The Merits of Shaʿbān

Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm narrated to us, saying that ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Yaḥyā narrated to him among others, saying that Aḥmad b. Abī ʿAbd Allāh al-Kūfī narrated to him, from Sulaymān al-Marwazī, from al-Riḍā, ʿAlī b. Mūsā صلوات الله عليه, that he said: “The Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وعلى آله would fast often in Shaʿbān, while his wives would delay their fasting to Shaʿbān whenever it was upon them to do so, fearing to keep the Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وعلى آله from fulfilling his needs. He عليه السلام was wont to say: “Sha’ban is my month, and it is the most virtuous of all the months after the month of Ramaḍān. So, whoever fasts for one of its days will have earned intercession for himself on the Day of Judgement. And whoever fasts during the month of Ramaḍān, having established faith in and having accounted for its reward, will have forgiven whatever preceded of his sins and whatever comes after of them. The pen will not run upon the fasting person until he breaks his fast, as long as he does not do anything to invalidate his fast. The pen will not run upon the pilgrim until he returns to his ordinary state of moral accountability, as long as he does not commit any unlawful act. The pen will not run upon the youth until he reaches biological maturity. The pen will not run upon he who struggles in the way of Allāh until he turns back to his home, as long as he does not do anything to invalidate his struggling. Nor will the pen run upon the maniac until he regains sanity, nor will the pen run upon the convalescent individual until he recovers his health.” Then, the Imam عليه السلام said: “Verily, the merchandise of Allāh is affordable, so purchase it before it becomes expensive!”