Shaban comes before Ramadan, the important month in which we fast as part of the five pillars of Islam, hence Shaban should be taken as a month of preparation.

One of the sunnah of Allah is that a human being does not go from one state to another without preparation, without a transition. It is important to be in a state of readiness to really enjoy the worship. This is one of the wisdoms in the recommendation to perform sunnah prayers before the obligatory prayers, for example.

Virtues of Shaban

The month of Ramadan also has its preparation, its warming up. That is Shaban, the month during which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ fasted the most, except for the month of Ramadan. It is also a month in which the deeds of the servants are presented to Allah, although this is often forgotten because it is “stuck” between the holy month of Rajab and Ramadan.

Imam An Nassâ’i reported from Ousama Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with them, that the latter said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:

O, Messenger of Allah! I have never seen you fasting in a month like the month of Shaban.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied,

This month, many people are careless of it, between Rajab and Ramadan; it is a month in which deeds are elevated with the Lord of the worlds. I like my deeds to be elevated while I am in a state of fasting.

Making the Most of Shaban

Therefore, it is important to start getting into the Ramadan mindset during the month of Shaban. It is about reaching a higher level of piety than usual. Striving to be better in everything we do — increasing the number of our worships of course, but especially improving their quality. The quality of a worship is found in the sincerity and concentration of the worshipper. Also, to improve our behavior in all other areas of life: in our relationships with others, in our professional activity, etc.

Allah says:

Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain piety.

This is the purpose of the month of Ramadan, which should certainly not be reduced only to abstaining from food and drink during the day.

To have the opportunity to live a month of Ramadan is a great blessing. To enjoy it properly, it should be achieved on the momentum of the month of Shaban, during which we have elevated ourselves and come closer to our creator.

May Allah allow us to live this month of Ramadan and make it a new beginning in our lives.

Vincent Souleymane, a French imam and shariah advisor at Muslim Pro, has devoted his time to study and enrich others with the knowledge of Islamic sciences ever since he converted to the religion in 1999. During his studies at the Oussoul Eddine Institute in Saint-Denis, he became aware of the importance of devotion to Allah and decided to continue his religious studies at the daroul ouloum achrafiya of the Island La Réunion and at the IESH of Château Chinon. Since then, Vincent Souleymane devotes himself to the Almighty by teaching Islam at the Oussoul Eddine Institute, as well as being an imam at the Fontenay sous Bois Mosque.

Translated by Elyssa Faucher.