Did the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be upon Him) Ever Observe Fasting for the Two Months Preceding Ramadan?
Answered by Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra
Question
I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fast for the two months before Ramadan.
Is it confirmed that he has fasted at least once in these two months?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) was not reported to have fasted for two straight months before Ramadan. Instead, it has been narrated that he would fast all or most of Sha‘ban and then go into the Ramadan fasts, so he would end up fasting those two months.
It is narrated from Umm Salama that she said, “I did not see the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) fast for two consecutive months except that he used to connect Sha‘ban with Ramadan [in fasting].” [Ahmad]
And in another version:
“The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not fast a complete month during the year except Sha‘ban, which he connected [through fasting continuously] into Ramadan.” [Abu Dawud]
Some also said the meaning of fasting all of Sha’ban means fasting most of it, not each and every day of it. Or, it is also possible that some years, he did indeed fast all of it, and others not, to show it was not obligatory like Ramadan. [Tibi, Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih]
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdullah Anik Misra
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Shaykh Abdullah Misra was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1983. His family hails from India, and he was raised according to Hindu tradition. He embraced Islam in 2001 while at the University of Toronto, where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration. He then traveled overseas in 2005 to study the Arabic language and Islamic sciences in Tarim, Yemen, for some time, as well as Darul Uloom in Trinidad, West Indies. He spent 12 years in Amman, Jordan, where he focused on Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith Sciences, Prophetic Biography, and Islamic Spirituality while also working at the Qasid Arabic Institute as Director of Programs. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies (Alimiyya, Darul Uloom) and authorization in the six authentic books of Hadith and is currently pursuing specialized training in issuing Islamic legal verdicts (ifta’). He holds a certificate in Counselling and often works with new Muslims and those struggling with religious OCD. He is an instructor and researcher in Sacred Law and Theology with the SeekersGuidance The Global Islamic Seminary. Currently, He resides in the Greater Toronto Area with his wife and children. His personal interests include Indian history, comparative religion, English singing, and poetry.
