The Arabic word Ramdh, which means “intensely hot” or “burning,” is where the name “Ramadan” originates. For three reasons, the month of Ramadan is known as such:
•Fasters get hot because they are thirsty.
•This month’s worship and dedication burn away all signs of sin.
•This month’s devotion helps a person develop the necessary warmth of love for both his Creator and his fellow humans. Ramadan was selected as the month of fasting and spiritual development because of its near resemblance to the Holy Qur’an’s revelation. As per the Holy Qur’an, The Qur’an was revealed to mankind as a source of guidance and discrimination throughout the month of Ramadan, according to this statement.
The first week of Shaban is when thoughts of Ramadan are most prevalent. Making plans far in advance will pay dividends, as with any significant undertaking. In fact, the exercise has been compared to the preparations undertaken in advance of an important guest’s visit. There would be particulars to consider, such as cleaning and meal preparation, ideas for making the most of the time spent together, and care in making a good first impression on that special guest.
In a similar vein, if Allah grants us the chance, we can make plans for the start of this wonderful month. Think first about the rewards that are promised for this endeavour before deciding how to practically handle the work that has to be done. “Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of real faith and in the hope of receiving Allah’s bounties, then all his past sins would be forgiven,” said the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him (Bukhari).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH’s) perspective would undoubtedly stand out due to His level of intelligence, understanding, and faith if we were to analyse his observations on the character of the month before Ramadan. His personality is enhanced by this distinction. He carefully plans every move he makes, striking the right balance between his requirements as a soul and those of his body. Hazrat Aisha, may God be pleased with her, reported that the Prophet of God “used to fast until we say he does not break his fast and breaks his fast until we say he does not fast, and I never saw the Messenger of God complete the fasting of a month except Ramadan, and I never saw him more fasting in any month than it in Sha’ban.” Al-Bukhari and Muslim both narrate that “He used to fast.” He used to fast for the entirety of Shaban, with the exception of a little period.
Ibn al-Mubarak and other academics among a group of scholars claimed that the Prophet, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, may not have kept the entire Shaban fast but may have just kept part of it.
He said: “It is a month in which people overlook it, between Rajab and Ramadan, and it is a month in which acts are raised to the Lord of the worlds, and I enjoy that my work is raised while I am fasting,” on the authority of Usama bin Zaid, may God be pleased with them. The Prophet PBUH’s) wisdom tells us that Sha’ban is sandwiched between two significant months, the holy month of Rajab and the fasting month of Ramadan, and that people frequently focus on those two months and overlook Sha’ban. The ability to think like other people while maintaining awareness of and not ignoring things in the same way that other people do is what sets smart individuals apart.
And in his comments, may Allah bless him and give him peace, he made it clear that not all very noble deeds that are tied to certain ages, places, or persons will always be commended. From his saying, it is also clear that it is important to make use of the moments when people tend to overlook the most while doing acts of worship. This might be attributed to the predecessors’ actions, who would engage in voluntary prayer in the time between two evening prayers and would declare it to be a negligent hour.
Why did the Prophet (PBUH) prefer to use free time during Sha’ban for acts of worship?
1. Because fasting is a private act between the servant and his Master, worship during this time is more covert, and voluntary deeds that are covered are preferable. Because of this, it was claimed that there was no eye service present. Ibn Masoud, may Allah be pleased with him, was quoted as saying: “Whenever you fast, cream yourself” in an effort to disguise it.
2. Doing good things when we are careless is harder on our souls, which is one of the reasons why some Ibadah are preferred to others. It is well recognised that the act in which many people take part becomes simple, while the act in which most people fail to engage is more difficult for the group of individuals who make an effort to observe it. It is for this reason that the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “The recompense of worship conducted at a time of tribulation is equal in value to an emigration to me.” The purpose of the Prophet’s Sha’ban fasting; Several scholars draw certain conclusions from his regular fasting, may God bless him and give him peace in the month of Sha’ban, including:
1 – The Prophet (PBUH) could not follow the three-day monthly fast because he was constantly involved in other tasks, such as travel or other things. Sha’ban would be used by him to make them up.
2. He used to fast because it was rumoured that his women used to make up their Ramadan fasts in Sha’ban. In addition, if he needed to fast the remaining portions of his voluntary fasts before the start of Ramadan, he would do so in Sha’ban, just as he would make up for any missed voluntary prayers or night prayers.
3 – Avoiding the tension that comes with Ramadan days of fasting without adequate preparation by fasting in Sha’ban is like training for Ramadan. To enter Ramadan strong and energised, he would practise fasting and make it a habit. Sha’ban also has elements of Ramadan, such as fasting, reading the Qur’an, and charitable giving, since it serves as the month’s introduction. It is well known that the month of Sha’ban is the month of the reciters, according to Salamah bin Suhail. Sha’ban is the month of the reciters, Habib bin AbiThabit would declare as it began. Amr bin Qais al-Mula’i claimed that if Sha’ban arrived, he would shut down his company and devote himself to reading the Qur’an. He also reportedly used the expression “Happy is he who transformed himself before Ramadan” during this time. The ideal volunteering is that which is close to Ramadan before and after it, and its standing in fasting is like the voluntary prayers that are related to the obligatory prayers before and after it, according to Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, may God have mercy on him. The absences from necessary obligations and the fasting before and after Ramadan are complemented by them. Fasting before and after Ramadan is preferable to other types of fasting, just as these related Sunnah are better than completely optional prayers.
So, fasting is not just about being hungry and thirsty; experience is required to understand its actuality and effects. Human nature dictates that the less food a person consumes, the more his spirit is cleaned and the greater his ability for [spiritual] visions. Allah’s plan is to make more of one type of food while lessening another. A person on a fast should be aware that it is not necessary to always feel hungry. Instead, he needs to keep thinking about God so that he can sever his links to earthly desires and amusements and be totally devoted to God. Thus, the significance of fasting is limited to the fact that man forgoes food that solely sustains the body in favour of food that is a source of solace and fulfilment for the spirit.

Faheem ul islam is pursuing Masters in International Politics at Aligarh Muslim University. He can be reached at [email protected]

Faheem ul Islam