The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not fast in any month more than he did in Sha‘bān

Chapter: The Excellence of Observing Saum (Fasting) in the months of Muharram and Sha'ban and the Secred Months

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Riyad as-Salihin 1247

وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت لم يكن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم من شهر أكثر من شعبان فإنه كان يصوم شعبان كله وفي رواية‏:‏ كان يصوم شعبان إلا قليلا‏.‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏

In another narration: “He used to fast the whole of Sha‘bān except for a few days.”

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 1969), Muslim (No. 1156e, 1156f), Abu Dawud (No. 2434), An-Nasa’i (No. 2177, 2179, 2180, 2351, 2354, 2355), Ibn Majah (No. 1710), Malik (No. 689) and Ahmad (No. 23613, 23819, 23949, 24039, 24154, 24860, 25106). Cited in Riyad as-Salihin (No. 1247).

Explanation

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not fast in any month more than he did in Sha‘bān. He used to fast the whole of Sha‘bān. In another narration: He used to fast the whole of Sha‘bān except for a few days. The second narration explains the first one and clarifies that her words “the whole of it” actually means “most of it”. Another interpretation says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would fast the entire month at times and part of it at other times. It is also said that he would fast from its beginning, middle, or latter part from time to time. Thus, he left no part of this month without having fasted in it, yet over a number of years. Hence, we ought to fast in Sha‘bān more than in other months, following the Prophet’s example. The wisdom behind the desirability of fasting frequently in Sha‘bān is that it comes right before Ramadan, just as the supererogatory prayers are offered before the obligatory ones. According to another view, it is recommended to fast a lot in Sha‘bān because the deeds of people are raised up to Allah, the Almighty, during this month, as indicated by the Sunnah.

Explanation in Arabic

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: لم يكن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصوم من شهر أكثر من شعبان، فإنه كان يصوم شعبان كله. وفي رواية: كان يصوم شعبان إلا قليلاً. الثاني تفسير للأول وبيان أن قولها: كله، أي: غالبه، وقيل: كان يصومه كله في وقت، ويصوم بعضه في سنة أخرى، وقيل: كان يصوم تارة من أوله، وتارة من آخره، وتارة بينهما، وما يخلي منه شيئاً بلا صيام لكن في سنين، فلهذا ينبغي للإنسان أن يكثر من الصيام في شهر شعبان أكثر من غيره؛ لأن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصومه، والحكمة من ذلك أنه يكون بين يدي رمضان كالرواتب بين يدي الفريضة، وقيل: في تخصيص شعبان بكثرة الصوم لكونه ترفع فيه أعمال العباد، كما دلت عليه السنة.

فضل صيام شعبان.
الحكمة في تفضيله أنه بمثابة الاستعداد لرمضان، وهو شهر ترفع فيه الأعمال إلى الله -تعالى-.
أنه لا يشرع صومه كله، وإنما الثابت عنه -عليه الصلاة والسلام- صوم أكثره كما هو مقتضى الروايات، وبه تفتي اللجنة الدائمة.

Scholars’ grades

Original grading term, without a named scholar: صحيح

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 1969

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to fast till one would say that he would never stop fasting, and he would abandon fasting till one would say that he would never fast. I never saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan, and did not see him fasting in any month more…

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…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1156e

'A'isha, the Mother of the Believers (Allah be pleased with her), reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast (so continuously) that we said that he would not break, and did not fast at all till we said that he would not fast. And I did not see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) completing the…

يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يُفْطِرُ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يَصُومُ ‏.‏ وَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ فِي شَهْرٍ أَكْثَرَ…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1156f

I asked 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) about the fasting of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: He used to observe fast (at times so continuously) that we said: He has fasted (never to break), and he did not observe fast till we said: He has given up perhaps never to fast, and I never saw…

يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ صَامَ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ ‏.‏ وَلَمْ أَرَهُ صَائِمًا مِنْ شَهْرٍ قَطُّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ كُلَّهُ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Abu Dawud 2434

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to fast to such an extent that we thought that he would never break his fast, and he would go without fasting to such an extent that we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fast a complete month except in Ramadan, and I never saw his…

يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يُفْطِرُ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يَصُومُ وَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ فِي شَهْرٍ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 2177

"The Messenger of Allah used to fast until we said: 'He will not fast.' And he used to fast Shaban, or most of Shaban."' '

يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يُفْطِرُ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لاَ يَصُومُ وَكَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ أَوْ عَامَّةَ شَعْبَانَ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 2179

"I asked Aishah: 'Tell me about the fasting of the Messenger of Allah.' She said: 'he used to fast until we said: he is going to fast until we said: He is not going to fast. He never fasted any month more than Shaban. He used to fast (all) of Shaban except a little, he used to fast all of Shaban."'…

يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ صَامَ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَصُومُ شَهْرًا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ كُلَّهُ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

See all 21 versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 2180

"The Messenger of Allah did not fast in any month of the year more than he did in Shaban. He used to fast all of Shaban."

لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي شَهْرٍ مِنَ السَّنَةِ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ كُلَّهُ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 2351

"The Messenger of Allah used to fast until we said: 'He will not break his fast.' And he used not to fast until we said: 'He will not fast.' And I never saw the Messenger of Allah fast more in any month than in Shaban."

يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ مَا يُفْطِرُ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ مَا يَصُومُ وَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي شَهْرٍ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 2354

"The Messenger of Allah did not fast any month more than Shaban; he used to fast (all of) it, or most of it."

لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِشَهْرٍ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ لِشَعْبَانَ كَانَ يَصُومُهُ أَوْ عَامَّتَهُ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 2355

"The Messenger of Allah used to fast (all of) Shaban except a little."

يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 1710

“I asked ‘Aishah about the fasting of the Prophet (ﷺ). She said: ‘He used to fast until we thought he would always fast. And he used to not fast until we thought he would always not fast. I never saw him fast more in any month than in Sha’ban. He used to fast all of Sha’ban; he used to fast all of…

يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ صَامَ ‏.‏ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ: قَدْ أَفْطَرَ. وَلَمْ أَرَهُ صَامَ مِنْ شَهْرٍ قَطُّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ. كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ كُلَّهُ. كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Muwatta Malik 689

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'n Nadr, the mawla of Umar ibn Ubaydullah, from Abu Salama ibn Abd ar-Rahman that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to fast for so long that we…

حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي النَّضْرِ، مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 23613