it is encouraged and recommended for every Muslim and Muslimah  to utilize the days of the month of sha’abān with all sorts of ‘ibādāt especially the Ibādah of fasting in order to follow the sunnah of the Messenger sallallāhu a’layhi wasallam.

Allah says:

: لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

Surely, you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for him who hopes in Allāh and the last day and remembers Allah much.

Sūratu Al-Ahzāb, verse 21.

Therefore, we are in the best situation to utilize these bless days and to move closer to Allāh with a pure and sincere soul, repentance and lots of Du’a to Allāh especially in this era of ours, were Muslims are being butchered like chicken in the hands of their enemies and we  believe that Allāh will surely answer our Dua because Allāh commands us to prayer and He promised to answer and Allāh doesn’t go against his promise

Allāh says:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ

And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you, verily, those who are too proud for My service shall soon enter hell abased.

Lastly, Oh brothers and sisters, is it not time to say farewell to the luxuries and amusement of this worthless dunya and seek that which is everlasting in the sight of Allāh?

Is it not time for us to prepare ourselves and mind for the great month ahead of us by preoccupying ourselves with all forms of ‘Ibādāt in the month of sha’abān?

Is it not the best time for us to censor and purify our soul from all sorts of vices be it envy, arrogance, show off, pride and the likes?

Know that, this may be your last chance of witnessing the month of sha’abān and Ramadān in this dunya and Allāh knows best. Therefore, take heed and don’t be carried away by the wind of jahiliyyah which is blowing here and there.

Due to time, In shā Allāh, we shall stop here for today

Barakallāhu fikum
Wa Ākhiru da’wāna ‘Anil Hamdulillāhi Rabbi Al-‘Ālamīn

Assalamu a’layhkum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

30th Râjab 1439H
(15/04/2018)

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