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| Virtues of the Month of Sha'ban and Practices in the Month of Sha'ban |
Virtues of the Month of Sha'ban
Etymologically, the word Sha'ban comes from Syi'ab, meaning a path over a mountain. This is in line with the position of the month of Sha'ban, which precedes the month of Ramadan. While Ramadan is a month of high stature, akin to the peak of a mountain, Sha'ban is the path leading toward it.
Regarding the word Sha'ban (شَعْبَانَ), Imam Abdurrahman ash-Shafury explains:
شعبان خمس أحرف ش ع ب ا ن فالشين من الشرف والعين من العلو والباء من البر والألف من الألفة والنون من النور. [1]
"Sha'ban consists of five letters: Shīn, 'Ayn, Bā', Alif, and Nūn. The Shīn comes from ash-Syarafu (honor), 'Ayn from al-‘Uluwwu (elevation), Bā' from al-Birru (goodness), Alif from al-Ulfatu (affection), and Nūn from an-Nūr (light)."
From this explanation, we can understand that Sha'ban is a month full of virtues. It is a month of honor, high status, goodness, affection, and light, illuminating the lives of the faithful.
Practices In The Month Of Sha'ban
There are several recommended practices in Sha'ban that scholars encourage people to engage in:
1. Fasting
In a hadith narrated by Imam at-Tirmidhi, it is stated:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَيُّ الصَّوْمِ أَفْضَلُ بَعْدَ رَمَضَانَ؟ فَقَالَ: شَعْبَانُ لِتَعْظِيمِ رَمَضَانَ، قِيلَ: فَأَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ: صَدَقَةٌ فِي رَمَضَانَ. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ، وَصَدَقَةُ بْنُ مُوسَى لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُمْ بِذَاكَ القَوِيِّ. [2]
"Hadith narrated to us by Muhammad bin Ismail, who said: It was narrated to us by Musa bin Ismail, who said: It was narrated to us by Shadaqah bin Musa, from Tsabit, from Anas, who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked: 'Which fast is the most virtuous after Ramadan?' He (peace be upon him) said: 'Shaban, as it is a means of honoring Ramadan.' He was then asked: 'Which charity is the most virtuous?' The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Charity in Ramadan.' This is a ghareeb hadith, and Shadaqah bin Musa is not considered strong in their eyes." (Narrated by Imam at-Tirmidhi, no. 663).
This hadith explains that fasting in the month of Sha'ban is more virtuous after the virtue of fasting in the month of Ramadan. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was known to fast more frequently in this month, as mentioned in a hadith narrated by Imam Malik:
حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي النَّضْرِ مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لَا يُفْطِرُ، وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لَا يَصُومُ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا رَمَضَانَ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ فِي شَهْرٍ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ. [3]
"Yahya narrated to us from Malik, from Abi an-Nadhr, the freed slave of Umar bin Ubaidillah, from Abi Salamah bin Abdirrahman, from Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would fast until we thought he would never break his fast. And he would break his fast until we thought he would never fast again. I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) complete a full month of fasting without interruption, except in the month of Ramadan. And I never saw him fast more (sunnah fasting) in any month than in Sha'ban.'"
Additionally, the Prophet (peace be upon him) also gave special importance to fasting in the month of Sha'ban because during this month, the deeds of the people are raised, as mentioned in a hadith narrated by Usama bin Zaid :
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَنِيعٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي ثَابِتُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ أَبُو الْغُصْنِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْتُكَ تَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ صَوْمًا لَا تَصُومُهُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الشُّهُورِ إِلَّا فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ؟ قَالَ: ذَاكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفَلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ، وَشَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ، تُرْفَعُ فِيهِ أَعْمَالُ النَّاسِ، فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ لَا يُرْفَعَ عَمَلِي إِلَّا وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ. [4]
"It was narrated to us by Ibn Mani', who said: It was narrated to us by Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah, who said: It was narrated to us by Zaid bin al-Hubab, who said: It was narrated to me by Tsabit bin Qays, also known as Abu al-Ghushni, who said: It was narrated to me by Abu Said al-Maqburi, who said: It was narrated to me by Abu Hurairah, from Usamah bin Zaid, who said: I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha'ban in a way that you do not fast in any other month except for Ramadan?' The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: 'Sha'ban is a month that people often forget, between Rajab and Ramadan. In this month, the deeds of people are raised, So I like that my deeds are not raised except while I am fasting."
2. Increasing Salawat
The month of Sha'ban is known as the month of Salawat. Sayyid Muhammad bin Alawi al-Maliki opined:
وَمِن مَزَايَا شَهْرِ شَعْبانَ : أَنَّهُ الشَّهْرَ اَلَّذِي نَزَلَتْ فِيه أَيَّةُ الصَّلاةِ عَلَى رَسولِ اللَّهِ وَهِيَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: اِنَّ اللّٰهَ وَمَلٰۤىِٕكَتَهٗ يُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّۗ يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا صَلُّوْا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوْا تَسْلِيْمًا. [5]
"Among the virtues of the month of Sha'ban is that it is the month in which the verse about sending Salawat upon the Prophet was revealed. This is the word of Allah Ta'ala: "Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace."
Therefore, the scholars recommend increasing the recitation of blessings (Salawat) upon the Prophet (SAW) in the month of Sha'ban. This is because in this month, the verse about Salawat, which is found in Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 56, was revealed by Allah (SWT) and has become a command for the believers. Although there are differences among the scholars regarding the exact time of the revelation of this verse, as a lesson and reminder of good deeds, it is not wrong for us to apply this by increasing the sending of blessings upon Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in this blessed month.
3. Increasing the Recitation of the Qur'an and Charity
Increasing the recitation of the Qur'an and giving charity in the month of Sha'ban is a practice of the righteous scholars from the past that we should emulate and take as an example. Sayyid Muhammad bin Alawi al-Maliki explains:
قال الحافظ ابن رجب الحنبلي رحمه الله تعالى روينا بإسناد ضعيف عن أنس رضي الله عنه قال: كان المسلمون إذا دخل شعبان انكبوا على المصاحف فقرأوها وأخرجوا زكاة أموالهم تقوية للضعيف والمسكين على صيام رمضان. [6]
"Hafizh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated to us with a weak chain of narration from Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: When the month of Sha'ban begins, the Muslims focus on the Qur'an and engage themselves with its recitation. They also give zakat (charity) to the poor and needy as a means of helping them prepare for fasting during the month of Ramadan."
These are the virtues and practices recommended by the scholars in the month of Sha'ban. In addition to the honor of this month, it also serves as a preparation for welcoming the month of Ramadan. So that when Ramadan arrives, our hearts and souls are already prepared to fulfill the obligation of fasting, having been trained in good deeds during Sha'ban.
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