whenever we have time, especially in the sacred month of Sha’ban, we should increase in the recitation of Salat-’Alan-Nabi whether we are sitting, standing or walking etc., We should worship during the nights, and fast during the days. It was the routine of our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم that he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would perform a lot of Nafl worship in this sacred month.

The Beloved Prophet would fast most of the days of Sha’ban

Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا has narrated, ‘The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would fast throughout Sha’ban.’ She رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا once asked, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Do you like fasting the most in Sha’ban, out of all the months?’ He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘Undoubtedly, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ records the name of every person who will die this year and I like to be in the state of fasting at the time of my demise.’

(Musnad Abi Ya’la, vol. 4, pp. 277, Hadees 4890)

Likewise, it is stated in another blessed Hadees: The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would not observe fasts so abundantly in any other month as he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would do in the blessed month of Sha’ban, rather, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم used to fast for the entire month, and would say, ‘Act according to your capability, as Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ does not stop His blessings until you lose interest.’ (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 648, Hadees 1970)

The commentator of the book Sahih Bukhari, ‘Allamah Mufti Muhammad Shareef-ul-Haq Amjadi عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی has elaborated on this blessed Hadees as follows: The summary of this is that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم used to observe fasts in most of the days of Sha’ban, therefore this was regarded to fasting for the whole month. It is usually said, ‘So-and-so worshipped the whole night’, though he spent some time in eating and meeting his other needs. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه further stated: From this Hadees it has also been learnt that the person who is capable of fasting in Sha’ban, should fast abundantly.

(Nuzha-tul-Qaari, vol. 3, pp. 377-380)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب       صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد