Sha'ban

The fifteenth night of this month is Mid-Sha'ban, which coincides with the celebration of Shab-e-Barat in Muslim communities all over Asia.

Sha'ban is the last lunar month before Ramadan, and so Muslims determine in it when the first day of Ramadan fasting will be. In the second Hijri year (624 CE), fasting during Ramadan was made obligatory during this month.

In the post-Tanzimat Ottoman Empire context, the word was, in French, the main language of diplomacy and a common language among educated and among non-Muslim subjects, spelled Chaʼban. The current Turkish spelling today is Şâban.

Virtues

The virtues of Sha'ban is mentioned in various traditions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Aisha, the wife of Muhammad, narrated that "(she) did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha'ban," except Ramadan.

In another narration Muhammad said, "Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired (of giving rewards) till you get bored and tired (of performing religious deeds)."