“شَعْبَانُ شَھْرِیْ وَ رَمَضَانُ شَھْرُ اللہ” (ShaꜤbān is my month, and Ramadan is the month of Allah).^[1]

اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه Fasting in this blessed month has many virtues. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم   said, “(After Ramadan,) The most superior fasts for honouring Ramadan are the fasts of ShaꜤbān.”^[2]

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم   would observe all the fasts of ShaꜤbān. Sayyidatunā ꜤĀˈishah al-Ṣiddīqah رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا once asked, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ! Are the fasts of ShaꜤbān most beloved to you from all months?”

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم   replied, “Allah Almighty records all those who will die this year, and I prefer to be in a state of fast when my time to depart arrives.”^[3]

For the sake of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, may Allah Almighty grant us the ability to keep all the fasts of ShaꜤbān and then those of Ramadan. If only we would become successful in observing the spiritual retreat (iꜤtikāf) for the entirety of Ramadan or at least the last 10 days. Would that we are given the ability to collect donations with good intentions.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صلَّی اللہ عَلَیْہِ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

An inscription on the door of Paradise

Sayyidunā Anas bin Mālik رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: