Fasting Sha’aban to prepare for Ramadan

Salamah ibn Suhayl is reported as saying: “The month of Sha’aban is the month of reciters (of the Qur’an)”, while  Habeeb ibn Abi Thabit would, when Sha’aban comes, say “this is the month of reciters (of the Qur’an).” It also reported that when Sha’aban comes, ‘Amr ibn Qays al-Mala’i used to close his store and […]

Salamah ibn Suhayl is reported as saying: “The month of Sha’aban is the month of reciters (of the Qur’an)”, while  Habeeb ibn Abi Thabit would, when Sha’aban comes, say “this is the month of reciters (of the Qur’an).”
It also reported that when Sha’aban comes, ‘Amr ibn Qays al-Mala’i used to close his store and devote his time to reading the Qur’an.
Ibn Rajab (RA) said: “Fasting in Sha’aban is better than fasting in the Sacred Months, and the best of voluntary fasts are those that are (observed in the months) closest to Ramadan, before or after. The status of these fasts is like that of al-Sunan al-Rawatib which are done before and after fard (obligatory prayers) and which make up for any shortfall in the number of obligatory prayers.
The same applies to fasts observed before and after Ramadan. Just as al-Sunan al-Rawatib are better than other kinds of voluntary prayers, so fasts observed (in the months) before and after Ramadan are better than fasts at other times.
Most scholars hold that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not fast all of Sha’aban, but most of it. This is supported by the report in Sahih Muslim narrated from ‘A’isha (RA): “I never knew of him – meaning the Prophet (PBUH) – fasting for any entire month apart from Ramadan.”
Another report, also narrated by Muslim, has A’isha (RA) saying: “I never saw him fast for any entire month from the time he came to Madinah, apart from Ramadan.”
Similarly, it is reported in both Bukhari and Muslim that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) did not fast any entire month apart from Ramadan.” Ibn ‘Abbas regarded it as makruh to fast any entire month apart from Ramadan. Ibn Hajar (RA) said: “He observed more voluntary fasts in Sha’aban than in any other month, and he used to fast most of Sha’aban.”
Usamah ibn Zayd (RA) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting in any other month like you fast in Sha’aban.’ He said, ‘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.’” (al-Nasa’i).
A lot of people believe that fasting in Rajab is better than fasting in Sha’aban, because Rajab is one of the Sacred months, but this is not the case.
A group of the Salaf used to fill the time between Maghrib and ‘Isha’ with prayer, saying that it was a time when many people were negligent. There are a number of benefits that come from making good use of times when people are often negligent.
Also worthy of note is the fact that concealing one’s good works, no showing off, is better, especially fasting, because it is a secret between a slave and his Lord. Except of course where a fasting Muslims is forced to mention it to an antagonist. It is reported that one of the Salaf used to fast for years without anybody knowing about it; he would carry two loaves of bread from his home to the market, but would give them away in charity and he would fast. His family thought that he ate the bread, whilst the people in the market thought that he had eaten at home. The Salaf thought it was mustahab for a person who was fasting to do things that would conceal the fact that he was fasting.