Al-Hafidh Ibn Rajab al Hambalee رحمه الله said,

To fast in the month of Shaban before the month of Ramadan is like praying the supererogatory prayers associated with the obligatory prayers

[طائف المعارف]

Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal (rahimahullah) said:

“The fundamentals of the Sunnah with us are: Clinging to that which the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam were upon, taking them as our examples to be followed; avoiding innovations, for every innovation is misguidance.”

[Usoolus-Sunnah (p.5) by Imaam Ahmad]

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī رحمه الله said,

"Knowledge is ruined due to forgetfulness and neglect."

[Sunan ad-Dārimī v. 1 p. 488 no. 649]

"The closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration." • [رواه مسلم ٢٨٤]

Sheikh Uthaymīn رحمه الله stated: "This is because he has placed his forehead (face) - the highest and most honourable part of his body - down into the ground where people treat upon with their feet, in doing so he demonstrates the perfection of subservience to Allāh."

The one standing up is actually higher up physically than the one down in prostration, however since the prostrating one humbled himself to Allāh, consequently Allāh raised him and so he is actually closer to Allāh."

So if is appropriate you make plentiful supplication in these prostrations - whether obligatory or supererogatory prayers -, and you supplicate for whatever you wish (after completing the prescribed supplications) as long as it's not a sin or cutting the ties of kinship.

So a student of knowledge may ask, "O' Allāh increase me in knowledge and grant me understanding and memorisation", the one building a house may ask, "O' Allāh aid me in the completion of the house", the youth may ask "O' Allāh grant me a wife", ... and so on."

[صفة الصلاة (بتصرف يسير) للشيخ العثيمين ص ٤٢١]

Ibn Mas’ūd said: “It is hard for us to memorize the words of the Qur’an, but easy to act upon it.

But those after us will find it easy to memorize the Qur’an but hard to act upon it.”

[Tafṣīr al-Qurṭubī v. 1, p. 40]

Story of one of the most famous of Imam Ash Shafī'ī students, Al Buwayti rahimahullah.

When he refused to say that the Quran was created, he was imprisoned until he died in his prison cell in the year 231 Hijri. When he (rahimahullah) used to hear the adhan of Jumu'ah from his prison cell, he would bathe, wear his best clothes and walk to the main gate of the prison intending to go for the prayer. But the guards refused him. He would then say: “O Allāh I responded to the call, but these have barred me.”

[طبقات الفقهاء، للشيرازي، ص ٩٨]

‎قال الشيخ محمد بن عبدالوهاب رحمه الله: التوحيد اسم لفعلك إن كانت أعمالك كلها لله فأنت موحد، فإن كان فيها شرك للمخلوقين فأنت مشرك

Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdul Al Wahab رحمه الله said: "Tawheed is a name for your action, if all your actions were for Allah alone then you are a Muwahid (monotheist), and if some were for the creation then you’re a Mushrik (polytheist)."

‎[الدرر السنية ١/١٦٨]

Whenever the month of Sha'baan would begin, Habeeb ibn Abi Thaabit رحمه الله used to say,

"This is the month of the reciters of the Quran."

[Al Lataaif al Ma’arif pg. 258-259]

Fuḍayl b. ‘Iyāḍ's Raḥimahullāh Advice to a 60 - Year Old Man.

Fuḍayl b. ‘Iyāḍ رحمه الله said to a man: "How many (years) have come upon you?"

The man said: "60 years."

Fuḍayl said: "So since 60 years you are heading toward your Lord, and you are on the verge of arriving."

So the man said: "Indeed to Allāh we belong and indeed to Him we return."

Fuḍayl said: "Do you know the meaning of that?"

You are saying that I am a servant of Allāh and to Him I will return, so whomsoever knows he is a servant of Allāh, and that to Him he will return, then let him be aware that he will stand before Him, and whomsoever is aware that he will stand before him then let him be aware that he will be questioned, and whomsoever is aware he will be questioned then let him prepare an answer to the question."

So the man said: "So what is the strategy?"

Fuḍayl said: "Easy."

The man said: "What is it?"

Fuḍayl b. ‘Iyāḍ said: "Be righteous in what remains and you will be forgiven for what has passed, for indeed of you incur evil in what remains (i.e. no repentance and continuation upon wrongdoing) then you will be held accountable upon it and that which has passed."

[جامع العلوم والحكم لابن رجب الحنبلي ص ٣٨٣]

Prophet ﷺ said,

"When a half of Shaban remains then do not fast."

[Tirmidhi 738]


Sheikh Ibn Baaz رحمه الله said,

"This is a sahih hadith as Shaykh Nasir ad Deen al Albani رحمه الله said. What is meant is that it is not allowed to start fasting after halfway through the month. But if a person fasts most or all of the month, then he is following the Sunnah."

[Majmoo' Fataawa 15/385]


Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen رحمه الله said,

"Even if the hadith is sahih, the prohibition in it does not mean that this is haram, rather it is simply makruh, as some of the scholars have understood it to mean. But whoever has the habit of fasting regularly should fast, even if it is after halfway through Shaban."

[In his commentary on Riyad al Salihin 3/394]

لا تهتم لكلام الناس لأن الناس يتكلمون حتى على الميت في قبره

"Do not let the criticism of the people worry you. Even the dead in their graves are not safe from their tongues."

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

”Undoubtedly one should never please people by displeasing Allāh, should not praise anyone for that which Allāh had bestowed on you, and never blame anyone for that which Allāh did not grant you. The blessings of Allāh will not be gained according to someone's desires nor will they be removed because of someone's hatred.

Allāh in His justice and patience makes the soul happy by being content, and makes sadness and grief when one doubts and is discontent.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 247-8]