Month of Shaban is the 8th month in the Islamic calendar and is considered one of the meritorious months for which we find particular instructions in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The Arabic word Sha`ban is derived from the word ‘tash`aba’, which means "to go in different directions." It is said that Sha`ban takes such a name because the Arabs used to go in different directions fighting their enemies.

It is reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), used to fast most of the month in Shaban except the last few days of the month. These fasts are supererogatory (nafl). Shaban is the month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan.

Shaban is the 8th month in the Islamic calendar and is considered one of the meritorious months for which we find particular instructions in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad . It is reported that Prophet Muhammad, used to fast most of the month in Shaban except the last few days of the month.

These fasts are supererogatory (nafl). Shaban is the month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan. The Prophet mentioned in a hadith, "Rajab is the month of Allah, Shaban is my month and Ramadan is the month of the Nation".

This holy month, in which divine prosperity and abundance enliven the earth, is the most profitable and beneficial month.The most important aspect of Shaban that increases its value is the fact that the reward of the worshipping performed in Shaban is three hundred times more than other months (except Ramadan).(1)
If the prayer performed at other times has ten rewards, prayer performed in Shaban has more than three hundred rewards. There are three hundred fruits of Paradise for each recited letter of the Quran.

Introduction :
It is admitted fact that every moment, second, minute, hour, day or night that is spent in the submission of Allah Almighty and His Beloved Prophet (SAW) is exceedingly meaningful and precious. But there are some days, nights and months which have their own weight and Allah, the compassionate, lays immense stress upon them to unveil their importance to his rationale creatures.
What is Shabaan?
Among those months, those hold much importance is Sha’ban and the holy month of Ramadhan, The Holy Month of Sha’ban is one of the blessed months that holds much too for us from the mercy, compassion and kindness of Allah Almighty. Sha’ban is the name of the (eigth) month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and it is so called because in this month the Arabs used to disperse (tasha’aba) in search of water, or it was said that it is so called because it sha’aba (branches out or emerges) i.e., it appears between the months of Rajab and Ramadan.

The Islamic lunar calendar comprises of twelve months. Each month of the Islamic calendar has its religious as well as historical significance, however, there are a few months that hold a superior stature compared to other months and because of this they are given more value and respect by the Muslims. One of such months is the month of Shaban.

In Islamic calendar, Shaban is the eighth month which precedes the Holy month of Ramadan. It is one of the most revered months for Muslims and Muslims all over the world give value to this month and have special affiliation with it. Literally, the word Shaban means branch. It can be said that Shaban branches off and leads to other good things. Shaban acts as a connection between the two blessed and sacred months of Rajab and Ramadan. Despite this, the importance of Shaban is often neglected and ignored. The lines below discuss the element of fasting in the month of Shaban under the light of different hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Allah's beloved prophet Hadrat MUHAMMAD{peace be upon him}said:
"Sha'ban is my month,Rajab is Allah's month and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah[Community]
Sha'ban is expiator,while Ramadan is the prufier."

Sha'ban is a month between Rajab and Ramadan.People tend to neglcet it,but that is when the deeds of His servants ascend to the Lord of all the Worlds,so I would rather mine rose up while i am fasting."
" The excellence of Rajab over other months is like the excellence of the Quran over all other books, while the excellence of Sha'ban over other months is like my excellence over the rest of the prophets,and the excellence of Ramadan over other months is like the excellence of Allah[Exalted is He]over all His creatures.

FASTING OF HADRAT MUHAMMAD{peace be upon him}IN THE MONTH OF SHA'BAN

Ramadan, the month in which Paradise is decorated
________________________________________
"Surely Paradise is decorated the whole year for the Ramadan to come. When the first night of the Ramadan comes, a wind called “Musira” blows from the bottom of the Skies.
The door of Paradise belonging to those who observe fasting
Sahl Ibn Sa’d reports from Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh):
There is a door in Paradise called Rayyan. Only those who observe fasting can enter that door on doomsday, nobody else can enter with them.
Then, a voice is heard ‘Where are the ones who observed fasting in the world?’ They come and enter paradise from that door. When the last one of them enters, the door is closed; nobody else is permitted after that. Whoever enters Paradise from that door never gets thirsty again eternally"(Bukhari, Sawm: 4, Bad ul Halk: 9; Muslim, Siyam: 166; Tirmidhi, Sawm: 55

The greatest jewel on the crown of the Islamic year is the blessed month of Ramadan, the month described by the Messenger himself as the month of his community.

