On authority of A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, said,

“The Messenger, ‘Alaihi as salaatu was salaam used to fast until we (the companions) would say “he (sallallahu ‘allehi wa salam) does not break his fast” and he used to break his fast until we would say “verily he does not fast”. I have not seen the Messenger (sallallahu ‘allehi wa salam) fast a complete month other than Ramadan and never used to fast more in a month than he did in the month of Sha’baan.” [Reported by Al Bukaari (1969) and Muslim (1053)]

Aisha also narrated, may Allah be pleased with her,

“The Messenger (sallallahu allehi wa salam) never used to fast more than he did in the month of Sha’baan for verily he used to fast the whole month.”

In the narration of Muslim,

“he used to fast the whole month except a small portion of it.”

And he (sallallahu ‘allehi wa salam) used to say,

“take from the actions of worship that which you are capable of maintaining verily Allah does not become uninterested until you become uninterested in the acts of worship.” [Reported by Al Bukaari (1970) and Muslim (782)]

On the authority of Ibn Abbaas, (may Allah be pleased with him) that

the Messenger, ‘Alaihi as salaatu was salaam, did not fast a complete month other than the month of Ramadaan and he used to fast in other occasions until someone would say “No by Allah he does not break his fast” and other times he would refrain from fasting until one would say “No by Allah he does not fast” [Reported by Muslim (1971)]

It is evident from previous narrations that the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa salam) never used to fast a complete month other than the month of Ramadan. However, in the narration of ‘Aisha the scholars differed as to what she meant by her statement

“He (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) used to fast the whole month of Sha’ban,”

and in the narration of Imam Muslim,

“he used to fast the whole month except a small portion of it.”

Imam An Nawawi mentioned in his explanation of Saheeh Muslim (8-279),

“and [regarding] her statement, may Allah be pleased with her,

‘he used to fast the whole month of Sha’ban, he used to fast the whole month except a small portion of it.’

the second half of her statement (i.e. ‘he used to fast the whole month except a small portion of it’) is an explanation of the first half (i.e. ‘he used to fast the whole month of Sha’ban’). […] ‘it has also been said [about the meaning of the hadeeth] that he [the Messenger salahu ‘alahi wa salam] used to fast most of the month on some occasions while on others he used to fast the whole month”. End.

It has also been said that he [the messenger salahu alaihi wa salam] used to fast the beginning of the month in some years while in some years he used to fast the middle of the month and yet in others he would fast the end of the month of Sha’baan. He would not leave any of the month except he would fast in it, however, throughout the course of several years.

Al Haafidh bin Rajb Al Hanbali stated in his book “Wadhaaif Ashuhuur” after mentioning the previous ahaadeeth and others about the manner in which the Messenger salallahu ‘alahi wa salam fasted during the month of Sha’baan

“a group from among the scholars, from them being Ibn Mubaarak, have deemed that the Messenger (salallahu ‘alahi wa salam) did not fast a complete month of Sha’baan. Rather he used to fast the majority of Sha’baan. This is confirmed by the statement of ‘Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, which is found in Saheeh Muslim,

‘I have not known that the Messenger salallahu ‘alahi wa salam fasted a complete month other than the month of Ramadhan’

and in another narration also found in Saheeh Muslim she said,

‘I have not seen him [i.e.Messenger (salallahu ‘alahi wa salam)] fasting a complete month since he came to Madinah other than the month of Ramadhan.’

In another narration found in Saheeh Muslim she said,

‘I have not known of the messenger salallahu ‘alahi wa salam that he read the Quraan in one night or fasted a whole month other than Ramadhan.’

[…] on the authority of ‘Aisha also found in Saheeh Muslim that she said,

‘I have not seen him [the Messenger salallahu ‘alahi wa salam)] standing the (whole) night in prayer until dawn or fasting continuously except in the month of Ramadhan.’

“. End.

In the saheehain on the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them said,

“the Messenger salallahu alahi wa salam fasted a whole month other than Ramadhan while he (Ibn Abbas) disliked to fast a whole month other than Ramadhan.[Abridged]

Abu Dawood, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated in his book “Sunan Abi Dawood #(2024)” as well as others on the authority of Umm Salamah that she said,

“The Messenger salallahu ‘alahi wa salam never used to fast a complete month throughout the year except Sha’baan he used to join it with Ramadhan.”

Al Haafidh bin Hajr said in his explanation of the meaning of this hadeeth (Fath Albari 4/272),

“he used to fast the majority of the month and Imam At Tirmidhi reported that Ibn Mubaarak said it is permissible in the Arabic language if he fasts most of the month for him to say he fasted the whole month, and it is said so and so stood throughout the whole night (i.e. in worship) while it is possible that he had dinner and was also busy with some of his affairs.” End.

Imam At Tirmidhi then said it is as if Ibn Mubaark united between the two hadeeths (the hadeeth of ‘Aisha where she said the Messenger did not fast a whole month other than Ramadhan and the previous hadeeth of Umm Salamah) by this.

Then Ibn Hajr selected the view of Imam An Nawawi that the first part of the statement of Aisha was explained by the second part.

The summary of that which has come to pass is that the sunnah of the Messenger salallahu ‘alahi wa salam during the month of Sha’baan is to increase in fasting more than one usually fasts in any other month. This fast is also not restricted to any specific sequence like fasting one day and breaking the following which is known as the fast of the Messenger of Allah Dawood, peace be upon him. Rather one should fast as much as possible in this month with the condition that he avoids fasting the final few days as the Messenger salallahu ‘alahi wa salam has prohibited this.

What is the Wisdom of Increasing in Fast During this Month?

Shaykh Albaani may Allah have mercy on him in his book Irwa Algaleel (4/103) mentioned a narration found in the Musnad of Imam Ahmed as well as the Sunan of Imam An Nisaai that Usmah bin Zaid, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Messenger salallahu ‘alahi wa salam,

“I have not seen you fast in any month the way you fast in Sha’baan”

He, salallahu alahi wa salam, then replied by saying,

“That is a month (i,e, Sha’baan) that the people are neglectful of between Ramadhan and Sha’baan and it is also a month that the actions are raised to the lord of the worlds and I like for my actions to be raised while I am fasting.”

Shaykh Albaani mentioned this narration and stated that it is an authentic hadeeth.

Therefore, we benefit from this hadeeth the wisdom in which the Messenger (salallahu ‘alahi wa salam) used to increase in his fast during this blessed month. I ask Allah to accept my efforts in this short translation and to benefit by it Islam and the Muslims. I also ask Him to make us from those who act upon our knowledge.

Translated by

Mahmood bin Muhammad As Somali
Abu Attiyah