Month of Sha`ban – doorway to the blessings of Ramadan

According to the Quran, the order and the 12 monthly cycle of the of the year were designed by  Allah (PBUH)  at the time of the creation of the heavens and the earth.  It is written in surah al-Tawbah: ‘indeed the number of the months with Allah is twelve months in the Book of Allah, on the Day He created the heavens and the earth, out of these four are sacred, so do not wrong yourselves in them.’

This Quranic verse clearly shows the well-designed purpose behind the creation of months and indicates that people will benefit if they respect the sanctity of some of these months, by refraining from wrongdoing in them.

However, neither the month of Sha`ban, nor the month of Ramadan, are included in the four sacred months, even though the month of Ramadan is designed to accomplish one of the pillars of Islam; fasting.  This reinforces the fact that every month has its own characteristics and consequent benefits for people.

In Islam, everything has importance and plays a role when utilised in the right context. That includes the cycle of day and night and even the passing hours of the day and night. All contain different required degrees of excellence and present a source of spiritual benefits for people who believe in them and make efforts to reach them.

The Quran says: ‘and it is He (Allah) who has made the night and the day in a cycle for those people who seek to be reminded or want to be grateful (to Allah in their lives). Al-Furqan

What a beautiful Quranic verse to explain and introduce a different dimension into our understanding of the smooth cycle of these two daily phenomena that occur in our lives, and  remind us of God’s greatness and His glory and majesty in His creation. There are hours in which our prayers and dua are more likely to be acceptable than others. From midnight to the dawn of fajr is described as the most spiritual, in terms of getting closer to Allah.

Also our Prophet Mohammad said of these cycles: ‘indeed Allah had placed in the days of the year some cool breezes, so expose yourselves to them and perhaps some of you will receive them and thereafter never become wretched in your lives.’

The month of Sha`ban is a doorway to Ramadan, the most blessed month in spiritual terms, to make a believer benefit in this world, and the Hereafter, and fulfil one of the obligations of Islamic pillars.

So what are the ways that a believer may benefit from the month of Sha`ban? It would be only too easy, that in the absence of proper knowledge, we may fall into wrongdoing, and spoil our good deeds and lose any benefits that may arise from them. Let us see what our prophet used to do in this month.

In a hadith narrated by Osamah bin Zaid, he says that: I said to the Prophet: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I have not seen you fasting in any month the way you fast in the month of Sha`ban!, (he was talking about the voluntary fasting). The Prophet replied: ‘this is a month most people are heedless of, which is between the months of Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds of people are raised to the Lord of the worlds and I love that my deeds are raised to Him when I am in the state of fasting.’

Very importantly, another narration from Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, says: ‘the Prophet, peace be upon him, would fast till we say would he not break for a day. And would go without fasting till we say he may not fast. I have not seen the Prophet fasting a complete month except in the month of Ramadan. And I have not seen him fasting most except in the month of Sha`ban’.

So fasting is one of the most virtuous deeds that people can achieve in this month.

However, many people choose to fast most specially on the 15^th of Sha`ban. This has no validity, either from the sayings or the actions of the Prophet. Fasting in general is recommended. Additionally, of course, people should try to gain spiritually by reciting the Quran, doing charitable deeds, showing kindness and compassion and by submitting themselves to the guidance of Allah.

Celebrating the 15^th night of Sha`ban

This  also has no validity and is based on week narrations that fail to institute an act of ibadah for a particular night of a month. All that is said about fasting, offering salaah, reciting the Quran and other acts, like visiting the graves on that particular night, is without foundation and not backed by valid hadith.

Many other beliefs are held about the excellence of this night i.e. Allah distributes the provision of His servants in this night, all of which are invalid. The Night of Power, Lailatul Qadr, and not the 15^th night of Sha`ban, is when we are told that Allah distributes the provisions for the year among His servants.

Ibadaat or religious obligations are always enacted on the basis of Allah’s guidance to His prophet, presenting us with the strongest of evidence and by acts of collective following. Established obligations in Islam contain sufficient means to achieve the blessings of Allah by doing the right things.

Islam is a blessed guidance from Allah and people only need to follow it to receive their salvation and the pleasure of Allah. Any day is always a good starting point but a month like Sha`ban, the doorway to Ramadan, is one of the best times to start receiving those blessings.