Excerpted from Ghunya al-Talibeen on Sha`ban
Sha`ban is one of the meritorious months for which we find particular instructions in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s). It is reported in authentic ahadith that Prophet Muhammad (s), used to fast most of the month in Sha`ban. These fasts are supererogatory (nafl) and well deserving of reward, for Sha`ban is the month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan. The Prophet mentioned in a hadith, “Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha`ban is my month and Ramadan is the month of the Nation”…
It is related, “He (the Prophet (s)) used to fast the whole of Shabān except a few days.”..
On Specialties of the Night of Mid-Sha`ban
Imam al-Ghazali wrote in his Ihyā, The Night of mid-Sha`bān, in it [pray] 100 raka`ts, reciting in each raka`t after al-Fātiha, Surat al-Ikhlās 10 times; they never left it, as we related about the voluntary extra prayers and the Night of `Arafat...
