An inquirer asks, “I have a friend who likes to fast frequently during the month of Sha‘ban. He wants to know whether fasting in this month carries increased reward, as it does during the sacred months.”

It is recommended to increase voluntary fasting in the month of Sha‘ban, especially for those who are accustomed to fasting, for those who have vowed to fast, or have missed obligatory fasts to make up. Fasting in Sha‘ban carries additional reward and merit due to its proximity to the blessed month of Ramadan, and because in it is spending neglected time in acts of worship. Therefore, the reward for fasting in Sha‘ban is greater than for voluntary fasting at other less virtuous times.

Sha‘ban is one of the preferred months which Allah Almighty has endowed with virtue, granting it a noble status and high rank. Islamic law encourages giving greater attention to this month and performing in it various forms of worship, due to its blessings, virtue, and the increased reward it brings. Fasting during Sha‘ban is especially recommended for those who regularly fast, who have made vows to fast, or who need to make up missed fasts. The Mother of the Believers, Lady ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), said, "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would fast so much that we would say he never breaks his fast, and he would break his fast so much that we would say that he does not fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, complete the fast of a month except for Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more than in Sha‘ban" (Bukhari and Muslim). Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar noted in Fath al-Bari (4:215), "The hadith serves as evidence for the virtue of fasting in Sha‘ban."

The virtue of fasting in Sha’ban points to the increased reward it brings for utilizing time often neglected in worship, performing supererogatory acts of worship that are concealed from others, and patiently enduring hardship. The proximity of Sha‘ban to Ramadan adds to its merit. Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that he said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “O Messenger of Allah, I have not seen you fast so much in any month as you do in Sha‘ban.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “That is a month which people neglect, falling between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which deeds are raised to the Lord of the worlds, and I like that my deeds be raised while I am fasting” (recorded by al-Nasa`i in Sunan al-Sughra and al-Bayhaqi in Fada’il al-A‘mal).

Abu al-Hasan al-Mubarakfuri notes in Mara’at al-Mafatiḥ (7:36-37), "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained the reason for his fasting in Sha‘ban rather than in other months by saying, ‘It is a month that people neglect between Rajab and Ramadan.’ It falls between two great months: the sacred month of Rajab and Ramadan, the month of fasting. Because people are so preoccupied with them, Sha‘ban is often neglected, yet the deeds performed in it are raised to Allah. Many people assume that fasting in Rajab is superior to fasting in Sha’ban because Rajab is a sacred month, while Sha’ban is not.’”

The scholar Ibn Rajab further elaborates in Lata’if al-Ma‘arif (p. 129) regarding the virtue of fasting in Sha‘ban, "The best voluntary fast is that which occurs close to Ramadan, either before or after it, as it aligns with the fast of Ramadan in virtue. It is like that of the regular Sunnah prayers in relation to obligatory prayers; they are the same in virtue and help make up for any shortcomings. The same applies to fasting before and after Ramadan. Just as the Sunnah prayers offered before and after the obligatory prayers are superior to voluntary prayers, so too is fasting before and after Ramadan better than fasting outside of these virtuous times."

 

The ruling

Based on the above,
it is recommended to fast abundantly in Sha‘ban, especially for those who regularly fast, have vowed to fast, or have missed fasts to make up. Fasting in Sha‘ban carries additional reward and merit due to its proximity to Ramadan and because it involves performing acts of worship at a time that is often neglected. Therefore, the reward of fasting in Sha‘ban, like that in the sacred months, surpasses that of ordinary voluntary fasting at other times outside of these virtuous times.

And Allah Almighty knows best.