The Merits of Shaʿbān
Faḍāʾil al-Ashhur al-Thalātha|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 1
حدثنا أحمد بن الحسن القطّان، قال: حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن الحسين، قال: حدثنا يزيد بن سنان البصري نزيل مصر، قال: حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن مهدي، قال: حدثنا ثابت بن قيس العمري، قال: حدثني أبو سعيد المقري، قال: حدثني أسامة بن زيد، قال: كان رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) يصوم الأيام حتى يقال: لا يفطر ويفطر حتى يقال: لا يصوم قلت رأيته يصوم من شهر ما لا يصوم في شئ من الشهور؟ قال: نعم، قلت: أي الشهور؟ قال: شهر شعبان كان يقول: هو شهر يغفل الناس عنه بين رجب وشهر رمضان وهو شهر يرفع فيه الأعمال إلى رب العالمين جل جلاله فأحب أن يرفع لي عملي وأنا صائم.
Aḥmad b. al-Ḥasan al-Qaṭṭān narrated to us, saying that ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Muḥammad b. al-Ḥusayn narrated to him, among others, saying that Yazīd b. Sinān al-Baṣrī—who came from Egypt—narrated to him, among others, saying that ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Mahdī narrated to him, among others, saying that Thābit b. Qays al-ʿUmarī narrated to him, among others, saying that Abū Saʿīd al-Muqarrī narrated to him, saying that Usāma b. Zayd narrated to him, saying: “The Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وعلى آله would fast for some days such that people would say: “He never breaks his fast,” while he would be breaking his fast, and people would say: “He never fasts.” Abū Saʿīd asked him: “Did you see him fasting in one month and not any of the others?” to which Usāma replied: “Aye.” So Abū Saʿīd continued: “Which months?” Usāma replied: “The month of Shaʿbān. He used to say: “It is the month neglected by the people, that sits between the months of Rajab and Ramaḍān, and the month in which deeds are elevated to the Lord of the Worlds جل جلاله, and I love that my deeds are elevated while I am fasting.”