Increasing Voluntary Fasting In The Month of Shaaban

عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا عَنْ صِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَتْ كَانَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ صَامَ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَفْطَرَ وَلَمْ أَرَهُ صَائِمًا مِنْ شَهْرٍ قَطُّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ كُلَّهُ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 

On the authority of Abu Salamah, he said, I asked 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) about the fasting of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: He used to observe fast (at times so continuously) that we said: He has fasted (never to break), and he did not observe fast till we said: He has given up perhaps never to fast, and I never saw him observing (voluntary fasts) more in any other month than that of Sha'ban. (lt appeared as if) he observed fast throughout the whole of Sha'ban except a few (days).

(HR Muslim No: 1156)

Status: Hadith Sahih

https://sunnah.com/muslim:1156f 

Learnings:

1. Rasulullah SAW always observe the worship of voluntary fasting every month such as fasting on Mondays, Thursdays also on Yaumul Bidh 'white days' (13, 14 and 15 days of the month). 

2. The Prophet SAW fasted for a whole month in the month of Ramadan 

3. The Prophet increased his voluntary fasting in the month of Syaaban except for a few days at the end of Syaaban. 

4. Let us make preparations to increase voluntary fasting in the month of Syaaban. 

5. Take advantage of the benefits of fasting by multiplying our du'a to be freed from various calamities and others because the du'a of those who are fasting are mustajab. This is based on a hadith from Abu Hurairah RA who said that the Prophet SAW said: 

ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمْ: الْإِمَامُ الْعَادِلُ وَالصَّائِمُ حَتَّى يُفْطِرَ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ 

"Three groups of their du'a will not be rejected: the righteous Imam, the person who fasts until he breaks his fast and the prayer of the oppressed".

(HR Ibn Majah No: 1752)

Status: Hadith Hasan

https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:1752 

Let's perform the worship of doing voluntary fasting in the month of Syaaban as training and preparation for Ramadan.