For a people enjoined and assured with the divine decree: “You have a good example in God's Messenger for whoever hopes for God and the Last Day, and remembers God oft” (Qur’an, 33:21), the life of the Prophet Muhammad during the month of Ramadan, the most sacred month on the Islamic calendar – as with his daily life during all other times of the year – demands great importance.
Just as Muslims are required to pray how he prayed, fast how he fasted, and turn to their Creator with utmost sincerity and devotion, they are instructed to make it their life’s endeavor to live as he lived, emulating him in each and every facet of their humanly existence.

• Ramadan
As it turns out, Ramadan is not simply an exercise in fasting during the day, binge-eating during the night and setting the clock to the morning's wee hours for those inclined to rise for the predawn meal. Neither is it about irate drivers who feel entitled to exhibit road rage, lacklustre employees who see the month as an excuse to slack off and overworked women slaving over a stove every day in preparation for the sunset meal. Ramadan is none of those things, if done right, and instead, is the chance for a spiritual boost, with lessons to be applied long after the month is out.
The month

We all know that the Prophet found his solace and comfort in the worship and remembrance of his Creator. However, when the month of Ramadan approached he intensified his efforts. Humbly supplicating to his Lord, he sought help, support, victory and guidance. It was his spiritual power that kept him strong and motivated throughout the day and night.
Why do we fall behind our religious commitments? It is because we lack spiritual power.

A Muslim’s approach: As Ramadan visits us this summer, in the Northern Hemisphere, we will have to load up extra spiritual power this year. Whenever your nafs whispers, “You are not good enough to worship,” remind yourself of the following:
Allah says, “O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous.” [Quran: Chapter 2, Verse 21]
In this ayah, Allah provides us the answer to becoming a Mutaqqi or righteous. The more we worship, the more God-fearing we will become.

THE QURAN ON FASTING
"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).
(Fasting) for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (i.e. an old man, etc.), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a poor person (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, it is better for you if only you know." (2:183-84)

"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan), he must fast that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number (of days which one did not fast must be made up) from other days.

• By Prof. Shahul Hameed
• Published on 01 Sep 2008
• Last modified on 29 Jun 2014
• Printed: 608
• Viewed: 32551 (daily average: 10)
• Rating: 4.4 out of 5
• Rated by: 29
• Emailed: 31
• Commented on: 3

It was Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, who made us raise our eyes from the dust beneath to view the glory of the starry heavens above. It was Muhammad who led us from the depths of darkness to the grandeur of the light of God.
The Prophet was the one who led us to break our stone statues and wooden gods. It was Muhammad who lifted us out of the filth of idolatry to relish the serenity of God’s transcendence.
On the Night of Power in one Ramadan, the Quran descended on Muhammad, and he received its first verses in the Cave of Hira. (Ibn Abbas)

"Fasting in Ramadan develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging, of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before God. This spirit is the natural product of the fact that when people fast they feel that they are joining the whole Muslim society (which makes up more than one fifth of world's population) in observing the same duty, in the same manner, at the same time, for the same motives, and for the same end. No sociologist or historian can say that there has been at any period of history anything comparable to this powerful institution of Islam: Fasting in the month of Ramadan. People have been crying throughout the ages for acceptable 'belonging', for unity, for brotherhood, for equality, but how echoless their voices have been, and how very little success they have met..." says Hammudah Abdalati, in Islam in Focus.

“Ramadan is the month in which we sent down the Holy Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear Signs for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong).” (chapter 2, verse 185)

A fasting person’s aim is to attain purity of thought and action. The act of fasting redirects the hearts away from worldly mundane activities, towards Allah – the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. The month of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, doing Zikr, endurance and self-discipline. It is a month of training – training the soul and body- to be able to exercise self-restraint.

The Holy month of Ramadan is upon us. It is one of the most sacred months in the Islamic lunar calendar and Muslims all across the globe make special arrangements and preparations to celebrate this month and observe it with utmost religious zest. The prominent features of this month are fasting, the Taraweeh prayer at night and excessive Quran recitation and offering additional prayers.

In addition to the fasting and Taraweeh prayer, there are numerous deeds of Ramadan which a Muslim can pick up from the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The way He celebrated Ramadan, the way He kept fast, the way He stood in prayer and the way He spent the days and nights of Ramadan are all what a Muslim needs to incorporate in his or her Ramadan days. The lines below first discuss the importance of Ramadan from the hadith of Prophet (PBUH) and then discuss the way He spent His Ramadan.

Importance of Ramadan:
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in His hadith: